The Grass is Greener with New Electric Equipment

This past summer, Purchase and the Purchase College Foundation bought two riding mowers, or “zeroes,” one push mower, and one string trimmer from Greenworks. The equipment was purchased to advance further Purchase’s sustainability goals.

Octavio Daeira, assistant director of buildings, grounds, and maintenance, says the electric equipment produces the same results as the gas-powered equipment, and charging is not an issue when maintaining small and medium-sized fields.

The zeroes can hold a charge for up to eight hours, which is the same length of time that the gas riding mowers last on one tank of fuel.

He also notes that all-electric equipment is perfect for use around residential areas. They are significantly quieter than their gas-fueled counterparts, which reduces noise pollution and student disturbance.

The push mower is especially quiet, barely heard from only a few yards away. It’s ideal for use near the library and academic buildings so classes and meetings no longer have to deal with disruptions caused by the much louder gas equipment.

Electric mowers require far less maintenance and are cleaner than gas mowers, which is welcome news to facilities workers. There’s no more handling messy gasoline or worrying about spills and leaks.

And from a safety perspective, electric mowers allow their operators to be more situationally aware because they are able to hear over the low hum of the blades, which was nearly impossible with the noisy gas mowers.

Students, faculty, and staff alike are excited about these new additions to the Purchase College maintenance fleet.