NYC food vendors ditch noisy generators
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
Photo credit: RDNE Stock project
The Patch website in New York City reports that sidewalk food vendors are switching from noisy, polluting gas-powered portable generators to battery power. According to reporter Marina Samuel, street cart vendors who need electric power rely on portable generators, but the nonprofit Street Vendor Project is now helping vendors obtain lithium-ion batteries instead. The Mayor’s Office on Climate & Environmental Justice launched a broader initiative with the Street Vendor Project to explore battery-powered alternatives for street vendors.
The article features a vendor and discusses the economics of using a generator versus battery power. It costs the vendor $1,200 for a new generator every two years, $6 per day for gasoline and at least $150 for repairs needed every few months. The battery he now uses cost $5,000, but charging it only costs $2 per day. When the battery broke down, the manufacturer provided a replacement. The article didn’t mention the cost of the battery repair or if the repair was covered under a warranty.
The upfront cost of switching is the major problem for most carts, large or small. The battery costs for larger carts can be daunting at up to $15,000. For food trucks, battery power may not be feasible, and the only option would be to plug in to an electrical outlet. This may be feasible in some locations but not in others.
It’s not clear that battery power will meet the needs of all street vendors. Portable batteries that are affordable and small enough to meet the needs of a cart operating 12, 18 or even 24 hours a day may not be feasible. But for vendors with shorter operating hours or lower power needs, batteries may be an acceptable option.
Both the noise and the air pollution from portable generators are bad for vendors and bad for the city. New York City, “the city that never sleeps,” is considered by many to be the noisiest city in the world, although Mumbai, Kolkata, Beijing, Tokyo and Buenos Aires are also noisy. Regardless of which city has the distinction of being the world’s noisiest, we hope these efforts in New York City succeed. A quieter city, with cleaner air, will be a better and healthier place for all.