By Julie BUTCHER

“Glendale is the largest city in the entire country – you heard that right, the entire country – to convert all handheld landscape equipment to electric. This is an incredible feat we’ve been working toward for years,” said Glendale Mayor Dan Brotman regarding Field 3 of the Glendale Sports Complex at a Tuesday afternoon press conference to announce the city’s achievement in earning the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA)’s Certified Green Zone designation.

“It all started back in 2018 when AQMD [Air Quality Management District] board member Michael Cacciotti and AGZA founder and president Dan Mabe came to Council to talk about what South Pasadena was doing to electrify its landscaping. I remember vividly Dan pointing an electric blower at Mike’s abundant head of hair to demonstrate its power and how quiet it was at the same time.

“The ultimate goal was, and still is, to eliminate two-stroke gas blowers and other handheld devices across the community, not just for city operations. But we took what I think was a thoughtful strategy to ‘walk-the-walk’ and demonstrate through our own operations that electric landscaping is ready for prime time.”

According to Mayor Brotman, the conversion will result in the reduction of 63 tons of airborne pollutants each year, including 50 tons of CO2 and 13 tons of smog-forming criteria pollutants such as CO, NOx, and small particulate matter. It will reduce noise pollution by 40% – 70% depending on the type of tool used.

Change is always hard, AGZA’s Dan Mabe added. The transition was eased by incorporating a deliberate process that included the workers and “lots of training.”

“The workers have such high expectations for themselves,” said Mabe. “The City of Glendale is very well-kept. You know it as soon as you drive into the city. So [the goals] for them [were] to keep that mentality, to maintain that high aesthetic. We didn’t force any square pegs into round holes here.”

He commended city staff as well as local politicians for supporting the effort. “Now on to Level II,” he concluded.

Representing the “world’s largest air quality district [the Southcoast AQMD],” South Pasadena councilmember Cacciotti boasted that Glendale is a model for cities and counties and school districts throughout the county in its move to battery-electric equipment – an entirely green, zero emissions operation.

“Think about all the gas and oil that you won’t buy,” he said. “The spark plugs. And the kids with asthma [who] will benefit from improved air quality.”

Two manufacturers of electrified landscaping equipment were selected following the objective testing and analysis of various tools and equipment. The two manufacturers are Stihl and Husqvarna.

According to Stihl’s regional sales manager Brandon Glover, this represents a return to Stihl’s beginnings.

“Andreas Stihl created the first electric chainsaw in 1926. Our company policy is battery first,” he explained, emphasizing the importance to the company of environmental concern. The batteries last twice as many hours; they are recyclable; and they are built in Virginia Beach, Glover noted.

Approximately 80% of the funding for the transition came from the AQMD, which also sponsors a commercial incentive and exchange program for lawn and garden equipment: www.aqmd.gov/LawnGarden.