To help reduce emissions from this equipment, California Executive Order N-79-20 sets a goal to transition off-road vehicles and equipment operations to 100 percent zero-emissions by 2035, where feasible. These efforts, though focused on GHG emissions, can have significant co-benefits in our communities by reducing pollutant emissions and noise.

In response to this Executive Order, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced in 2022 a new program to make $27 million in incentives available to California-based small landscape businesses to purchase zero-emission professional landscaping equipment. This program, called the Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project, or “CORE,” provides point-of-sale discounts for equipment to help landscapers upgrade to new technology within their profit margins.

Earlier this year, the American Green Zone Alliance, in partnership with the San Diego Air Pollution Control District (APCD), hosted free events in National City and Escondido for small business owners to test out zero-emission professional landscaping equipment, connect with program administrators, and learn more about the CORE voucher incentives. Open to all, small business owners based in the unincorporated County attended to learn about the program and see what incentives were available, and some attendees received CORE voucher incentives:

      “As small business owners participating in the CORE program, we had an incredible experience. The in-                 person event was truly awesome, allowing us to see all the equipment firsthand and get a real sense of their         quality and suitability for our business. What made it even better was how easy the ordering process was.             Most of the work was handled by the retailers/vendors, making it a seamless experience. The best part is               that we saved over $25,000 on new equipment through this program, which was a significant boost to our               bottom line. Overall, the CORE program has been a game-changer in helping us make the transition to                   becoming a greener company.”

       -Matthew and Jessica Hale, franchise owners of The Grounds Guys of La Mesa, which serves the City of La         Mesa and unincorporated communities of Casa de Oro and Mt. Helix

As funding from the first year of CORE implementation continues, the County will work with CARB to continue creating and promoting opportunities for residents and small businesses to receive direct funding to help transition to a zero-carbon economy. These County efforts will be pursued through our Climate Action Plan Update, which sets bold climate action goals to achieve net zero emissions in the unincorporated area and from County operations between 2035-2045.

It’s a beautiful Saturday morning in San Diego. You’re listening to surf report and sipping your coffee. You just noticed the landscaping crew down the street quietly working hard on a weekend to keep the neighborhood beautiful.