Using a gas-powered snow blower for one hour produces the same amount of emissions as driving a car 339 miles. Image by Sergei Starostin.
I love the silence of snow. Stepping outside into the refreshing, clean smell of morning after a snowy night is pure joy. Snow blankets the landscape and the crisp air is invigorating. For many of us, the next step of our morning is to clear the driveway. The last thing that I want to do on a beautiful winter morning is to go into my garage, open a gas can to fill a snow blower, struggle with a pull-start engine, and breathe in fumes.
Gas-powered snow blowers have many issues. They often use inefficient engines that produce high emissions, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Some models produce the same amount of emissions in one hour as you would produce by driving a gas-powered car 339 miles. Many models produce a level of noise pollution that can cause permanent damage to your hearing.
Fuel engines require more maintenance than electric engines. If you use a gas-powered snow blower, you will need to keep gas on hand, keep an eye on the oil levels, tighten belts, and change air filters. At the end of winter, you will need to take steps to protect the machine from stale fuel issues.
In contrast, electric snow blowers require much less maintenance. Imagine walking out to your garage, plugging the battery into your machine, and pressing a button to start. There are no emissions, which makes using an electric snow blower a much more pleasant and healthier task. Recharging a battery is also much less expensive than filling a gas tank. Over several winters, the savings on fuel and maintenance can add up significantly.
An electric snow blower is not completely silent, but the electric engine is much quieter than a gas-powered engine. Your risk of hearing loss is far lower when using electric models. They also tend to be lighter than gas-powered models, making them easier to push, turn, and put away. Electric models are often more compact and will take up less room in your garage and shed.
Sustainable Woodstock volunteer Gina Auriema shared her experience with a new machine. “We have a Greenworks 80-volt snowblower that we purchased this year. It’s very impressive. Gets the job done easily without the noise or gas fumes and messing with gas and oil. It’s easy to maneuver too.”
An electric snow blower is not perfect for every solution. They may be less able to handle large areas with heavy wet snow. However, for most driveways and walkways, the tradeoffs are well worth the convenience, low costs, and benefit to your health and environment.