Valley residents can get money back for trading in gas powered yard equipment
Valley residents are encouraged to help improve air quality by replacing gas-powered yard care equipment with electric alternatives through the Valley Air District’s Clean Green Yard Machines: Residential Program (CGYM).
Money is available to help Tulare County residents go electric and get up to $250 back if they trade in their old gas mower for an electric mower, air district officials stated.
The program also offers rebates for purchasing some residential electric yard care tools instead of gas-powered counterparts, reducing air pollution in neighborhoods across the Central Valley.
“The new lawn mower is very easy—just push a button, and it starts," Central Valley recipient Alma Renteria said. "I am so happy that I can mow my lawn. Before, it was a lot more work because I had to pull the starter cord with all my might, and it did not matter how many times I pulled. I couldn't turn it on. I had to rely on my husband, but now I can do it myself."
Participants can get up to $250 when trading in a gas mower in favor of an electric one and up to $50 when making a direct purchase (no trade-in) of electric mowers and other electric yard care equipment such as; edgers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and pole saws.
"Gas-powered yard care equipment presents a significant source of localized air pollution in Valley neighborhoods," air district officials stated. "These small engines contain no emission controls and pollute substantially more than newer passenger vehicles."
According to the Valley Air District, one gas mower produces the equivalent of emissions of 12 late-model cars operating simultaneously.
More than 40% of Americans—over 137 million people—live in places with failing grades for unhealthy particle pollution levels or ozone levels.
Nearly all Central Valley counties were among the top polluted places to live in America.
Tulare County was ranked No. 5 for the most polluted counties for ozone and particle pollution, according to the 2022 American Lung Association's State of the Air report.
Visalia is ranked No. 1 for annual particle pollution out of 202 metropolitan areas. The report found that Fresno was ranked as the top metro area with the worst short-term particle pollution, and Bakersfield continues to be the most-polluted city for year-round particle pollution for the third year in a row.
Interested residents should visit www.valleyair.org/CGYM for program guidelines and an application before purchasing new equipment. For additional information, email grants@valleyair.org or call 230-5800.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Valley residents can get money back for trading in gas powered yard equipment
