No more lawnmowers or generators?
 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-09/california-moves-toward-ban-on-gas-lawnmowers-and-leaf-blowers




if you live in a rural area, how is this even possible?





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Well, this like a lot of things is California was well thought out

they want everything to be electric. I know even Seahawk has mentioned interest in an electric Zero Turn mower or traditional riding mower.

They don't want you to stop mowing. They just want that crap to be electric. Cali has a lot going for it, but the "powers that be" ain't one of the things that they've got going for it.

Cordless tools have made enormous strides but how does a logging crew out in the middle of nowhere operate with electric chainsaws?

How does a construction crew on a new site operate without a generator until electric is brought to the site?

How do you power your home when the power is out?

I see a great opportunity for small engine repair to keep the existing tools operating well past this deadline.

But their GRID can't handle the consumption they have.

Battery powered isn't even in the discussion when it comes to pros and the "tools" they use...

"Outta my cold, dead, hands..." :D

.... not a pro either ;).

Pfffffftttt...You can keep your gas mower. Obviously for huge lawns, the tech will need to keep up, but I have an electric push mower, and I would never go back. SO much better.

The battery tech really is making things possible that are amazing. Now, the generator thing is a different animal. To my mind, any replacement would need to power a suburban house for 3 days, and be just as portable as a small generator. I don't think we are there yet....but soon.

Small lawns with electric mowers ... I totally get that. Next time CA has a huge fire... send 'em out with toy chainsaws :D.

Beverly Hills CA is but one of a few cities in CA that have already banned 2-cycle leaf blowers. In fact, the way I read it, even 4 stroke engines are banned. This in not only because of emissions, but air pollution due to dust and noise pollution as well. I support this for all the reasons.

Other lawn equipment was destined to fall under these guidelines mainly due to citizen's complaints, IMHO. But the CA gov't is on a fast track to reduce hydrocarbon emissions regardless of source, hence the generator classification being included, which is silly because the numbers of generators in operation at any given time is infinitesimal compared to lawn equipment.

Chain saws in urban environments are particularly annoying and the users have it coming since on any Sunday you can hear one somewhere. So, again, emissions are the underlying reasoning behind this, but misuse, including not keeping machines in proper tune, is a driving force here.

Let it be known that at the time of the initial BH ban, many blowers were converted to using methanol to get around the ordinance. Since there are now more than a dozen SoCal cities enforcing the ban, that loophole is gone, not just by law — we can't legally buy the stuff here.

Laguna Beach goes so far as to ban even electric blowers showing that pollution is not the only reason for their elimination. Dust and noise are really just as equal factors from the local perspective.

It's been years now that small engines sold in CA are CARB compliant. The engines sold at Harbor Freight have a different SKU just for an example. All CARB was asking was for a small piece of smog equipment similar to early auto smog schemes, e.g., a PCV.

So the 2-stroke was the first to go for obvious reasons. But there is no reasoning with the 1000's gardeners blowing debris back and forth across the street 6 days a week. So you do the next best thing, cut them off at the knees.

Individual homeowners doing their own yard work will survive just fine. A battery will hold a charge to do way more than the average yard. IDK, but generators may be allowed to run on propane for awhile, but there's talk in Sacramento about banning the use of natural gas in all new homes.

We're gonna need a lot more solar power before that happens. Actually more than that, since we sometimes produce a surplus of electricity by solar during peak conditions, what we really need is electricity storage.

The story reported is a bit of a knee jerk since there is a mountain of red tape. I doubt much will change drastically for another 10 years. But if they take all the leaf blowers away, they have my vote.

KC, there will ALWAYS be exceptions.

Chainsaws on a Sunday? They're going staight to hell anyways :D

California needs to ban forest fires. Those are the big polluters.

At the rate we are going, there won't be any forests left to burn.

Make sure CA tells you what kind of clothes to wear.

I invite anyone with battery mowers to come mow my 2.5 acres . And bring your battery/electric chainsaws as I have some large trees to take down.

No problem. My push mower barely does my 1/5th acre with a 60v battery. So I would just need 12 batteries at $200 each.

I was under the impression that gas leaf blowers have been banned for ages but it just wasn’t enforced. At all.

Anything to get rid of those fking things has my vote.

I'd be content if they were banned just on Sundays. One weekend day without those screamin' demons would be very nice.

The happiest day of my life will be the day those things are banned!
Besides the noise, all the a-holes that just blow everything out into the center of the street.

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My Dad was way ahead of this kind of thing, he had a push mower no engine, our yard wasn't huge but still...all the neighbors all had gas mowers except one had an electric mower w/ a long extension cord !!

Yeah, Leaf Blowers have to be near the top of the list of "stupidest things ever invented" and near the very top of "MOST annoying things ever invented"

https://commercialmowerreviews.com/best-electric-zero-turn-mowers/

I'm voting Gravely or Mean Green Revival! (I'm voting with someone else's money too)
<table border="1" class="center"><thead><tr><th>Mower</th><th>CubCadet ZT1-42E</th><th>EGO <strong>ZT4204L</strong></th><th>Ryobi <strong>RY48ZTR</strong>100</th><th>Greenworks <strong>RZ48R</strong></th><th>Gravely EVZT</th><th>Mean Green <strong>Nemesis</strong></th><th>Mean Green Rival</th></tr></thead><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Cut Width</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">42″</td><td style="text-align:center">52″</td><td style="text-align:center">48″</td><td style="text-align:center">48″</td><td style="text-align:center">60″</td><td style="text-align:center">48″ &amp; 52″</td><td style="text-align:center">52″ &amp; 60″</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Battery Type</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">56V MAX</td><td style="text-align:center">56V ARC</td><td style="text-align:center">40V</td><td style="text-align:center">82V </td><td style="text-align:center">16 kWh Li-ion</td><td style="text-align:center">48V</td><td style="text-align:center">48V</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Battery Ah</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">60 Ah</td><td style="text-align:center">up to 60Ah</td><td style="text-align:center">100 Ah</td><td style="text-align:center">60 Ah</td><td style="text-align:center">n/a</td><td style="text-align:center">n/a</td><td style="text-align:center">n/a</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Run Time</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">2 Acres</td><td style="text-align:center">up to 5 Acres</td><td style="text-align:center">3 Acres</td><td style="text-align:center">2.25 Acres</td><td style="text-align:center">5 Hrs.</td><td style="text-align:center">1.5 – 2.5 hrs.</td><td style="text-align:center">7 hrs.</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Deck Type</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">13 Ga. Stamp</td><td style="text-align:center">13 Ga. Stamp</td><td style="text-align:center">13 Ga. Stamp</td><td style="text-align:center">10 Ga. Fabricated</td><td style="text-align:center">10 Ga. Fabricated</td><td style="text-align:center">7 Ga. Fabricated</td><td style="text-align:center">7 Ga. Fabricated</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Speed</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">7 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">8 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">7 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">7 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">11 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">8.5 mph</td><td style="text-align:center">11.5 mph</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Warranty</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">3-year unlimited hours/4-year battery</td><td style="text-align:center">5-year unlimited</td><td style="text-align:center">3-year unlimited / 1-year battery</td><td style="text-align:center">2, 4, and 8 year warranties</td><td style="text-align:center">2-year unlimited / 5-year or 1500 hours</td><td style="text-align:center">2-year or 1200 hours</td><td style="text-align:center">2-year or 1200 hours</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center"><strong>Price</strong></td><td style="text-align:center">$4,499</td><td style="text-align:center">$4,999</td><td style="text-align:center">$4,199</td><td style="text-align:center">$6,999</td><td style="text-align:center">~$25,000</td><td style="text-align:center">$12,499 – $13,099</td><td style="text-align:center">$20,000 – $25,000</td></tr></tbody></table>