City of Dallas workers can now maintain one of the city’s largest parks more efficiently, thanks to new all-battery-powered and automated maintenance equipment. The new tools include six robotic mowers, two zero-turn mowers, a line striping robot, and handheld trimmers and blowers. Dallas Park and Recreation will use the equipment exclusively at the 277-acre Kiest Park in Oak Cliff, primarily on athletic fields and active areas. The equipment will reduce the time workers will need to mow the park and mark athletic fields. With the robotic striping machine, workers can now prepare an athletic field in just a few hours rather than several days.
Park officials are excited about the city’s investment in protecting the environment and employees. “Dallas has spent $250,000 on electric and automated equipment. Our goal is to create a sustainable park system, and we must make the effort and the investment to do that. We want to work smarter, cleaner, and greener,” said Renee Johnson, Dallas Park and Recreation Deputy Director. “We want to make sure we have the best maintenance practices and take care of the health of our environment and our staff. This investment is essential in achieving that.”
Introducing this technology decreases the environmental impact created by fuel-powered equipment. With battery powered equipment, Dallas is reducing greenhouse gases in a warming climate and reducing pollutants like ozone and particulate matter to improve air quality for our residents. These environmental efforts align with the city’s Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP), unanimously adopted by the city council in 2020. The plan includes goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve Dallas’ air quality.
Moving from gas-powered to battery-powered equipment not only supports the city’s sustainability goals but also creates a safer and quieter work environment for park workers. According to Edmunds, using a two-stroke leaf blower for thirty minutes produces the same amount of hydrocarbon emissions as a Ford Raptor traveling from Texas to Alaska.
The park department’s transition is part of a larger effort by the City of Dallas to shift to electric powered landscape equipment
orginal artical appears on https://www.dallasparks.org