TOLEDO, Ohio — The city of Toledo is still offering $100 to any Lucas County resident looking to trade in their gas-powered lawnmower for an electric-powered one.
This rebate program has been going on since July 2022. It's part of the Division of Environmental Services and will end in May 2025. Residents can earn $100 by recycling their old gas lawnmowers.
Edward Madison has been running his small landscaping business, Ed's Lawncare, for the last four years. His entire fleet of lawncare tools is gasoline-powered. When asked about the rebate from a resident standpoint?
"I would try it, yes," Madison said.
But if it was offered to small businesses like his own, his tune changed quickly.
"No, no," Madison said. "I kind of over the years added stuff. It would be like a lot I would be losing. If it was like a trade-in, and I would have the same value for what I trade in, maybe. I can't give you my stuff in and be like 'Oh yeah, I'll start with electric.'"
Since the program started, there have been 190 vouchers given out. The city has 259 left to those residents interested in the rebate. Division of Environmental Services Administrator, Karen Granata, said she understands why this program may not be top of mind for many.
"Most people only replace a lawn mower very infrequently," Granata said. "Something that may not have been interesting in 2022 may be interesting this year."
She agreed lawnmowers aren't as big as vehicles, so she gets why there would be some pushback from those who don't know why it's becoming a sustainable push to go electric with lawn tools. However, she explained how car maintenance is better kept versus lawn mower maintenance, which does affect emission rates.
"[Lawnmowers] actually emit more per hour than driving your vehicle," Granata said. "Toledo wants to be at the forefront of the future technology of batteries. For example, we may soon have a beautiful new battery plant employing your local community members."
Since the Mobis Plant is coming to Toledo, she said this voluntary rebate program helps usher citizens into a more sustainable future, versus the alternative.
"If the pleasant programs don't produce the results that we want, the federal or state government may enforce programs we don't want," Granata said.
But for many like Madison, this change won't be easy.
"I own over 10 lawnmowers, I have two walk behinds, I have a rider, I have five weed trimmers," Madison said.
And don't forget, he's a small business.