A staff member from Brighton Council was recently announced as a finalist in the Climate Council’s Community Choice Award for an innovative switch to electric out-door maintenance equipment such as blowers and hedge trimmers.

We’re proud of the innovation Tim Pursell has shown to improve the health and wellbeing of fellow co-workers and to reduce green-house gas emissions.

The all-electric equipment is used out in the field to maintain street trees, parks, tracks and trails, heritage gardens and for general cleanliness. By charging the equipment from the Brighton Council Depot, which is powered by a 30kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system, and from Tasmania’s low emissions factor grid electricity. This pro-duces 150gm of carbon dioxide for every unit of electricity, compared to 980g carbon dioxide or kWh in Victoria. The emissions are lower than burning diesel and petrol fuel mixes through traditional combustion powered handheld equipment.

This small switch is not only reducing emissions, but is also improving the health and wellbeing of workers from a reduced exposure to polluting fumes. If councils across Australia were to do the same switch to all electric hand outdoor maintenance equipment, the savings would be significant.

This project involved a great team of people at Brighton Council led by Tim with support from Scott Percey from the outdoor staff through to senior management and the General Manager. Brighton Council was the only project from Tasmania represented nationally via the Climate Council Awards and was one of eight projects nominated for the Community Choice Award, out of 145 local government areas and 500 cities and towns.

For results on all the climate change action award winners visit www.citiespowerpartnership.org.au/2021.