South Pasadena Case Study

Quiet Communities Inc. Case Study: South Pasadena, CA From interview with Michael Cacciotti Who is the interviewee? Michael Cacciotti has served on a city council of five members for South Pasadena, CA for almost 25 years and has served as mayor four times, including when action against the issue of gas-powered leaf blowers was beginning. He is currently the Mayor Pro Tempore of South Pasadena. He also serves as a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and represents his region of 34 cities. What is the demographic make-up of South Pasadena? Cacciotti describes South Pasadena as “a very culturally diverse community, probably close to 50% European, maybe 20-25% Chinese American, growing Korean population, growing Latino population.” How did the issue of gas-powered leaf blowers first come up in South Pasadena? In 2015, Dan Mabe from American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) approached South Pasadena offering assistance with converting South Pasadena to electric lawn care equipment, and Cacciotti was immediately on board, as he had personal experience with electric lawn equipment and knowledge of the benefits. How did action against the gas-powered leaf blowers progress? They started with establishing one of their parks as a model AGZA Green Zone. They wrote contracts with landscapers saying that at this park, landscapers were required to use electric lawn care equipment for a year, and the city would provide the equipment. This movement was fought by landscapers, but the program helped many people to realize the benefits, including younger workers in the landscaping companies. The program was an overall success, with positive feedback from residents and the council. The following year, the council wrote into the contract that electric lawn care equipment would be used for the entire city of South Pasadena. This caused a slight increase in landscaping rates, but Cacciotti stated that it was not a problematic increase. South Pasadena became the first city in the United States to convert completely to electric lawn care equipment. Through his role on the larger Air Quality Management Board, Cacciotti was also able to secure an over $1 million grant from the EPA to subsidize purchase of battery electric equipment throughout the greater area. This has allowed him to do outreach to more areas beyond South Pasadena and help to convert more communities away from gas-powered leaf blowers. What were the main concerns that motivated officials and the community to act against the issue? The primary issue was the disturbance caused by the noise generated by gas-powered leaf blowers, which began to effect much more of the community because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What were the factors that contributed most to South Pasadena’s success? Cacciotti said that South Pasadena is “an educated community, so a lot of people understand pollution.” Once members of the community were told about the benefits of converting to electric equipment, many were eager to support the cause. Cacciotti’s unique use of demonstrations with actual equipment and visualizations to community members and officials has also been hailed as highly effective and memorable. What were the biggest challenges to South Pasadena’s process of transition? There was resistance from landscapers and contractors; they did not know about electric lawn care equipment and were unwilling to try. They were mostly reluctant because of upfront costs, as well as skepticism about effectiveness of electric equipment. What is the future of this issue in South Pasadena? Cacciotti is doing outreach to more communities in the 34 cities he represents through his role on the Air Quality Management Board and is paying special attention to addressing the perspectives and needs of minorities, such as the Latinx, Chinese, and Korean populations. He especially wants these efforts to expand into the industrial areas of his region, which experience some of the worst air pollution and smog in the US. However, he also says that they need continued federal funding to continue efforts and incentive programs, otherwise he will have difficulty convincing communities to transition. What support from an outside organization would be helpful in furthering their efforts? Cacciotti says that the research and information that organizations like AGZA and QCi, particularly into the health impacts of gas-powered lawn equipment have been massively helpful to South Pasadena’s transition. What advice would Michael give to communities trying to make the same transition? c