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It's Clean, It's Quiet, It's Healthy! |
The mission of the Sustainable Landscaping action team is to usher in a new era of landscape practices that restore the environment, protect public health, and encourage long-term sustainability, increased biodiversity, and enhanced resilience. Our goal is to eliminate gas-powered landscaping equipment (GPLE) in Lake Oswego by the first part of 2027. |
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City of Lake Oswego Council Goals |
In response to growing public concern, local governments, states, utility companies, and other entities across the country have adopted policies and programs to address the harmful pollution and noise generated by GPLE. Earlier this month, the Lake Oswego City Council adopted a 2026 goal, with encouragement from LOSN and many people in the community to phase out the use of gas-powered landscaping equipment. Please thank the City Councilors and let them know that you appreciate their commitment to eliminating gas-powered landscaping equipment. It is important that they hear from you. This goal is a continuation of a city goal adopted in 2025. Here is the 2026 goal: “Explore and continue outreach and policy research in regard to phasing out gas-powered lawn equipment. Bring recommendations to the City Council in early 2027”. We want to thank the City Council for continuing to include this goal to phase out gas-powered landscaping equipment and for their commitment to creating a clean and safe Lake Oswego. The city has a lot on its plate this year, along with the transition to a new City Manager and Sustainability Manager. We are very appreciative of the city’s willingness to make this a priority. |
What does the city need to accomplish before they can put an ordinance in place to phase-out gas powered landscaping equipment? |
The city will need to create a program to administer the ordinance and establish structures to receive citizen complaints, enforce the phase-out, help landscaping business owners transition to new equipment, and more. City staff will be working on these issues during the upcoming year. At LOSN, we have committed to using our resources to help the city review programs and ordinances from other communities, brainstorm ideas, and come up with solutions. |
What can we do right now? |
In the meantime, it remains critical that we take action as individuals to eliminate the use of GPLE at our homes, schools, and businesses, especially the use of gas leaf blowers. The faster we transition to more sustainable landscaping practices, the sooner we will all experience the multitude of benefits. Here are some simple but powerful steps we can take personally that will directly and dramatically impact the collective health and overall quality of life in our neighborhood. If you use a landscaper, please ask them to adopt these practices! |
- Leave the leaves! - They provide habitat for beneficial insects, nutrients for the soil, carbon absorption, and moisture retention.
- Avoid the use of all leaf blowers around plantings. Leaf blowers erode and compact the soil and destroy habitat for insects and pollinators.
- Use rakes and brooms instead of blowers on hardscapes. Using a blower sends pollution, dust, pollen, mold, and fine particulates into the air.
- If you or your landscaper still needs a power assist on hardscapes (e.g., driveways, parking areas, or sidewalks), use electric tools instead of gas-powered; they’re affordable and effective, and they’re cleaner and quieter than their gas counterparts. Be mindful of people and animals nearby, and avoid blowing onto the property of others or into storm drains.
- Share your electric tools with your landscaper and neighbors. Plan to provide your landscaper with a fresh battery or extension cord on your day of service.
- Adopt the practices of regenerative landscaping, whether it’s you or someone you hire who is caring for your garden.
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Regenerative Landscaping: Landscaping with Nature |
Regenerative landscaping is landscaping with nature. It focuses on restoring the environment and promoting long-term sustainability for all of the plants and animals that make up our urban landscapes. It differs from conventional landscaping by prioritizing the health and sustainability of the ecosystem rather than aesthetics alone. |
Benefits of Regenerative Landscaping |
- Enhanced resilience for trees and plants in our yards
- Reduced water use
- Lower maintenance costs
- Increased biodiversity
- Elimination of toxic chemicals that affect human and ecosystem health
- Harmony with natural processes
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Principles of Regenerative Landscaping |
- Limit soil disturbance
- Maximize roots in the soil
- Keep covered with plants or compost
- Maximize diversity of soil microorganisms
- Support plant and animal diversity by providing varied habitats
- Eliminate the use of toxic chemicals
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We’ve been busy as bees, and thanks to your support and the hard work of our team, we’ve accomplished quite a bit. Here are some highlights of our work and what’s ahead. Please consider joining our team or making a donation. |
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- Researching ordinances and policies from communities that have GPLE bans.
- Tabling at many community events.
- Partnering with community organizations.
- Establishing relationships with landscape battery equipment vendors.
- Creating marketing and educational materials, yard signs, newsletters, resource filled website. Thank you to the City of Lake Oswego for the two Municipal Grants we have received to help with this campaign.
- Our successful letter-writing campaign amplified awareness of the negative impacts that the use and overuse of GPLE is having in Lake Oswego. Thank you for speaking up - your words have power!
- We’ve published a list of landscape professionals serving Lake Oswego who offer alternatives to GPLE. Do you know of a landscaper willing to offer gas-free landscape maintenance? Let us know - we would love to promote them by including them on our list!
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| Request Your Healthy Yard Care Sign Today! |
We’ve created beautiful yard signs promoting a Gas-Free Landscape. Studies show that the actions of our neighbors influence our choices. Adopting gas-free practices and displaying one of our signs will help build awareness, and may encourage others in your neighborhood to follow suit. |
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- We’re continuing to expand and grow the Healthy Yard Care/Regenerative Landscape aspect of our work – to foster a community-wide model of clean, quiet and healthy practices that support all living members of our beautiful neighborhoods.
- We’re partnering with the City of Lake Oswego on education, research and outreach in preparation for the phase-out of GPLE.
- We’re expanding our residential landscaper list to include and promote commercial landscapers who offer alternatives to gas-powered landscaping in Lake Oswego.
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| Forward this newsletter to others, and ask your HOA or Neighborhood Association to post this newsletter online and/or email it to their listserv. |
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| Follow us on social media! |
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PO Box 775, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, USA |
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