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The goal of San Diegans for Sustainable, Equitable & Quiet Equipment in Landscaping (SD-SEQUEL) is to protect worker health and the environment by advocating for the enactment of an equitable ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in all jurisdictions of San Diego County. SD-SEQUEL is committed to securing a trade-in or buy-back program before the ban takes effect to ensure an equitable transition from gas to electric leaf blowers.
Sustainable
Running a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour produces the same level of smog-forming pollution as driving a midsize sedan from Los Angeles to Denver. The emissions and noise levels from gas leaf blowers present a threat to public health. Children, older persons, and people with hearing disorders or neurological conditions like autism are especially vulnerable, as are equipment operators who experience the fumes and noise levels at close range. Transitioning to battery-powered landscaping equipment is a more sustainable alternative that would move us closer to meeting climate action goals and reduce harmful health effects.
Equitable
SD-SEQUEL recognizes that transitioning to battery-powered landscaping equipment can initially result in higher costs for landscape companies and especially for small independent operators. We support equitable incentive programs such as buy-back and trade-in programs that make it possible for smaller landscape operators to transition to battery-powered equipment without bearing the disproportionate costs of doing so.
Quiet
Noise from gas-powered landscaping equipment often exceeds safe decibel limits, causing hearing loss among equipment operators and interfering with residents’ right to the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their homes and communities. Transitioning to battery-powered landscaping equipment will sharply reduce noise pollution and its harmful impact on hearing health and community wellbeing.
Equipment in
Landscaping
Gas-powered leaf blowers are among the noisiest and most polluting pieces of landscaping equipment. SD-SEQUEL is targeting leaf blowers as an initial step but supports phasing out the use of all gas-powered landscaping equipment—trimmers, mowers, edgers, and saws—as soon as possible.
Atención Jardineros!/ Attention Landscapers!
¡Gran descuento en equipos eléctricos para paisajismo y jardinería! /Huge discount on electric landscaping equipment!
Descargue aquí la lista de distribuidores participantes en el condado de San Diego.
Download the list of participating dealers in San Diego County. For a list of all approved dealers, see here.
Help Us Get the Word Out!
Download SD-SEQUEL’s bilingual flyer on California CORE’s new voucher program, which begins November 7! Pass out flyers to your neighbors and landscapers!
California CORE Project to encourage purchase of zero-emission landscaping equipment
The California Air Resources Board (CARB), in partnership with CALSTART, launched the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) to accelerate the purchase of zero-emission off-road equipment in California.
Senate Bill 170 (SB170) appropriated $30 million in vouchers to fund zero-emission small off-road equipment for professional landscaping services operated by small businesses or sole proprietors.
Beginning in Fall 2022, voucher funds will provide a point-of-sale discount to help offset the incremental cost of zero-emission technology. By deploying zero-emission professional landscape service equipment across California, industry workers and communities experience the benefits of reduced emissions, quieter operations, and improved public health.
The types of zero-emission professional landscaping service equipment expected to be eligible for CORE vouchers include:
- Leaf blowers and vacuums
- Chainsaws
- String trimmers
- Edgers
- Hedgers
- Walk-behind mowers
- Ride-on mowers
For more information, click here. / Versión en español disponible aquí. Haga clic en la bandera de EE.UU. en la esquina superior derecha y seleccione español.
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