In 2000, local landscaper Jeanine Sturm said ‘no’ to gas. She never went back.
When Jeanine Sturm started her home maintenance business in 2000, one thing set her apart from other contractors in the Rogue Valley: she refused to use gas landscaping equipment. Aside from the noxious smell and loud whine of gas hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and lawn mowers, she found the tools cumbersome, difficult to maintain, and hard to start.
“I was very stubborn,” said Sturm. “If someone wanted their driveway cleared, I insisted on using brooms.”
Sturm’s clients grew to like the fact that when they hired her, their neighborhoods were quieter and the air was cleaner — but the work was slow. Then, 10 years ago, Sturm attended a demo at Ashland Ace Hardware that changed the way she worked. There, she tested out a new generation of electric landscaping equipment that operates on battery power. She liked that they were light, easy to start, and powerful. “I bought the whole set: blowers, chainsaws, and hedgers,” Sturm said.
Sturm’s business, This Season’s Color, became the first in the valley to use all-electric tools. And today, they’re joined by a movement of people transitioning away from gas landscaping equipment. Aside from their heavy gasoline smell and loud engines, we now know that these tools are responsible for a sizable share of air pollution: they produce around 5% of volatile organic compounds, air pollutants associated with myriad health ills from lung irritation to heart disease.
On top of that, they spew climate-warming carbon dioxide and methane — in just one hour, a leaf-blower generates as much carbon pollution as an 1,100-mile road trip from Portland, Oregon to San Diego, California. Based on the growing evidence of the harms of gas landscaping equipment, more than 100 cities have enacted bans on gas leafblowers. Beginning in 2024, California retailers stopped selling gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
For Sturm, the environmental benefits of electric equipment are an extra perk: she views these tools as superior in their own right. They operate with just as much force as gas-powered equipment, but without the racket. “It’s more of a hum than anything else,” Sturm said. (According to the National Council on Aging, gas-powered leaf blowers operate at decibel levels as high as 90, or even 100 — anything above 70 is considered harmful. Meanwhile, corded electric leaf blowers produce sound between 60 and 75 decibels.) On top of that, they’re easy to operate and require very little maintenance. With gas tools, you need to mix gas and oil, then pull a string to try and get the engine going. “They start when you push the button and stop when you let go,” Sturm said.
In response to bans on gas landscaping equipment in other locales, landscapers have argued that it would be impractical to keep batteries charged up. But in 10 years, Sturm hasn’t found that to be the case. She just has to approach jobs differently — for each piece of equipment, she rotates three batteries, which she keeps charged up with an on-site charger. “Depending on the piece of equipment, the battery will last anywhere from half an hour to an hour,” Sturm said. For large projects, she has invested in batteries with a higher capacity, like a Stihl backpack battery. “We’ve never killed it on a project,” Sturm said.
Other local landscapers have begun to see the benefits of these electric tools.
Ashland-based contractor Skyler Lewis purchased a variety of electric tools for servicing trees: a chainsaw, pole saw, and leaf blower. “People in Ashland enjoy the peace and quiet of their neighborhoods. The positive impacts on the environment and climate change made it an even better investment,” Lewis said.
Despite evidence of change within the landscaping profession, Sturm still sees some resistance to switch away from gas equipment — but she doesn’t see bans as necessary. Instead, she believes that once people try electric tools, they’ll make the switch of their own accord. “When chainsaw users try an electric chainsaw, they’re blown away at the strength and ease,” Sturm said. “Once they get a feel for it, they love it.”
Financial incentives would help people make that transition, Sturm adds: “The initial upfront is expensive, but if you can incentivize it, users will get their money back over time.”
Curious about electric landscaping equipment?
Sturm recommends the brand Stihl for its power and reliability: “That’s the brand that I know and can recommend.” For other options, check out Ashland Ace Hardware.
Contact This Season’s Color owner Jeanine Sturm. Her company specializes in landscape, lighting, irrigation, consultation, design, installation, hardscape construction, and detailed maintenance. Call 541-326-1021 or email thisseasonscolor@mind.net.
Contact Skyler Lewis about servicing trees with electric tools at 541-973-4978.