As the manager of all equipment at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, I made the decision following in line with our strategic plan to start focusing on sustainable land care across our department. The American Green Zone Alliance is a program that is focused on sustainable land management techniques and replacing conventional gas-powered landscaping tools with zero emission battery powered alternative. After years of research on shifting New England Botanic Garden’s operation to battery powered, I facilitate the partnership with AGZA to become the first AGZA Certified Green Zone in the Country. I’ve gotten the chance to speak at conferences and forums across the country through the Ecological Landscape Alliance, as well as the American Public Garden’s Association on how to transition traditional horticultural operations to more sustainable land management plans. At the time in 2019 when this was accomplished, an “ELF® (Environmental Landscape Footprint) report generated by AGZA and Quiet Communities estimates that these electric transitions will eliminate 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually—the equivalent of planting 2,220 trees or taking eleven gas-powered cars off the road each year. “This number has only grown over the last few years as I’ve begun transitioning more equipment away from gas powered as new technology becomes available.

You can read more about this on the New England Botanic Garden’s Blog AGZA Green Zone Certification - New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill