Botanical garden makes electrifying change to its parking lot — and it highlights a growing trend spreading the country

The New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is hitting the trifecta.

Protecting the future of plants and the ecosystem? Check.

Powering its electrified landscaping fleet and an array of tools with on-site solar power? Check.

Allowing visitors to join in by charging up their EVs with six Chargepoint stations in one of the parking lots? Check.

CleanTechnica recently documented this exciting confluence of proactive, eco-friendly action as it researched and toured local botanical gardens, including the Boylston, Massachusetts, location.

It's part of a positive trend, with more and more places installing EV chargers. That provides EV owners an experience free from range anxiety, as they can fuel while they go about their plans.

For consumers considering buying an EV, the recent progress in the accessibility of the charging network adds to the reasons to make the switch, like saving money on fuel, lowering their carbon pollution, and receiving up to $7,500 in tax credits from the government.

New England Botanic Garden's proactive move to add EV chargers makes a ton of sense for a location already leading the way in sustainability. A botanical garden provides major environmental benefits, whether it's cooling during heat waves or protecting vulnerable plants against climate change.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported the organization made history in 2022 by becoming the first botanical garden to receive Green Zone certification from The American Green Zone Alliance. 

This was due to its commitment to transitioning away from gas-powered landscaping tools to electric. That switch helps lower carbon pollution that accelerates global warming while also cutting down on the noise pollution and exhaust toxins that gas-powered equipment produces.

Installing solar power, going electric with its fleet of 11 utility carts, and providing EV charging options for visitors further underlines the New England Botanic Garden's commitment to leading the way in sustainability.

Director of Horticulture Mark Richardson told the Telegram & Gazette that sustainability is "part of [the] organization's DNA."

The president of Quiet Communities, Jamie Banks, raved about the location's efforts, calling it a "quadruple win — for the environment, for the health of workers and citizens, for our ecosystems, and for our planet."

If you want to check out the New England Botanic Garden for yourself, and possibly charge your EV as you do, you can plan your visit on its website.

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