Whats Better: Gas Or Electricpowered Lawn And Garden Tools?

City - When the cart demolition derby starts, you'll find all kinds of outdoor power tools in gas and electric versions.

Both sides definitely have their pros and cons, but when all is said and done, which is better? Let's first look at how the devices work, then the environmental impacts.

What is best for the operator?

If you are evaluating options for your future garden equipment, here are some things to consider:

Quiet power tools. If you live nearby, low decibel levels may be worth the investment. Commercial lawn care companies prefer this option because it is quieter and less intrusive to their customers. Although low decibel, they are not silent and hearing aids are always recommended.

Reduces vibration. I find that with many gas-powered lawn and garden tools, my hands and feet feel a little numb after prolonged use. Vibrations passing through power tools are greatly reduced. I always get blisters from electric lawn mowers, so no gloves.

Power tools can be more convenient in many situations. Being able to pick up a power tool and get to work quickly without having to fill up the gas station, check the oil, or mess with the starter is a big plus. Battery management, on the other hand, is critical because the operator must wait for a dead battery to recharge.

Reliable power. Gas appliances have a reliable power supply (no batteries to charge, just fill the fuel tanks) and if someone knows about small engines, they can be easily fixed.

Outdoor appliances are not cheap. For many Americans, the device itself may be well within the price range, but the batteries are very expensive, making it difficult for people to spend money on them. Especially if they already have a gas version of the same device.

What is the size of your garden? Electric landscaping tools are fine in a typical home environment, but when working on large projects or on land far from electrical outlets, gas-powered tools may still be the answer.

There are human health implications to consider. Gas powered garden tools, engine exhaust and other chemicals can be inhaled. Power tools eliminate the problem of discharge, but batteries have another effect on human health, which we will discuss in the next section.

What is environmentally friendly?

When it comes to emissions, gas-powered lawn and garden tools such as blowers, chainsaws, trimmers or lawn mowers lag decades behind the efficiency standards of modern cars. While automakers have made great strides in improving their efficiency and emissions, the landscape industry has few rules that encourage them to make their engines more efficient. Most electrical appliances have little or no emissions when they are in operation. However, we cannot ignore the power of charging these electrical devices or batteries. If the power plants are coal, of course there will be emissions, but not when the facility is in use.

In addition to carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming, oil extraction and processing is a major source of pollution. On the other hand, lithium mining for batteries is extremely destructive to the environment and uses a lot of energy, water and chemicals to make batteries. Historically, lithium mining has involved surface mining and contaminated natural and aquatic environments.

Disposing of lithium batteries is a real problem that we have to consider, but there are solutions. When you look at the old lead-acid batteries, we see that they had a huge environmental pollution problem, but today the recycling rate of these batteries is 99%. For lithium batteries, we need the same voltage to create a recycling system for next generation batteries.