In a landmark achievement in sustainability, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has officially become AGZA Green Zone certified by transitioning 100 percent of its lawn and gardening equipment from gas to electric.
LAUSD is now the largest school district in the nation to hold that distinction.
It’s part of a trend starting back in 2015 when South Pasadena launched the AGZA certification effort as Garfield Park became the first site in the nation to earn the esteemed honor. From there, all parks and city-owned properties later became AGZA certified.
The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) is a mission driven group of professionals who are committed to improving the quality of life for communities, working conditions for lawn and maintenance operators and best practices for the landscape industry. Certification is achieved through workforce education and training, data collection and analysis, and through low-impact landscape operations.
The LAUSD milestone was celebrated Wednesday, July 30, at LAUSD headquarters, where the District formally recognized the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) for its pivotal support through the agency’s Commercial Electric Lawn and Garden Equipment Incentive Program.
With a District-wide commitment to cleaning the air, LAUSD credits a South Coast AQMD incentive program for enabling the bold move to go all electric.
Through its support, the school district has saved more than $1 million in costs to purchase the battery electric lawn and maintenance equipment while moving away from gas-power, which historically contributed to noise and air pollution at its campuses.
The recognition event at LAUSD’s headquarters, was led by the Manuel Enriquez, the District’s operations program manager, who played a key role in the electric transformation. Enriquez extended a heartfelt invitation to two key partners in the journey – South Coast AQMD Vice Chair Michael Cacciotti and American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) Founder Dan Mabe.
LAUSD’s partnership with the South Coast AQMD began several years ago through its special program that provides public agencies, school districts, and commercial landscapers with incentives to replace old, polluting gasoline-powered equipment with zero-emission battery-electric alternatives. The district leveraged this support to replace a wide range of tools, including mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers, and edgers in its schools.
“As soon as we found out about AQMD’s incentive program to get rid of your old gas-powered equipment and exchange it for up to 85 percent discount on new battery-powered equipment, we jumped on it,” Enriquez told a roomful of LAUSD maintenance and Operations workers in attendance at a District quarterly meeting.
Unanimous applause came when Enriquez told the gathering: “You saved the District over a million dollars. We’d like to express our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to AQMD.”
Cacciotti, a longtime environmental advocate and current South Pasadena City Council member, has been instrumental in championing the exchange program. Since joining the AQMD Governing Board in 2008, he has actively pushed for green policies and cleaner technologies throughout the 34 cities he represents, mostly in eastern Los Angeles County..
He stressed the electric tools are quieter, require less maintenance, “and most importantly, help keep the air our students and families breathe cleaner and healthier. While we’ve made great strides to clear the air, our region still struggles with some of the worst air quality in the nation, and our work is far from over.”
A five-time South Pasadena mayor, Cacciotti has dedicated much of his life to fighting for clean air, and sustainable practices. His efforts have extended far beyond city limits, often encouraging multiple agencies and organizations to reach regional environmental goals.
Alongside Cacciotti at the event was Mabe, founder of AGZA, who was a critical partner in LAUSD’s electrification effort, providing technical consulting, training, and certification for the District’s landscaping crews.
“It changes people’s lives when going from gas to battery-powered equipment,” Cacciotti told the Maintenance and Operations gathering. “You have set a model that I’m going to tell everybody about. If the LA Unified School District can do it, anybody can do it. This is personal with me. I have coached youth soccer with AYSO for 30-something years, and many of those kids have had asthma. Efforts you’re making will help ease those concerns for so many parents. What you have done is big. By going electric, you’re helping students, teachers and staff eliminate tons of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and various volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) from entering the air.”
The enthusiastic Cacciotti was just warming up with his message. “You are making a big difference for the United States and world,” he added. “It’s an incredible achievement. I’m grateful to you!”
Dennis Bradburn, director of maintenance and operations for the school district, was quick to offer his praise: “Thank you to AQMD and AGZA. You guys are fantastic. We really believe in the health and welfare of our employees and students who benefit by not having these (toxic) fumes around them.”
Under AGZA’s guidance, LAUSD’s landscaping staff received training to maximize the performance and longevity of their new equipment, ensuring the transition was not only successful but sustainable in the long term. AGZA also certified LAUSD campuses as official Green Zones—areas maintained with zero-emission equipment, reduced chemicals, and best practices in sustainable groundskeeping.
For a school district as large as LAUSD, serving nearly 600,000 students across hundreds of campuses, the switch to electric equipment took careful planning and widespread support. Cacciotti explained the initial purchase cost savings from South Coast AQMD exceeded $1 million, but dramatic accrued cost savings of $7 million in reduced gas, oil and maintenance costs will be realized over five years of operation.
The celebration at LAUSD headquarters concluded with thundering applause for Cacciotti and Mabe, recognizing their leadership and contributions to the district’s eco-friendly efforts.
LAUSD is the largest and most significant AGZA certified Green Zone in the country to date. “This feat is simply massive and incredible,” said Mabe. “It is LA Unified that is setting the standard.”
As part of the recognition, all areas covered by the LAUSD, along with area managers, were acknowledged by Mabe and District management, all receiving certificates.
Down the road, LAUSD plans to continue expanding its sustainability initiatives – from water conservation to solar power integration – while encouraging other large districts to go the electrification route.
“Efforts like this show what’s possible when we work together – when local agencies, schools, and communities unite around a shared vision of cleaner air and healthier futures,” Cacciotti said.
