Green holiday garden gifts

For decades gas-powered lawn equipment has dominated the aisles of home and garden stores. Buying a new mower or edger for the DIY home landscaper in your life also used to mean giving them the gift of toxic air pollution every time they used it. But thankfully, times are changing. This holiday season, there is a powerful, easy-to-use alternative without the added pollution baggage. Give electric!

Pollution you can avoid

Gas-powered engines in lawn equipment are incredibly inefficient, putting off tons of air pollution each year according to Environmental Protection Agency data compiled in our “Lawn Care Goes Electric” report. In Florida, we produced 2,116 tons of harmful PM 2.5 fine particulate air pollution in 2020, the equivalent of what’s left behind by 22 million cars in a year. This kind of pollution is a top trigger for asthma and allergies. Just open up a weather app on your phone or computer like WeatherBug. Scroll down until you see the heading “Air you breathe”, if you live near a Florida city, it’s very possible that the quality is less than “Good” and that the top trigger is PM 2.5.

Emissions from this type of equipment are toxic and loud, leading people to switch to quieter electric options. Some states, cities and towns are banning gas-powered lawn equipment. In Florida, several cities have some sort of ban or time restraint on using gas-powered equipment, mostly leaf blowers. Gassed up leaf blowers emit the most pollution and noise of all of the equipment available.

Healthy, quiet and available

Healthy, breathable air is one great reason to put electric lawn equipment at the top of your gift giving list this year. A quieter, more enjoyable lawn care experience is another. And the third you’ll be glad to hear is availability. 

Both Lowe’s and Home Depot are showing a shift away from noisy polluting gas-equipment. Lowe’s recently released a corporate responsibility report revealing that it has shifted its product lines substantially in recent years. Now, 60% of the outdoor lawn equipment (excluding riding mowers) that it sells is electric or battery-powered. And Home Depot set a goal of having 85% of lawn equipment sales be electric by 2028.

The decisions to increase electric equipment are great for the environment, but also follow a consumer buying trend. The adoption rate of electric and battery powered mowers has increased by 25% over the last 3 years in the United States. When you decide to maintain your yard yourself, you get the added healing benefits of exercise, being outside in nature, and pride from completing the task on your own. Plus, families want to be outdoors more and having a well maintained outdoor area provides a place to gather and play.

More reasons to give electric

If you’ve thought about gifting electric lawn equipment or switching yourself, but still aren’t sure, here’s a few more things to consider:

1. Electric equipment is lighter and easier to maneuver than traditional gas alternatives. It takes less muscle to do your own maintenance.
2. Most electric mowers fold vertically for storage, this allows them to fit into tight spaces.
3. There is no reason to keep a gallon of gas or any other fluid around to add to the machine, electric equipment doesn’t require any of that. You just need an outlet to plug in your battery and charge it up.
4. Electric equipment is powerful, according to Consumer Reports most electric mowers can cut up to a half acre on a single charge, if you are working on flat ground.
5. Electric equipment is perfect for Floridians, we mow, trim and edge year-round in the sunshine state, that’s why we have some of the highest lawn care pollution. Durable electric equipment will reduce that pollution in our communities and can endure the endless cycle yard care.