Mass Audubon – Your Great Outdoors | A Mass Audubon Blog

Brace yourself. Serious cuteness incoming.

Seals are a “fan favorite” for wildlife lovers and coastal tourists due in large part to their often playful, expressive nature and adorable fuzziness. Year-round, visitors to the coastal parts of Massachusetts can spot our “resident” Harbor and Gray seals fairly easily. If you’re really lucky you may spy a rarer species such as Harp or Hooded seals although they tend to stay farther north near the pack ice they depend on for pupping. Interestingly, you will not find any sea lions here. Sea lions belong to a different taxonomic family than “true” seals and are not found on the east coast of the United States.

If you’re eager to spot one, many of our coastal wildlife sanctuaries host programs where you can look for and observe seals but here are five cute photos of seals for you to enjoy in the meantime, submitted to our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. The 2018 photo contest is only open until September 30, so submit your great wildlife and nature photography today!

Imagine a summer without the growl of gasoline-powered motors, the whine of weed whackers, and the fumes of spent gasoline. Mass Audubon is taking steps to make this a reality by replacing gasoline-powered landscaping equipment with electric versions.

The move is part of a larger Mass Audubon strategy to green the grid by reducing fossil fuel use and adding more renewable electricity. Electric lawn equipment is one way we can make Massachusetts more pleasant while getting our yard work done and fighting climate change.

Benefits of Going Electric

1. Better Quality

In the past, electric landscape equipment was either more expensive to own or less practical than gas-powered equipment, but with improved battery technology and better designs, electric models are now coveted as top-of-the-line.

2. Fewer Moving Parts

This means fewer points of friction in the motor, require few or no fluids, no oil changes, and as such are generally more reliable than gas-powered models.

3. Safer

Electric options tend to have better safety features and don’t require storing gasoline nearby, eliminating a potential fire hazard.

4. Quieter

An electric push mower or weed whacker is about as loud as a hair dryer. Keeping the noise down is good for our neighbors and for nearby wildlife.

As electric equipment technology continues to improve, it will be able to replace more gas-powered equipment in more situations for more functions. We’re excited to make the transition to electric, and it’s something homeowners and other organizations can do as well.

A Mass Audubon Blog

Take 5: Seal of Approval

Switching to Electric Landscape Equipment

Benefits of Going Electric