Should Lawn Mowers and Leaf Blowers be Battery Operated in The Villages?

[MandoMan]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

[DeanFL]

.
.
I'm not necessarily a "green" person. But 3 years ago, we stopped having our lawn mowed by Dean's. I bought a Ryobi mower and all the trimming attachments. Love it. Works great and has plenty of power and run times.

One-cycle gas engines have ZERO anti-pollution measures and no doubt a source of Co2 etc etc. And of course the noise. The batt tech has improved so much over the past years and will continue. Slow but sure, as with vehicles, lawn equip will shift to battery/electric.

Many of my neighbors switched to batt electric.
.
.

[njbchbum]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

:1rotfl:

[Mortal1]

Oddly enough those that want electric/battery devices never explain where the energy comes from for: a)mfr batteries b)charging the batteries c)disposing of the batteries.

Likely because windmills don't supply enough energy to cover the cost of building/installing & maintaining them. Solar cells aren't efficient enough to provide the energy needed to cover their cost, replacement and they utilize aforementioned batteries for storage and use.

Nice ideas, but until technology catches up to the pie-in-the-sky wishes for clean energy it ain't happening.

[villagetinker]

While I love the idea of battery powered (aka quiet) lawn equipment, there are practical items to consider:
1. I would guess the average lawn trimmer, and weed blower used for 8 to 10 hours a day would go through several battery packs per day. Storage, recharging, replacing bad or weak packs, etc. will probably be a big problem.
2. Lawn mowers, both large and small would have similar problems, except these batteries are much larger, and harder to change out, more down time, etc.

I am guessing a hybrid model could work here, smaller items could go to battery, and improved mufflers, and SOME additional pollution controls for the larger equipment could be a workable solution. This could be handled with the contracts for landscaping without a lot of new laws, HOWEVER there will also probably be an associated cost increase.

[Topspinmo]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

Most lawn equipment now are 4 stroke, which reduces pollution drastically. But , they should at least have the baffles in the mufflers. That’s why they are so loud. IMO no electric mandate but noise level mandate requiring all lawn equipment to meet factory noise levels. Weed eaters and blowers with muffler guts removed are obnoxiously loud well above factory Dd limit when produced.

[Neils]

Thinking about a steam powered mower. It is so hot here in summer that the steam powered engine could run by itself. 100% clean energy

Just need a few trillion $ subsidy to get it rolling.

[Papa_lecki]

My pet peeve with noise is this - in say a cul de sac or a small street, there are 5 or 6 homes. All have different landscapers. So mowing/blowing will happen at 5 or 6 different times a week -
Even if you have 1 or 2 that do their own grass, the noise is cut down substantially.
If all used the same guy, you have noise for an hour, once a week
And the landscaper is more efficient, not loading/unloading at different places
I called 2 of your neighbors landscapers, and both said they were too busy to add me. I told them, you literally cut my nextdoor neighboor’s grass. You’re here. Nope.

[davem4616]

IMHO until China and India come to the table and are on board with emission controls, my buying an electric lawn mower is like shoveling sand against the tide with a soup spoon

[Kenswing]

I don’t want our state doing anything California does.

[DAVES]

Oddly enough those that want electric/battery devices never explain where the energy comes from for: a)mfr batteries b)charging the batteries c)disposing of the batteries.

Likely because windmills don't supply enough energy to cover the cost of building/installing & maintaining them. Solar cells aren't efficient enough to provide the energy needed to cover their cost, replacement and they utilize aforementioned batteries for storage and use.

Nice ideas, but until technology catches up to the pie-in-the-sky wishes for clean energy it ain't happening.

Logic, facts and reality simply do not influence many posters..

[DAVES]

Thinking about a steam powered mower. It is so hot here in summer that the steam powered engine could run by itself. 100% clean energy

Just need a few trillion $ subsidy to get it rolling.

As far as steam power. I've always found it interesting. The reality, high pressure steam is sort of a bomb. Controlling it is way beyond the ability of most in the villages to control it. Steam locomotives, the big ones were more powerful than modern diesel locomotives. They also were less efficient.

[biker1]

I believe they have banned the sale of new gas powered equipment starting in 2024. The exact details still have to be ironed out.

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

[ThirdOfFive]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?
I'm thinking of buying a goat...

[fdpaq0580]

I'm thinking of buying a goat...

Great idea! Lawn and garden trimmed and fertilized all at the same time. And if your goat breaks down you can eat it.

[Dana1963]

As far as steam power. I've always found it interesting. The reality, high pressure steam is sort of a bomb. Controlling it is way beyond the ability of most in the villages to control it. Steam locomotives, the big ones were more powerful than modern diesel locomotives. They also were less efficient.
Do you realize a Nuclear Power Plant is a steam boiler driving a turbine without using Diesel. Most Navy ships nuclear and steam is more powerful than diesel. Once we add moving parts whether it be gas/diesel efficiency is reduced.

[biker1]

No, most Navy ships are not nuclear. The nuclear ships are the subs, both attack and missile boats, and carriers. The Navy has about 500 ships and less than 100 are nuclear powered.

Do you realize a Nuclear Power Plant is a steam engine without using Diesel. Most Navy ships nuclear and steam is more powerful than diesel.

[Bogie Shooter]

I'm thinking of buying a goat...

Be sure to check with ARC……😎

[Pairadocs]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

I think we should have all the actual stats on the negatives of battery operated vehicles and tools also. We need to think these things ALL the way through. What is the downsize to batteries; what cost to make, how long useful, what chemicals involved (those could also be considered "pollution", what is the cost analysis of a battery powered lawn mower and a gas powered ? What is the life expectancy of each, same with golf carts, same with automobiles... perhaps CHOICE is the best answer, depends on the situation of the consumer. What could be helpful to our neighborhoods, might be restricting certain days for lawn services in various villages. In many subdivisions, commercial lawn work has restricted days and even hours. It works well. Mowing services still have full time work, just that homeowners in a particular area must have work done on, say Tuesdays or Wednesdays. What this prevents is 7 day a week, even Sundays like here, non stop noise of gas engines at a different house every day. It works, no one is denied work, just different areas on different days, and, peace and quiet on the weekends. Might do as much as forcing everyone, home owners and lawn services to purchase all battery operated equipment ? Maybe the real answer is the natural law.... if most of us find we prefer an electric tool after trying it, people will buy more of them and the gas mowers, etc. will sit on the shelves and lots.... and gradually the superior product will prevail... build a better mouse trap and they will come.. Oh, no, that was Field of Dreams, build a better mouse trap and they will BUY. Time will tell which people will prefer, or like golf carts, an endless 50-50 split with fans of each having many legitimate points ! :):popcorn:

[Pairadocs]

[QUOTE=DeanFL;2021678].
.
I'm not necessarily a "green" person. But 3 years ago, we stopped having our lawn mowed by Dean's. I bought a Ryobi mower and all the trimming attachments. Love it. Works great and has plenty of power and run times.

One-cycle gas engines have ZERO anti-pollution measures and no doubt a source of Co2 etc etc. And of course the noise. The batt tech has improved so much over the past years and will continue. Slow but sure, as with vehicles, lawn equip will shift to battery/electric.

EXACTLY, natural selection. If it is a better "new" product, people will favor it, gas powered will die off naturally. It's not another thing that requires more layers of bureaucracy, more legislation, more enforcement, more investigations, blah, blah, blah !

[fdpaq0580]

Be sure to check with ARC……😎

Thank you for bringing that up. I plan on getting a jacket from Amazon that will say it is my support goat. Think that will work?

[BigSteph]

I brought a gas Toro self-propelled mower with me when I moved here. It is loud. I had 2 acres back home and used a Zero Turn for the bulk and this push mower for the trim work. Now that I live an arm's-length from other houses, the echo effect of the mower is very loud.

Recently, I bought a Ryobi mower and trimmer to go along with the 40v blower I already had from home.

I am now able to mow earlier or later in the day. I still work 40 hours, so I wanted to be able to mow at different hours and not be a nuisance to neighbors.

The Ryobi is more quiet -- I don't even wear hearing protection when using it -- although I probably should.

For the home-owner with a small or medium lot, battery is a great option. For people with acreage or commercial landscaping, I think gas will remain the standard.

By the way, I can mow the yard, trim, and edge all on the same 6AH battery. If I do start to run out, I have a 2AH that came with the blower to supplement.


I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

[Pairadocs]

Be sure to check with ARC……😎

Yes, not sure, but I "think" the rule is all goats MUST be leashed at all times ? Have to check the rules.... but sure makes sense on many levels, economy, efficiency, weather conditions do not interfere with either efficiency or effectiveness, environmentally sound, fewer dangerous lawn chemicals needed to fertilize, for the most part relatively quiet (nothing like the day and night barking dogs in our neighborhood), one time purchase makes it economical and maintenance minimal. A few negatives but, yep, think you are on to something !

[BigSteph]

The spouse works from home. She does a lot of online meetings and has to apologize for the noise from the various landscape contractors that service the neighbors. We live on a street with kissing Lanais. Thus you get your side of the street, the folks across the street, and everyone behind you. Few if any have the same company cutting grass, so the procession of landscaping diesels trucks and gas mowers march constant near us.


My pet peeve with noise is this - in say a cul de sac or a small street, there are 5 or 6 homes. All have different landscapers. So mowing/blowing will happen at 5 or 6 different times a week -
Even if you have 1 or 2 that do their own grass, the noise is cut down substantially.
If all used the same guy, you have noise for an hour, once a week
And the landscaper is more efficient, not loading/unloading at different places
I called 2 of your neighbors landscapers, and both said they were too busy to add me. I told them, you literally cut my nextdoor neighboor’s grass. You’re here. Nope.

[Pairadocs]

I brought a gas Toro self-propelled mower with me when I moved here. It is loud. I had 2 acres back home and used a Zero Turn for the bulk and this push mower for the trim work. Now that I live an arm's-length from other houses, the echo effect of the mower is very loud.

Recently, I bought a Ryobi mower and trimmer to go along with the 40v blower I already had from home.

I am now able to mow earlier or later in the day. I still work 40 hours, so I wanted to be able to mow at different hours and not be a nuisance to neighbors.

The Ryobi is more quiet -- I don't even wear hearing protection when using it -- although I probably should.

For the home-owner with a small or medium lot, battery is a great option. For people with acreage or commercial landscaping, I think gas will remain the standard.

By the way, I can mow the yard, trim, and edge all on the same 6AH battery. If I do start to run out, I have a 2AH that came with the blower to supplement.

Seems a good solution, one caveat, did you ever do some comparisons on the price of a replacement battery (or purchasing an additional to enable sustained work) with what you used to spend for gasoline ? I suppose that would be a detailed analysis, but, could do with the help of a computer. One thing that stood out is your comment that now you can mow earlier or later and not disturb your neighbors.... too bad all these lawn "service" companies are not as concerned as you ! Have been making mental "notes" on these things as our incredibly dependable, self-propelled, Briggs & Stratton from Sears will one day need to be replaced, always did like Ryobi products, but noticed my latest purchase just a month ago, it too is "made in China !". I keep "looking" at the battery mowers for future purchase. One thing that concerns me, with so many tools and implements going battery, are most produced in the USA and support our economy ? May not be a good choice if we become as dependent on outside sources as we have for medicines, and then come up short ? So many things to consider.. sure hope the old Craftsman continues to start on the first pull for a while longer while we try to weight the positives and negatives ! :ohdear::ohdear:

[MDLNB]

Most lawn equipment now are 4 stroke, which reduces pollution drastically. But , they should at least have the baffles in the mufflers. That’s why they are so loud. IMO no electric mandate but noise level mandate requiring all lawn equipment to meet factory noise levels. Weed eaters and blowers with muffler guts removed are obnoxiously loud well above factory Dd limit when produced.


Yes, because 15 mins of loud noise is really disturbing sleepy old folks that are just waiting to have dirt shoveled on them, so they can rest forever.:pray:

[Pairadocs]

Oddly enough those that want electric/battery devices never explain where the energy comes from for: a)mfr batteries b)charging the batteries c)disposing of the batteries.

Likely because windmills don't supply enough energy to cover the cost of building/installing & maintaining them. Solar cells aren't efficient enough to provide the energy needed to cover their cost, replacement and they utilize aforementioned batteries for storage and use.

Nice ideas, but until technology catches up to the pie-in-the-sky wishes for clean energy it ain't happening.

My thoughts exactly, so many times ALL the variables that need to be included in the calculations are missing ! Reminds me of my doctoral study years, was taught early on how to manipulate the results by running analysis on various formats where I added, or dropped, the study variables, or changed the level of significance ! It's always a very tricky thing, and not at all wise to just take "a recent study showed......." ! You have to do the "homework", track down the original study, and take a GOOD LOOK at the study format...otherwise...it means very little actually.

[MDLNB]

I don’t want our state doing anything California does.


I'll give that a BIG AMEN!!

[Number 10 GI]

The developer needs to build a segregated village for all the whining, crying, moaning, groaning, woe is me OLD goats to live in with a 20' wall around it and an armed guard at the entrance to keep out all the riff raff. No lawn mowers allowed, no noisy cars or motorcycles, no dogs, no construction contractors with noisy power tools, and no wind chimes. Did I miss anything?
Apparently some of you lived in Utopia before coming here, so why did you leave? Can old people do anything besides complain?

[MDLNB]

I'm thinking of buying a goat...


Careful, goat flatulence is a dangerous pollution. :boom:

[Michael G.]

You worry about the noise from lawn equipment etc, but NOTHING is mention about the Harley motorcycles
and old cars with loud exhaust pipes.

Would you 55+ people with loud pipes please grow up.

We have friends that live near the gate in TV, and when those loud vehicle's stop at the gate and take off, their windows rattle,
with no respect to people.

There is water pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution.

[Opengineer150]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

Hell No

[Garywt]

It would be a huge expense if everyone needed to upgrade their equipment thus raising the price we all pay for landscaping. Also, as others have said, it would just be moving the pollution to another area.

[Opengineer150]

Sounds like you didn’t do enough research before buying your home

[MDLNB]

The developer needs to build a segregated village for all the whining, crying, moaning, groaning, woe is me OLD goats to live in with a 20' wall around it and an armed guard at the entrance to keep out all the riff raff. No lawn mowers allowed, no noisy cars or motorcycles, no dogs, no construction contractors with noisy power tools, and no wind chimes. Did I miss anything?
Apparently some of you lived in Utopia before coming here, so why did you leave? Can old people do anything besides complain?
:agree: https://d32rzbb554tqz0.cloudfront.net/forums/images/smilies/agree.gif https://d32rzbb554tqz0.cloudfront.net/forums/images/smilies/agree.gif

[Pairadocs]

The spouse works from home. She does a lot of online meetings and has to apologize for the noise from the various landscape contractors that service the neighbors. We live on a street with kissing Lanais. Thus you get your side of the street, the folks across the street, and everyone behind you. Few if any have the same company cutting grass, so the procession of landscaping diesels trucks and gas mowers march constant near us.

You are right on, it NEVER ends, never. Even Sat. and Sun., really hard to believe that is permitted in any community, let alone one as planned and restricted as TV's. But, have a relative who moved to the Villages of Hot Springs in Arkansas. LOVES it, edge of the Ozarks, beautiful lakes, golf courses, nature trails. But she also works at home for a big name box store and constant lawn workers, 7 days a week, could cost her her income. Fortunately, her area of the villages has specific days residents can schedule this, and she is able to NOT schedule hours for her work on that day during day hours. She said she simply schedules her hours for the evening and night on lawn day. Now, I realize, that would not work for everyone, and places like our Villages where it can be done at any hour seven days a week.. well ! It's also amusing (some would say sad I guess), that 4 different companies can all have their big flat beds parked on the same street at the same times, while there employees each blow all the derbies to the neighbors yard, and then their lawn people come around the house and blow it all BACK to the house next door. One (bad me I know !), I asked a worker why they do this, why not just blow it on the lawn of the person they work for. I said this very very politely, not in any kind of "challenging" tone, just like genuine curiosity... the replay was was "MY brother OWNS this company and we are given strict instructions to make sure it is blown out of the yard of the PAYING customer.. . I had a hard time not laughing or appearing to be challenging her ( the worker). I just said, " oh, okay, I see, not questioning, I was just curious was all".... :icon_wink::icon_wink::icon_wink: How would one ever attempt to appeal to an individual who states that kind of "logic".. LOL !
We solved it this way, bought a blower VAC. Now, when the lawn "service" finishes blowing all my neighbor's HUGE magnolia leaves from their yard into our and the house directly across the street, I wait for them to leave, then go out and my blower will suck them up like a vacuum (WorX is the brand), instead of blowing them all into the yard of my other neighbor ! Problem solved, I do the work, but preserve the relationship with my neighbors who are the best. BTW, we love this WorX blower vac in case anyone ever thought about it to solve the problem of getting everyone else's debris.

[MDLNB]

You worry about the noise from lawn equipment etc, but NOTHING is mention about the Harley motorcycles
and old cars with loud exhaust pipes.

Would you 55+ people with loud pipes please grow up.

We have friends that live near the gate in TV, and when those loud vehicle's stop at the gate and take off, their windows rattle,
with no respect to people.

There is water pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution.


Sorry, but loud pipes on a motorcycle is just plain self-defense and common sense when living around such dangerous OLD drivers that can't see or hear. My old Harley used to set off car alarms on a narrow residential street, so I used to have to coast down the street, when going home. BUT, the loud noise of me driving in a blind spot while passing probably saved my life hundreds of times. If folks find a few seconds of unpleasant noise on occasion unbearable, perhaps they should just remove their hearing aids. :1rotfl:


It is unfortunate that people are living longer than ever today. They seem to have over lived their comfort zone(?) and now must be so bored that they have to spend their last miserable days complaining about every trivial mote of irritation.

On my street, just about every day of the week I will hear lawn equipment for about 15mins during the day. Most of the time, I do not even notice it. Twice a week, I hear the trash pickup trucks in the morning. Maybe we should demand that they quit picking up because they might disturb someone's sleep? No one complains about their trash being removed, but they sure complain about someone ELSE'S lawn being mowed.


Lets be clear. The neighborhood can be noisy EVERYday, during the day. There are night noise restrictions. Sleep at night and you won't have to be concerned about someone doing their job to support their families in your neighborhood during the day. I would rather hear a bit a daily noise than worry about someone SILENTLY sneaking around, breaking into homes and stealing. But, that is another subject.

[I'm Popeye!]

The Answer to your question, No!
But you can help yourself to this if you like to keep the noise down and save the world....

[yabbadu]

Move to California ...PLEASE!!!!

[Harry Gilbert]

Seems a good solution, one caveat, did you ever do some comparisons on the price of a replacement battery (or purchasing an additional to enable sustained work) with what you used to spend for gasoline ? I suppose that would be a detailed analysis, but, could do with the help of a computer. One thing that stood out is your comment that now you can mow earlier or later and not disturb your neighbors.... too bad all these lawn "service" companies are not as concerned as you ! Have been making mental "notes" on these things as our incredibly dependable, self-propelled, Briggs & Stratton from Sears will one day need to be replaced, always did like Ryobi products, but noticed my latest purchase just a month ago, it too is "made in China !". I keep "looking" at the battery mowers for future purchase. One thing that concerns me, with so many tools and implements going battery, are most produced in the USA and support our economy ? May not be a good choice if we become as dependent on outside sources as we have for medicines, and then come up short ? So many things to consider.. sure hope the old Craftsman continues to start on the first pull for a while longer while we try to weight the positives and negatives ! :ohdear::ohdear:

I've had to replace a 40v 5ah battery that wouldn't take a charge after 3 years. A Ryiobi OEM replacement was around $125 ish , Amazon knock off brand was around $80

[tophcfa]

Nfw

[frose]

give me my gas power all day long.. the battery tools do not stand up to real work.

[Vikingjunior]

Glad my neighbors and I have desert lawns.

Although I would be more concerned with the emission-less golf carts.

[Opengineer150]

Start you own landscaping company and only battery powered equipment..

[RICH1]

evidently lots of Plaque Buildup on this posting! California should stay in California.. this progresive stuff must stop soon

[kkingston57]

Your idea is desirable, but not practical for the gardeners until they come up with better batteries.

On the other side, gardeners should be thinking long term. The 2 cycle engines do not last very long and are cantankerous. 4 cycles are more reliable but heavier.

[Topspinmo]

The developer needs to build a segregated village for all the whining, crying, moaning, groaning, woe is me OLD goats to live in with a 20' wall around it and an armed guard at the entrance to keep out all the riff raff. No lawn mowers allowed, no noisy cars or motorcycles, no dogs, no construction contractors with noisy power tools, and no wind chimes. Did I miss anything?
Apparently some of you lived in Utopia before coming here, so why did you leave? Can old people do anything besides complain?

They already have that along 466. But, members only.

[Topspinmo]

Sorry, but loud pipes on a motorcycle is just plain self-defense and common sense when living around such dangerous OLD drivers that can't see or hear. My old Harley used to set off car alarms on a narrow residential street, so I used to have to coast down the street, when going home. BUT, the loud noise of me driving in a blind spot while passing probably saved my life hundreds of times. If folks find a few seconds of unpleasant noise on occasion unbearable, perhaps they should just remove their hearing aids. :1rotfl:


It is unfortunate that people are living longer than ever today. They seem to have over lived their comfort zone(?) and now must be so bored that they have to spend their last miserable days complaining about every trivial mote of irritation.

On my street, just about every day of the week I will hear lawn equipment for about 15mins during the day. Most of the time, I do not even notice it. Twice a week, I hear the trash pickup trucks in the morning. Maybe we should demand that they quit picking up because they might disturb someone's sleep? No one complains about their trash being removed, but they sure complain about someone ELSE'S lawn being mowed.


Lets be clear. The neighborhood can be noisy EVERYday, during the day. There are night noise restrictions. Sleep at night and you won't have to be concerned about someone doing their job to support their families in your neighborhood during the day. I would rather hear a bit a daily noise than worry about someone SILENTLY sneaking around, breaking into homes and stealing. But, that is another subject.

BUT, the loud noise of me driving in a blind spot while passing probably saved my life hundreds of times LOL.

If so, hundreds on rice rocket drivers would be lining the streets. HD get pass cause the nerd crowd that makes the rules now ride them thinking there cool. There loud obnoxious turtles in Motorcycle world.

[LateBoomer]

What's next? Replace the police here with social workers? Decriminalization of shoplifting? Wait, I have it! Mandatory CRT seminars for all residents!!

[Luggage]

Bull sh-t China banned 2 cylinder engines 20 years ago . I know I was there.

[Luggage]

"Many" !!!

[Luggage]

It's funny that some people complain about the noise and that landscapers work indifferent days of the week. And several other Senior Communities we have grass cutting done by the h o a and they really enjoy walk one day a week with us stopping the noise the other 6 days a week. You guys have a very simple solution I'm having your raise your way pass a rule that all streets be done only 1 day a week depending on the village and the street and then your gardeners will all have to do with the same day of the week of course you'll still have people complaining why are they coming for me in the morning to 8 at night on every different house and for that I have no solution

[thevillages2013]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

Another solution would be instead of trying to change the regulations here one could just move to an area where the regulations suit them. I’m getting good at this

[DaleDivine]

I don’t want our state doing anything California does.

Well said...
:bigbow::bigbow:

[DaleDivine]

Bull sh-t China banned 2 cylinder engines 20 years ago . I know I was there.

Maybe you mean 2 cycle engines? Probably lots of 2 cylinder engines that are 4 cycle still in China...
:ho:

[La lamy]

I'm all for what is less polluting, noise wise and air.

[John-US]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

AND Golf Cars! Does anyone else smell those cart fumes?

[DaleDivine]

It's funny that some people complain about the noise and that landscapers work indifferent days of the week. And several other Senior Communities we have grass cutting done by the h o a and they really enjoy walk one day a week with us stopping the noise the other 6 days a week. You guys have a very simple solution I'm having your raise your way pass a rule that all streets be done only 1 day a week depending on the village and the street and then your gardeners will all have to do with the same day of the week of course you'll still have people complaining why are they coming for me in the morning to 8 at night on every different house and for that I have no solution

Yep, our mowing company is a son and father operation with over 70 customers.
I seriously don't think they could do that many lawns and a very good job that they do only one day a week...

:ohdear::ohdear:

[DaleDivine]

I'm all for what is less polluting, noise wise and air.

We moved here from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.
We lived directly under the flight line of Langley Air Force. The jets flew all hours of the day and night. :boom::boom:(THE SOUND OF FREEDOM). Lawn mowers are so much quieter that we hardly even notice them.
Our lawn service cuts our grass Monday mornings. My wife likes to sleep late. She says it only takes them about 15 minutes to cut our CYV grass so she just rolls over and goes back to sleep when they're finished.
:coolsmiley::clap2::ho:

[noslices1]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

Maybe we should all go back to “Hand clippers” and “rakes” and “brooms”

[DARFAP]

Stop the madness

[MDLNB]

I'm all for what is less polluting, noise wise and air.


I agree! We need to get rid of all the flatulence because it is noisy and smelly and pollutes the air much more than lawn equipment. :coolsmiley:

[Bill1701]

NO!

[MDLNB]

BUT, the loud noise of me driving in a blind spot while passing probably saved my life hundreds of times LOL.

If so, hundreds on rice rocket drivers would be lining the streets. HD get pass cause the nerd crowd that makes the rules now ride them thinking there cool. There loud obnoxious turtles in Motorcycle world.


At least "nerds" probably know how to spell "their" or use spell check. I've never heard of HD owners being called "nerds" before, but one learns something new every single day.:coolsmiley:

[Lonnieme2]

IMHO until China and India come to the table and are on board with emission controls, my buying an electric lawn mower is like shoveling sand against the tide with a soup spoon

Well said!

[fgsJr]

Naples Florida made gas powered lawn equipment illegal within the city. They gave contractors several months to prepare for this so they could purchase batteries and charging equipment. With the current supply chain problems this might be problematic, but if we give them plenty of time we could do the same thing. I would strongly be in favor of such a move as much for the pollution at for the noise…

[Buzz Steinhardt]

Did they also give up their gas powered golf carts?

[MandoMan]

IMHO until China and India come to the table and are on board with emission controls, my buying an electric lawn mower is like shoveling sand against the tide with a soup spoon

But this would directly affect the air quality and noise pollution on your street, despite whatever China does. So many people complain about the noise. Dropping from 110 decibels (that will cause hearing loss for users without protection) to 80 decibels (normal speaking volume) is a huge difference. Yes, the crews would need many batteries over the course of the day and would need to recharge them at night.

[MandoMan]

I don’t want our state doing anything California does.

So, no McDonalds, no vineyards, no freeways, no Disney World, no Sea World, no In-n-Out Burger, no orange groves, no beaches, no retirement communities, etc.?

[MandoMan]

The Answer to your question, No!
But you can help yourself to this if you like to keep the noise down and save the world....

I used a lawnmower without an engine like this for years when I was a boy. Properly adjusted and sharpened and with a flat lawn, they worked great and were no harder to use than a heavy gas mower that has to be manhandled around corners. They weren’t great on edges near gardens. I still remember the pleasant SHHHH sound they made and the wonderful smell of the just-cut grass.

[biker1]

Well, no, not exactly. They banned gas powered leaf blowers and specified a maximum sound level (in dB) for electric leaf blowers.

Naples Florida made gas powered lawn equipment illegal within the city. They gave contractors several months to prepare for this so they could purchase batteries and charging equipment. With the current supply chain problems this might be problematic, but if we give them plenty of time we could do the same thing. I would strongly be in favor of such a move as much for the pollution at for the noise…

[irishwonone]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?
Let’s hope not.

[Mikee1]

If you really like what CA is doing, I suggest you move there. Do not CA our FL.
Thanks



I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

[Bogie Shooter]

Thank you for bringing that up. I plan on getting a jacket from Amazon that will say it is my support goat. Think that will work?

Is the jacket for you or the goat?:1rotfl:

[NoMo50]

Follow California? Sure. Just like all those rats who thought following the Pied Piper was a great idea.

[chuckk281]

Just what I want to do is follow California. If you believe that a leaf blower gives off the same amount of pollutants in 1/2 hour as a 3600 mile truck trip, you are really smoking what California is selling.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

Logic, facts and reality simply do not influence many posters..

Thank you …. :bigbow:

[Lindaws]

Absolutely NOT. More important things to worry about. Too much big gov.

[mspicer1234]

Don’t California or New York my Florida

[Vermilion Villager]

While I love the idea of battery powered (aka quiet) lawn equipment, there are practical items to consider:
1. I would guess the average lawn trimmer, and weed blower used for 8 to 10 hours a day would go through several battery packs per day. Storage, recharging, replacing bad or weak packs, etc. will probably be a big problem.
2. Lawn mowers, both large and small would have similar problems, except these batteries are much larger, and harder to change out, more down time, etc.

I am guessing a hybrid model could work here, smaller items could go to battery, and improved mufflers, and SOME additional pollution controls for the larger equipment could be a workable solution. This could be handled with the contracts for landscaping without a lot of new laws, HOWEVER there will also probably be an associated cost increase.
Yes...because you know...we all operate our lawn trimmer, and weed blower for 8 to 10 hours a day.

[JMintzer]

Yes...because you know...we all operate our lawn trimmer, and weed blower for 8 to 10 hours a day. Suggest you re-think you name!!! :ohdear:

I do believe he was referring to the "commercial" landscapers, who most certainly work 8-10 hrs a day...

Plus, there is a difference between a "Tinker" and a "Thinker"...

Maybe new glasses are in order?

[deanjohnson]

We shouldn’t follow CA, the economic impact would be horrendous, most of the people working here are barely getting by with the current inflation and requirements to change would put the out of business, not mention a huge increase in HOA to transition. Technology will change things as as cost decreases and effectiveness increases. This how we transitioned from horses to cars and electric lights from kerosene.

[Vermilion Villager]

Teaching new technology to some Villagers yields the same results as teaching an old dog new tricks:ohdear:

[biker1]

There is no HOA. There is a CDD maintenance fee, that shows up on your Nov property tax bill, for the maintenance of the common areas. Yes, a move to electric landscaping equipment would almost certainly increase costs. Would the increase be "huge"? I have no idea since I don't know how big "huge" is. I don't see this happening anytime soon.

We shouldn’t follow CA, the economic impact would be horrendous, most of the people working here are barely getting by with the current inflation and requirements to change would put the out of business, not mention a huge increase in HOA to transition. Technology will change things as as cost decreases and effectiveness increases. This how we transitioned from horses to cars and electric lights from kerosene.

[G.R.I.T.S.]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

It makes more since for one to move to California.

[wisbad1]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?
Move to California then.

[GypsyRN]

I think we should have all the actual stats on the negatives of battery operated vehicles and tools also. We need to think these things ALL the way through. What is the downsize to batteries; what cost to make, how long useful, what chemicals involved (those could also be considered "pollution", what is the cost analysis of a battery powered lawn mower and a gas powered ? What is the life expectancy of each, same with golf carts, same with automobiles... perhaps CHOICE is the best answer, depends on the situation of the consumer. What could be helpful to our neighborhoods, might be restricting certain days for lawn services in various villages. In many subdivisions, commercial lawn work has restricted days and even hours. It works well. Mowing services still have full time work, just that homeowners in a particular area must have work done on, say Tuesdays or Wednesdays. What this prevents is 7 day a week, even Sundays like here, non stop noise of gas engines at a different house every day. It works, no one is denied work, just different areas on different days, and, peace and quiet on the weekends. Might do as much as forcing everyone, home owners and lawn services to purchase all battery operated equipment ? Maybe the real answer is the natural law.... if most of us find we prefer an electric tool after trying it, people will buy more of them and the gas mowers, etc. will sit on the shelves and lots.... and gradually the superior product will prevail... build a better mouse trap and they will come.. Oh, no, that was Field of Dreams, build a better mouse trap and they will BUY. Time will tell which people will prefer, or like golf carts, an endless 50-50 split with fans of each having many legitimate points ! :):popcorn:

Geez...could we PLEASE reply with several sentence paragraph form, instead of one LONG and rambling paragraph. Advil time!!

[Joe C.]

Pass a law like California ?????? ARE YOU CRAZY????
You do know that California is the land of fruits and nuts, don't you?

All this BS about going green is too far left for me.
I'm quite proud of my "carbon footprint".

If it wasn't for carbon, the nothing would exist.

[GypsyRN]

At least "nerds" probably know how to spell "their" or use spell check. I've never heard of HD owners being called "nerds" before, but one learns something new every single day.:coolsmiley:

Or maybe they could use the correct word: "they're".

[GypsyRN]

You worry about the noise from lawn equipment etc, but NOTHING is mention about the Harley motorcycles
and old cars with loud exhaust pipes.

Would you 55+ people with loud pipes please grow up.

We have friends that live near the gate in TV, and when those loud vehicle's stop at the gate and take off, their windows rattle,
with no respect to people.

There is water pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution.

If you'll provide me your address, I'll graciously come over and idle my Harley outside your home!! Geez...get over it!!:boxing2:

[LateBoomer]

here's a thought: Let's not be California. the place is a mess and people and businesses are fleeing the State. I like my Florida, and my TV, just as it is, thanks. If you're really wrapped up in environmental issues, so-called, suggest that Florida may not be the place for you.

[biker1]

I used one for 15 years on Bermuda and Centipede grass. For those grasses it works great, with very little effort. They are not workable with Zoysia and St. Augustine grasses, unless your yard is the size of a postage stamp.

I used a lawnmower without an engine like this for years when I was a boy. Properly adjusted and sharpened and with a flat lawn, they worked great and were no harder to use than a heavy gas mower that has to be manhandled around corners. They weren’t great on edges near gardens. I still remember the pleasant SHHHH sound they made and the wonderful smell of the just-cut grass.

[OhioBuckeye]

I say it’s up to the individual or who can talk the consumer into what they can sell. Everything I have is battery. The only thing I have that’s gas operated is lawn mower. I say if you go to everything battery use one brand other wise you have 10 to 15 different kinds of batteries sitting around & 3 or 4 different kinds of chargers. Yes I like battery operated things, except cars, but that’s another subject!

[ThirdOfFive]

Thank you for bringing that up. I plan on getting a jacket from Amazon that will say it is my support goat. Think that will work?
Dunno. It didn't work with Spike (my support monitor lizard). But then again, some airlines just don't understand...

[ThirdOfFive]

But this would directly affect the air quality and noise pollution on your street, despite whatever China does. So many people complain about the noise. Dropping from 110 decibels (that will cause hearing loss for users without protection) to 80 decibels (normal speaking volume) is a huge difference. Yes, the crews would need many batteries over the course of the day and would need to recharge them at night.
My lawn guy died, and thinking both of my waistline and the money paid out for lawn maintenance I decided I'd to it myself. I considered battery powered stuff but a trip to Lowe's ended in buying a weed whacker, hedge trimmer, and mower--all 110 volt. Also a 100' extension cord. All items work wonderfully and at a noise level much less than gas-operated, though the mower sounds like my wife's Cuisinart on steroids.

Total for all three plus the cord: about $350.00. And the waistline is looking better too.

[valuemkt]

Best to relocate to California where there are plenty of environmental rules and taxes to ruin the quality of life. Keep Florida free.

[donfey]

I don’t want our state doing anything California does.

ABSOLUTELY! The radicals and wackos control California now. There's nothing wrong with being ecologically responsible, but trying to eliminate that last 10% of pollutants in the air is NOT responsible - it's insane.

[SB8476]

It would also resolve the noise pollution that these devices generate.

[blueash]

Originally Posted by MandoMan View Post
I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive!

Carl Sagan tells us that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Your statement seems to cry out for such evidence. Perhaps you have a link to what you read?


The closest I could find was a story in the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-bad-for-the-environment-are-gas-powered-leaf-blowers/2013/09/16/8eed7b9a-18bb-11e3-a628-7e6dde8f889d_story.html)

It included links to two studies. One in Edmunds from 2011 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-bad-for-the-environment-are-gas-powered-leaf-blowers/2013/09/16/8eed7b9a-18bb-11e3-a628-7e6dde8f889d_story.html) which specifically tested leaf blower vs Ford 150 Raptor trucks and included this:

"The hydrocarbon emissions from a half-hour of yard work with the two-stroke leaf blower are about the same as a 3,900-mile drive from Texas to Alaska in a Raptor"

But, being an automotive website they did what seems to be a misuse of data. They measured non methane hydrocarbon output. The EPA does not (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases)list that group of compounds as greenhouse gases. The two cycle engine emitted 300 times the amount as the truck. CO [carbon monoxide] output of the blower was 23 times that of the truck. Only by using the non methane figures did they reach their estimate. This is dishonest IMO. Non methane hydrocarbons are a pollutant in haze and smog but they are nothing like CO2 or methane when it come to risk to the planet. And guess what Edmunds did not measure... CO2 emissions. That's why the headline hydrocarbon output. Carbon Dioxide is not a hydrocarbon but it is the major greenhouse gas produced by engines.

The second study from Sweden (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010529234907.htm) references a potentially carcinogenic compound in both lawn mower and auto exhaust and suggests that adding catalytic converters to lawn mowers would be helpful. It also states that using a 4 HP push mower, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons output of one hour of use is the same as 100 miles of driving a car, again not looking at CO2

What I could find does support the statement the OP made when only looking at some of the engine output but not looking at all the important chemicals in engine exhaust.

Now having said that, 2 cycle engines are terrible for our air. The stuff they spew is a pollutant especially creating smog. Leaf blowers additionally kick dust, molds etc that are on the ground back into the air, a problem not lessened by going to batteries.

Here are links worth reading IMO:

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/SORE2020_Technical_Documentation_2020_09_09_Final_ Cleaned_ADA.pdf This one shows the data used to inform the decision in California. A summary would include (https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/01/are-leaf-blowers-bad-for-us/) small off-road engines such as those found in gas-powered leaf blowers are a larger source of smog-forming emissions than the state’s 14.4 million passenger cars.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/04/james-fallows-leaf-blower-ban/583210/ an opinion piece, a bit short on science about how the ban on gas leaf blowers came to be in Washington DC

[fcgiii]

As far as steam power. I've always found it interesting. The reality, high pressure steam is sort of a bomb. Controlling it is way beyond the ability of most in the villages to control it. Steam locomotives, the big ones were more powerful than modern diesel locomotives. They also were less efficient.

And steam engines had to stop for water every hundred miles or so, which slowed them down and created need for water stations all along the route.

[ThirdOfFive]

And steam engines had to stop for water every hundred miles or so, which slowed them down and created need for water stations all along the route.
Too bad there hasn't been more done to adapt the Stirling engine to some modern-day uses. The technology has been around for well over 200 years: it was used in English mines to pump water as far back as 1816.

[Neils]

The developer needs to build a segregated village for all the whining, crying, moaning, groaning, woe is me OLD goats to live in with a 20' wall around it and an armed guard at the entrance to keep out all the riff raff. No lawn mowers allowed, no noisy cars or motorcycles, no dogs, no construction contractors with noisy power tools, and no wind chimes. Did I miss anything?
Apparently some of you lived in Utopia before coming here, so why did you leave? Can old people do anything besides complain?

Yes. We built the country that you now enjoy

[justjim]

Comparing Florida to California regarding air, noise and water pollution is like comparing oranges to apples. However, if Florida keeps growing the difference could be less and less. I’m not too old to remember California was “the place to be” until it wasn’t… For us Florida may be the place to be until it wasn’t for us or our grandchildren. Time will tell.

[Boston1945]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

FYI. California did NOT ban all gas mowers and other equipment used by commercial firms. We are a long way off on such equipment for the lawn industry. For the homeowner YES this does work. Take this with a grain of salt from someone who is in the business for over 30-years. Yes, Cal. has some tuff regulations in some towns as to the hours of use for such equipment on the books.

[b0bd0herty]

I read this morning that in a half hour, the pollutants spewed by the average two-cycle engine in a leaf blower equals the pollution from a Ford F-150 pickup—over a 3,600 mile drive! California has recently banned gas-powered leaf blowers, edgers, trimmers, lawnmowers, etc. use by lawn care companies because the pollution they put out is equal to the pollution from ALL the cars in California. It seems that battery-powered equipment, recharged at night, has reached the level where by having multiple batteries, crews can work all day without recharging. (All of my power tools are now battery-powered, including my Sawsall and my full-size circular saw and my big drill.) Battery-powered tools are also much quieter. For homeowners in The Villages with lawns, an electric mower with a cord may make more sense.

Should the appropriate governing units here follow the lead in California and require lawn crews to use battery-powered tools?

I use all battery operated tools and a Honda Lawn mower but/AND I will never follow California's lead... I've a brain. I would pay extra for the manufacturers to add catalytic converters to their tools to assist in reducing pollution.

[Cheryl Barrios]

No. And we are not California. If the laws of California appeal to anyone, I think that is where they should live. I came to Florida because I like Florida, the people, the laws, the amenities, etc. I didn't go to California because I don't like their laws, a lot of their people, and more.

[JMintzer]

Or maybe they could use the correct word: "they're".

https://c.tenor.com/UBG8PwX5sukAAAAM/oh-snap-dave-chappelle.gif

[Nick B]

No my friend told me anything battery operated is a communist plot to take our freedom.

[Nick B]

Please explain kissing lanais .

[blueash]

Please explain kissing lanais .

The back of your house is so close to the back of another home that they are "kissing"

[blueash]

I use all battery operated tools and a Honda Lawn mower but/AND I will never follow California's lead... I've a brain. I would pay extra for the manufacturers to add catalytic converters to their tools to assist in reducing pollution.

Maybe California is following your lead? Seems like you despise the state but agree with their recognition that mower/trimmers etc are a problem. Even California has not gone to catalytic converters, so you're ahead of them in the clean air department.

[MrFlorida]

Don't want the government telling me what to do or use....we've had enough !

[MDLNB]

The air in our country is much better than it was 70 years ago. I remember when auto pollution and coal burning furnaces and water heaters made the air so dense you could hardly see through it during the winter months. Our air is much better now, regardless of what the tree huggers suggest. I have no problem with subtle changes, but I see no reason for radical and costly changes based on someone's whim. Some folks have way too much time on their hands. I always marveled at how some folks could spend so much time demonstrating when others had to budget their time between working a job and home maintenance. But, I digress.

[JMintzer]

Please explain kissing lanais .

When a mommy lanai and a daddy lanai love each other...

And that is how you get patios!

[stadry]

those who do their own lawn maint. MAY wish to use batt pwr'd. commercial maintainers can't

[blueash]

The air in our country is much better than it was 70 years ago. I remember when auto pollution and coal burning furnaces and water heaters made the air so dense you could hardly see through it during the winter months. Our air is much better now, regardless of what the tree huggers suggest. I have no problem with subtle changes, but I see no reason for radical and costly changes based on someone's whim. Some folks have way too much time on their hands. I always marveled at how some folks could spend so much time demonstrating when others had to budget their time between working a job and home maintenance. But, I digress.

I would suggest that the reason why our air now is not so dense is because the tree huggers began the battle 70 years ago. You admit that you now benefit from decades of activism which was opposed by coal and power companies and steel and more. They said that the pollution controls were too costly and radical and the tree huggers had too much time on their hands. Same for our fouled water, our use of DDT etc. I am so proud of those who fought for cleaner air, water, food, highways, etc.

[Topspinmo]

All that just got moved out of the country and still polluting. So, as long as it not in our backyard it’s big benefit right? Well long as you’re not up wind from Mexico and not in jet stream of China.

[Topspinmo]

At least "nerds" probably know how to spell "their" or use spell check. I've never heard of HD owners being called "nerds" before, but one learns something new every single day.:coolsmiley:

There still slow loud obnoxious turd of motorcycle world.

[MorTech]

Did you know that goats pollute more than flying a Boeing jet from NYC to Singapore!

[MorTech]

Two words - Energy Density.
Physical Reality does not care about your feelings/indoctrination.

[billlaur]

I believe they have banned the sale of new gas powered equipment starting in 2024. The exact details still have to be ironed out.

yes u r right.but who is to stop the from ordering online in 2024??

[biker1]

That is a very good question. I also expect that repair shop business will start increasing in 2024.

yes u r right.but who is to stop the from ordering online in 2024??

[Lonnieme2]

When a mommy lanai and a daddy lanai love each other...

And that is how you get patios!

LOL! Thanks for that laugh!