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Last modified: 29 May 2023 2:36pm

Man in a high visibility jacket sitting on a green ride on lawnmower The maintenance of Selwyn’s parks is getting greener, with new technology to start phasing out old fuel alternatives.

Fuel use by Council contractors was identified as one of the main causes of carbon emissions in the Council’s carbon footprint mapping for 2020/2021. Now, Council parks and reserves maintenance contractor CORDE is working towards bringing that down, using some innovative new machinery built by a Tai Tapu company.

CORDE has added a new electricpowered ride-on mower to its parks maintenance equipment. Powered by a 35KW/H battery pack, the five-blade ride on machine can save up to 10T or carbon dioxide emissions over seven months use compared to a diesel-powered mower.

Along with needing less maintenance, the new machine is quieter, with fewer fumes, making it more pleasant for the operators, park users and neighbours. It’s part of looking for further carbon savings, CORDE Fleet General Manager Tyler Forsyth says.

“One of our core values at CORDE, kaitiakitanga, strongly influences our purchasing decisions. It’s not just about what’s better for CORDE; it’s about what’s better for our community. Committing to exploring these zero-emission alternatives is crucial for CORDE's long-term sustainability and innovation vision.”