Lawn care goes electric

Gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment – lawn mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, snow blowers and other machines – is noisy and polluting, with some machines emitting as much pollution in an hour as driving hundreds of miles in a car. And that pollution is released right in the middle of our neighborhoods, where people live and breathe, putting our health at risk.

Electric lawn equipment is cleaner, quieter – and, over a lifetime of use, often cheaper – than gasoline-powered machines. Moreover, electric options are often just as capable as fossil fuel versions.

Here’s why your household, city and state should shift to electric lawn equipment:

How dirty is gas-powered lawn equipment? 

The gasoline engines in many leaf blowers, snow blowers and lawn mowers emit far more health-threatening pollution than typical cars. 

Photo by staff | TPIN

Based on emissions of smog-forming pollutants. See methodology below for details.

Pollution from those millions of lawn and garden machines adds up. According to data for 2020 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fossil fuel-powered lawn equipment emitted …

• Nearly 22,000 tons of fine particulates – pollutants that have been linked to respiratory ailments, reproductive and mental health issues, and even premature death. That’s as much pollution as would be produced annually by 234 million typical cars.
• More than 68,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 350,000 tons of volatile organic compounds – the two chemical components of ground-level ozone, which triggers asthma attacks and contributes to premature death. Nitrogen oxide emissions from lawn equipment are equal to annual emissions from 30 million typical cars. 
• More than 30 million tons of carbon dioxide, the leading cause of global warming. That’s more climate-altering pollution than was produced in the city of Los Angeles in 2021.
• A wide array of chemicals that cause cancer, including benzene and formaldehyde. This pollution takes place in our neighborhoods where children, seniors and other vulnerable people live.

Photo by staff | TPIN

Based on emissions of smog-forming pollutants. See methodology below for details.

How much pollution is produced by lawn & garden equipment in the U.S., in my state and in my county?

Why is electric lawn equipment a better choice? 

Electric lawn equipment is increasingly easy to find at major hardware stores and suppliers, with dozens of options for electric mowers, trimmers and other types of equipment currently on the market. 

• Electric lawn equipment sometimes has a higher initial price tag but saves money over time due to lower fuel and maintenance costs – usually paying back the initial investment in just one to three years. 
• Electric lawn equipment is often comparable in quality and performance to gasoline-powered equipment.
• Electric lawn equipment is far quieter than gasoline-powered versions and produces reduced vibrations – making it healthier and safer to use.
• Electric equipment is also making inroads in the commercial sector, with an increasing array of available options.

Photo by staff | TPIN

What can cities and states do to encourage electric lawn equipment?

Leading cities and states around the country are taking action to encourage the transition from gasoline-powered lawn equipment to clean electric options. Encourage your local and state governments to take the following steps:

• Lead by example by adopting electric lawn equipment for their own facilities. Working with the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), the city of South Pasadena, Calif., fully transitioned its maintenance operations to electric equipment.
• Create financial incentives to encourage the purchase of electric lawn equipment. In 2023, for example, Colorado adopted legislation that will provide a 30% discount on electric lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers and snow blowers. In addition to rebates and tax credits, governments should consider loan programs to help commercial landscapers afford the upfront cost of electric equipment.
• To meet the particular needs of commercial landscapers, provide opportunities for education, training and technical support.
• Consider policies that phase out sales of gasoline-powered lawn equipment over time and/or restrict the use of the noisiest and most polluting equipment under certain circumstances.