Going Green: Equipment Attachments With Sustainability in Mindtest

By Mike Fitzpatrick

November 2015

For grounds managers looking to enhance the sustainability of their departments’ operations, buying equipment attachments can be an environmentally friendly strategy. Attachments enable crews to use only one motor to carry out a variety of different functions, so they reduce the amount of harmful exhaust gases emitted into the atmosphere.

The ability to use attachments instead of multiple motors is another way manufacturers are supporting the sustainability movement. By moving away from diesel fuel and offering more environmentally friendly options, such as propane and electricity, they also enable managers to make greener decisions.

To reduce waste further, managers can invest in a mulching system for their mowers, which also saves operators from having to collect grass clippings while mowing. Yard waste accounts for 18 percent of the waste left in landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Instead of throwing away grass clippings after mowing, a more environmentally sound option is to recycle them into the landscape. Grass composting adds nutrients into turf, and it improves the appearance of the landscape.

— Mike Fitzpatrick