CBC reports that Vancouver park commissioners are looking at phasing out gas- and oil-powered landscaping equipment in the city’s parks, replacing gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn mowers and hedge trimmers with electric alternatives.
This is something the SCRD should look at, too. This CBC news story notes:
In 2017, the California Air Resources Board reported that operating a commercial lawn mower for one hour emits as much pollution as driving a Toyota Camry 480 kilometres. For a commercial leaf blower, the pollution produced was equivalent to driving 1,800 kilometres.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-parks-landscaping-equipment-gas-powered-battery-1.4994241
UPDATE: Here’s a good CBC opinion piece on Why do We Put Up with Leaf Blowers? Apart from the obnoxious noise, they also spew hydrocarbons into the air, and the operator breathes in the exhaust.
