NB: The item below is from a right-wing news source. However, the
reality of the cost of an electric battery (extension cords are both
cumbersome and in some cases dangerous) powered unit procured through
profiteer sources compared to a petroleum fueled unit is approximately
correct. Moreover, the battery powered unit must have spare batteries,
and the pollution both from manufacturing and recycling the batteries is
not mentioned by proponents of battery powered units, as well as the
pollution from many sources of electrical power generation (including
nuclear power, currently being pushed by Gates/Buffet and other
profiteers). An alternative answer -- provided the water and land area
are available -- is to use alcohol powered internal combustion engines
(or fuel cells if these can be made small enough and high enough energy
output for replacement of small internal combustion engines -- a very
big if with current technology), with the CO2 being released re-cycled
by the plants that are used to make alcohol. However, the issue of
usable water and land area has not been addressed -- California does not
have adequate water as it is, and much of the arable land (assuming
adequate water) is used for food production. Admittedly, some of this
is used for food-animal feed (including dairy) -- but the transition to
non-food-animal sources also is not easy. Water animal sources ("ocean
farming") poses other risks and problems, along with the acceptance of
water animal "meat" to replace mammal and bird "meat" by the general
population. (Water animal should exclude cetaceans and reptiles, but
does include both fish and invertebrates.)
https://news.yahoo.com/california-law-bans-small-off-174600432.html
Washington Examiner
California law bans small off-road gas engines, including lawnmowers and
chainsaws
Asher Notheis
Sun, October 10, 2021, 10:46 AM
California took another step toward its goal of ridding the state of all
gas-powered engines thanks to a new bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on
Saturday.
The new law will ban the sale of all off-road, gas-powered engines,
including generators, lawn equipment, pressure washers, chainsaws, weed
trimmers, and even golf carts. Under the new law, these machines must be
zero-emissions, meaning they will have to be either battery-powered or
plug-in, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"This is a pretty modest approach to trying to limit the massive amounts
of pollution that this equipment emits, not to mention the health impact
on the workers who are using it constantly," Marc Berman, the bill's
author, told the outlet. "It’s amazing how people react when they learn
how much this equipment pollutes, and how much smog forming and climate
changing emissions that small off-road engine equipment creates."
The new law is expected to affect nearly 50,000 small businesses.
California's budget includes $30 million to help professional
landscapers and gardeners quit using gas-powered equipment, but even
then, the budget is still not capable of bearing the full financial burden.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals also noted how
zero-emission commercial equipment is both more expensive and less
efficient than gas-powered equipment. A gas-powered riding lawn mower
costs between $7,000-$11,000 while the zero-emissions version costs more
than twice that amount, according to the outlet.
The new rule will be implemented by January 2024, or as soon as
regulators determine is "feasible," whichever date is later. The
California Air Resources Board has already started working on executing
the law, which is a lengthy process scheduled to conclude early next
year, per the outlet.
