Now this guy is environmentally friendly. He is a gardener serving the west-side of Vancouver. He doesn’t use power tools and he travels between jobs on an electric assisted bicycle.
This guy is a gnome (metronomes.ca) – “Metro Gnome specializes in quiet and low emission residential garden maintenance services for the west-side of Vancouver, BC. We use electric bicycles and Modo pickup trucks to provide you with sustainable lawn and garden services.”
His “vehicle” was parked across the street from my house this evening when I returned from a 40 km ride after work. I have seen him before but was prompted to take a few pictures and share them.
We need more services like this in the community. I have seen an experimental farm at UBC that delivers fresh vegetables by bike and several other custom delivery services for small retailers and, of course, the bike courier companies. Anything we can do get get more cars and trucks off the roads is a good thing.
PedalWORKS 
While I do see the value in this form of business model in the city, it does go to show that the vast majority of people who use the word “sustainable” have no clue what the word actually means.
Take that battery assisted bike. First, the electricity used to charge the bike is made by some form of combustion (coal or natural gas)… Now, is this ‘better’ than another vehicle on the road? Probably, but not better than a regular bicycle.
Next, batteries are still exceptionally toxic to the environment. Even when they’re recycled. It’s the same old incandescent/compact fluorescent lightbulb meme all over. Yes, the CI’s last longer but you need a hazmat team to clean up the pieces should you break one – and don’t get me started on what happens when they get to a landfill! Same idea for the eBike.
I’m just sayin’ brother.
I hear you but I have to give him credit. This is a hilly city to navigate and he has a heavy load to tote. It’s certainly better than a truck which most gardeners use.
We’d have to find out the ecological impact of the batteries to make that judgment but on the surface, it’s possible – but that’s just the trick, most people don’t really know, we assume based on what we see as common sense. I’m willing to believe, I’d just rather see the big picture before I jump on the bandwagon, that’s all brother.
You’re tough. The way I look at it, it is a step in the right direction. It may not be perfect but it gets another truck off the road and eliminates noisy gas powered garden tools. I don’t have a gardener but, if I were to hire one, I would give this guy a try. If we wait for the bigger picture to unfold, we miss the opportunity to make smaller gains along the way.
Great business for him and selling himself. Vancouver is ideal..and lots of rain for needed landscaping and pruning.