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Fast Company
29-05-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
Why gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers are getting the axe
For generations of Americans, the soundtrack to spring weekends has been a rise in birdsong and the loud, constant 'virrrrrr' of neighbors cutting their growing grass. But the gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and weed eaters that have been used for more than a century to keep lawns manicured aren't only noisy—in the past few years, researchers have discovered that they also pose an outsize risk to the environment and to human health. In response, cities across the U.S. are experimenting with incentive programs to encourage residents to opt for more environmentally friendly electric lawn equipment. The shape these programs take isn't one size fits all: From bans to rebates to tax credits offered at a variety of price points, each program has made its own calculations about what the location can afford and what will best attract residents. But across the board, these relatively new programs are producing promising results. 'I think the most important thing is that it's really exciting to see that so many cities and counties and states and utilities and communities across our country are taking action to tackle the really polluting, really loud, gas-powered lawn equipment,' says Kirsten Schatz, clean air advocate for Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG). 'It's a real mix of approaches with, I think, some mixed results. But altogether, things are moving in the right direction.' Anything that runs on gas—think cars, planes, stoves, and water heaters—releases greenhouse gases that contribute to the warming of the planet. An important step in curbing emissions is to transition these machines to electric whenever and wherever possible. You might think that saving up to tackle the biggest items would make the biggest impact on reducing your carbon footprint. But physical size doesn't always correlate to impact. Gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers may be smaller than cars and used less frequently, but they produce a shocking amount of pollution because their engines are less efficient than those used in more technologically advanced products. In 2023, Environment America Research & Policy Center published a report based on 2020 data from the Environmental Protection Agency that found gas-powered lawn equipment produced the same amount of fine particulate pollution in a year as 234 million cars and more carbon dioxide than the entire city of Los Angeles. In addition to polluting the environment, the toxic by-products of running gas equipment have been linked to negative health impacts ranging from cancer and reproductive issues to mental health problems. There are many benefits to going electric: In addition to being better for the environment and human health, battery-powered equipment has the potential to save money and is quieter. But like all electrification efforts, switching requires what may at first seem like a hefty investment in new equipment—which is where incentives and rebates come in. As with many environmental issues, California was a leader in addressing the problem, choosing both a carrot and a stick approach. In October 2021, the governor signed into law a ban on new gas-powered equipment that took effect in January 2024. In the lead-up to the ban, the state offered generous incentives covering more than 50% of the cost of new equipment and batteries. In just two years, Assemblymember Marc Berman estimated that 90% of the $30 million allotted to these rebates had already been paid out. While several other communities have also adopted bans, including Washington D.C.; Palm Beach, Florida; and Burlington, Vermont, a larger number of programs across the country have taken an incentive-only approach. These incentives can help cost-conscious residents make the leap. 'We know that electric lawn equipment is increasingly popular, particularly in recent years as the prices have come down, the performance has improved, and it's much more widely available,' says Luke Metzger, executive director of the nonprofit Environment Texas. 'We know that certainly over several years, given that electricity is cheaper generally than gas, [switching] more than pays for itself. But still there's that up-front cost . . . and so those incentives can make a big difference.' Efforts in Texas have been a bit of a roller coaster. In 2022, Dallas was considering banning gas-powered lawn equipment. But the next year, the Republican-led state government ruled that bans were illegal. The city is now working on launching an incentive program. In the meantime, roughly 200 miles south, Austin's publicly owned utility provider, Austin Energy, has operated a seasonal rebate program since 2020. At participating retailers, customers can get a $15 discount on weed trimmers and leaf blowers and a $25 discount on lawn mowers taken off the price of purchase during certain times of the year. In the past six months, Austin Energy has offered rebates on 2,053 lawnmowers, 1,008 weed trimmers, and 578 leaf blowers. 'I'm excited to see people participating,' says Donylle Green Seals, environmental program coordinator at Austin Energy. 'Participation is above the forecast and has been growing steadily since 2020. Not growing astronomically, but I would say by at least a few hundred per product.' In the past year and a half, Colorado has also been experimenting with various strategies. A statewide program went into effect on January 1, 2024, giving residents a 30% discount at participating retail locations. This is in addition to a variety of local and utility company-based rebates offered throughout the state. The Colorado Public Interest Network has tracked 200 initiatives across 26 states—20 of them are in Colorado. Schatz says the decision to implement a statewide program was all about improving air quality. While she doesn't have data yet as to the success of the program, in her role working with retailers to offer the discounts and educating customers about them, she says, 'The vibe is good. Anecdotally, it feels like it's been a great success.' Not only has Colorado been encouraging private homeowners to make the electric leap, but it has also been tackling the problem of getting commercial landscapers to invest in a greener business model. This has been a harder segment to convert given the logistics. While a new electric battery can easily last for an entire session in the yard of an average private home, the costs and inconvenience of charging can rack up when businesses are using their equipment all day long. Though businesses can take advantage of the state rebate programs, new regulations set to take effect this summer will also impose bans on gas-powered equipment use on public property. This means any lawn care company with state or federal land as a customer will have to switch to electric to keep its clients. This is also where efforts to educate and sway both private citizens and companies converge—as more homeowners learn about the effects of gas-powered equipment, consumer opinion begins to change. 'I would say about two-thirds of my customers reach out to me specifically because I am fully electric,' Jordan Champalou, owner of Electric Lawn Care in the Denver suburb of Westminster, told Denver7. Electric equipment is undeniably a win for the environment, for public health, and for peaceful neighbor relations. But on the financial side, it isn't quite as simple as a onetime investment that will pay off once and for all. Incentives can get new adopters in the door, and those investments will eventually save them additional money, once the cost of buying gas for their old equipment surpasses the cost of buying new equipment and powering it with electricity. (Consumer Reports published a tool that allows readers to see when and how their new electric-equipment will start saving them money over a five-year period.) But there are still some kinks to work out. Electric batteries eventually wear out (current estimates are three to five years), and new batteries can be costly. Some users also claim that electric equipment isn't quite as powerful as gas, though not all agree and many tout the greater reliability of electric as a bonus. While incentives and bans are helping customers make the switch, achieving widespread electrification of lawn equipment may come down to something even simpler: Equipment manufacturers and retailers control the products available for consumers to buy. In June 2023, Home Depot announced a company goal that 85% of all its lawn equipment sales will be battery-powered by 2028. On a recent trip to my local Lowe's in Austin, there were twice as many electric lawn mowers available as gas ones, and prices were close if not on par. Ultimately, if manufacturers and retailers make the pivot to electric, incentives and bans will no longer be necessary—though they could still encourage customers to retire their gas equipment earlier than they otherwise might have. Austin Energy reevaluates its rebate programs every year, with the goal of making sure it's offering the best options to raise customers' awareness about energy efficiency and electrification savings opportunities. If electric equipment is all or most of what retailers are selling, and therefore most of what customers are buying, then Green says Austin Energy may decide to discontinue its lawn equipment rebates and shift its efforts to a new product category that needs the help more. But while the choice still sits in customers' hands, a growing number of incentive programs will give them the nudge they need to go electric. As Schatz of CoPIRG says, 'We know things are moving in the right direction, but we want to accelerate it, because it just doesn't make sense to tolerate this much harmful pollution and noise from cutting grass and blowing leaves around when we have better ways.'
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Gov. Jared Polis celebrates Earth Day, wants to make Colorado leader in energy efficiency
Gov. Jared Polis celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday by working to make Colorado a leader in energy efficiency. He signed an executive order at Cherry Creek State Park that outlines the state's goals to invest in clean energy and decrease the use of fossil fuels. The order includes reducing emissions in state operations by 50% by 2034 and reducing water consumption by at least 20% across agencies. AURORA, CO - APRIL 22: Colorado Governor Jared Polis signs his executive order after speaking during a press conference next to the swim beach at Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, Colorado on April 22, 2025. Behind the governor is Windi Padia, COO Department of Natural Resourse, Danny Katz, executive director for CoPIRG, Caitlin Casassa, director of Office of Sustainability, Will Toor, Executive Director of Colorado Energy Office, and Kelly Nordini, executive director Conservation Colorado. Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images "This work is first and foremost a reflection of the values we hold. Smart stewardship of public resources, care for our environment, commitment to preserving and protecting our state for generations to come, saving taxpayers money," said Polis. He went on to say that this executive order will continue to push Colorado to the forefront of green initiatives.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
Colorado groups call for billions in new public transit investments to help meet climate goals
A cyclist rides on the Lakewood Gulch Trail alongside an RTD light-rail track in west Denver on Sept. 6, 2021. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline) A coalition of Colorado advocacy groups is urging state and local leaders to scale up the Denver metro area's investment in public transit service by hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending per year. The new 'vision' unveiled Tuesday by the Alliance to Transform Transportation centers on doubling, from one-third to two-thirds, the share of Denver-area residents living near high-frequency transit lines, defined as providing service every 15 minutes or less. That would require a major expansion of bus service by the Regional Transportation District, the metro area's sprawling and struggling transit agency, with the number of high-frequency bus routes rising from 34 to 83 over the next decade. 'The question we're trying to answer right now is: What does transit need to look like in 10 years' time?' said Danny Katz, director of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, or CoPIRG, at a press event Tuesday at an RTD Park-n-Ride at Broadway and Interstate 25 in Denver. 'And that's important, because it takes a while to build up transit service, so we need to be starting right now if we're going to be increasing transit service and get to the vision that we're putting out there, 10 years from now.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Alliance to Transform Transportation includes CoPIRG, the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, the Denver Streets Partnership and other environmental and progressive nonprofits. The groups commissioned a 2023 study evaluating the potential impact of new public transit investments in the RTD system, especially within its core network of higher-density communities with less car dependency. Under a plan unveiled last year, Colorado officials are aiming to double transit ridership, biking and walking over the next decade in order to help the state meet its climate goals, part of a broader push from Gov. Jared Polis' administration to encourage more abundant and higher-density housing development. State lawmakers last year passed legislation that will increase funding for multimodal transportation projects and transit operations, including through new fees on rental cars and oil and gas production. We have to acknowledge that we can't have highly frequent transit in every single part of this region. – Danny Katz, director of CoPIRG Advocates say the new funding — which could provide transit operations with a boost of over $100 million annually — is a good start, but their plan calls for a total of over $4 billion in new and expanded bus and train service by 2036. Initially, the largest share of the investment would be directed towards capital costs, like those associated with the construction of bus rapid transit, or BRT, infrastructure. Over time, the funding would shift to cover the operational costs of expanded and higher-frequency service. RTD, an independent body established by the Legislature in 1969 to oversee transit across all or part of eight Denver-area counties, has been the target of criticism from Polis and state lawmakers in recent years as it has struggled to return its ridership to pre-pandemic levels. A bill to substantially overhaul the agency's governing board stalled during the 2024 legislative session, but a subsequent reform proposal introduced this year would make a variety of changes aimed at increasing transparency and accountability at the agency. With commuter bus routes serving communities as far-flung as Longmont, Nederland, Brighton and Conifer, RTD's service area of roughly 2,400 square miles is among the largest served by any metropolitan transit agency in the country. The Alliance to Transform Transportation's vision says that new funding for transit 'should be focused on a core part of the region to maximize ridership.' 'We have to acknowledge that we can't have highly frequent transit in every single part of this region,' Katz said. 'There are parts that just don't make sense to have a bus coming every 10 minutes, if it's just a couple homes up in Evergreen. This map is really trying to indicate where we would concentrate those dollars to get that frequency.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
