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A guy at the hardware store said something about his electric mower that got me | Climate Action - The Community Guide

A guy at the hardware store said something about his electric mower that got me

I was picking up some mulch in Portland last month and overheard a guy talking to the clerk about his battery mower. He said, 'I figured it was just a toy, but after one season, I haven't bought a drop of gas. It just runs.' That simple line stuck with me. I run a landscaping business and always wrote off electric gear as not being tough enough for real work. But his point about the gas hit home. I added up what I spent on gas for my mowers and trimmers last year, and it was over $800, not counting oil and the time spent getting it. So I rented a commercial-grade battery mower for a week to try it. It handled a full day's worth of lawns on a charge, no problem, and was way quieter. I'm not switching my whole fleet tomorrow, but I'm looking at it differently now. For other small business owners, have you tried switching any equipment and did the math actually work out?

2 comments

2 Comments

sarahjenkins7mo ago

Oh man, that's exactly how it happened for me! I used to think the same thing about electric tools being weak. Then my old gas trimmer died and I grabbed a battery one just to finish a job. I was shocked at how much power it had and how it just started every single time. I did the math on gas and maintenance for my two mowers and it was a real eye-opener. Now I've slowly switched a few pieces over and the quiet alone is worth it.

adams.taylor7mo ago

Wasn't there a study a while back that said the noise from gas lawn gear is actually bad for your hearing over time? That's a huge hidden cost people forget. I get what you and @sarahjenkins are saying about the quiet being a real benefit, it's not just about being nice. The math on gas and oil adds up fast, but not having that constant roar all day is a game changer for your head. It makes the job less of a grind.

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