Home Depot Wants To Phase Out Gas-Powered Lawn Equipment

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The Home Depot this summer announced the goal of having over 85 percent of North America’s outdoor lawn equipment run on rechargeable battery technology by 2028. The home improvement retailer has stated that it will work with manufacturers to broaden its selection of battery-powered products, replacing gas-powered options. The transition would make a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

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While road vehicles are the most prominent producer of greenhouse gases, lawn equipment is another use for gas engines in everyday life. Home Depot claims shifting lawnmowers, leaf blowers and trimmers to electrical power will eliminate over 2,000,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases annually. While the shift to electric power is vital, it’s a relative drop in the bucket compared to internal combustion engines out on the road. According to the Environment Protection Agency, motorcycles alone produced 7.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2021.

Ron Jarvis, Home Depot’s chief sustainability officer, said in a release:

“By innovating residential lawn equipment away from gas-powered combustible engines, we can help make our neighborhoods cleaner and quieter. By working with our suppliers to bring innovative and sustainable products to every aisle of our store, we can help our customers create more sustainable homes and workplaces.”

The benefits other than sustainability will likely be better selling points for customers. Battery-powered lawn equipment requires less maintenance, creates less noise to disturb neighbors, and doesn’t spew fumes that are going to cling to your clothes. On a store-to-store basis right now, Home Depot is focusing the transition on ensuring that battery-powered products are readily available and customers are informed.