Reduce the use of power tools
One action we can take to have more sustainable and
climate-wise landscapes is to modify the arrangement of landscape elements and
the interface between those elements to minimize the need for power tools. This
can be accomplished in many ways. If we use plants that are appropriate for the
size of the space in the landscape, they won't need to be trimmed back over and
over. In addition, if there is still some lawn, the edges of the mowed spaces
should consist of gentle curves and no vertical elements right next to them so
that the mower can make one sweep around the edge and not have to come back
with an edger or string trimmer to finish the job. If there are raised beds or
buildings that are next to mowed areas, install a narrow mulched path or a row
of pavers set into the ground at about an inch above the level of the lawn between
the lawn and the vertical structure so the wheels of the mower can run outside
of the lawn edge on the mulch or the pavers.
That being said, in many landscapes power tools are required for adequate maintenance. The sustainable and climate-wise action is to replace polluting, gas-powered tools with those powered by batteries.
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| When you switch to battery-powered tools, purchase those
that are compatible so the batteries can used in all of the tools. |
It takes about 30 minutes to charge a battery with this
particular type of fast charger. The time of use for a battery is more than an
hour of actual run-time, depending upon the tool, the power setting for any
given tool, and the job at hand. |
