Brooklyn Botanic Garden Becomes the First AGZA Green Zone® Certified Public Garden in NY State
We’re proud to share exciting news: Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is now the first botanic garden in New York State—and only the second in the nation—to earn AGZA Green Zone® Certification in collaboration with Quiet Communities!
Last week, Quiet Communities (QC) Founder Jamie Banks and American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) Founder and President Dan Mabe joined in celebrating the milestone – the result of a multiyear effort to transition land-care operations away from gas-powered equipment toward quieter, battery-powered tools that help protect the environment, workers, and the public.
The event on July 10, in the Atrium at BBG, brought together green industry professionals, municipal leaders, and elected officials, and featured a "before and after" demonstration highlighting the benefits of the transition. Traditional landscaping equipment produces harmful exhaust, toxic waste, and disruptive noise pollution. In contrast, battery-powered tools are quieter, lighter, and emissions-free.
From left: Richard McCoy, AGZA Northeast Regional Rep.; Rowan Blaik, BBG VP of Horticulture; Dan Mabe, AGZA Founder and President; Adrian Benepe, BBG President and CEO; Jamie Banks, QC Founder and President; Tricia Glass, QC Executive Director.
Spanning 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, BBG is leading the way in sustainable land care, setting an example for institutions nationwide. “BBG has demonstrated that even large, complex landscapes can successfully make this shift,” Dan Mabe said.
Speaking at the event, Jamie Banks noted that transitioning from use of gas-powered handheld tools – leaf blowers, string trimmers, and hedge trimmers – for routine maintenance means the garden has eliminated over 26,000 pounds per year of toxic and carcinogenic exhaust, including nearly 900 pounds of ozone-forming exhaust and 170 pounds of PM2.5, a known human carcinogen. The move also reduces fuel spillage, non-recyclable waste, and costs of operation, while eliminating more than 10 tons per year of carbon emissions. "We’re proud to work with AGZA to support these meaningful changes,” Jamie Banks said.
“We are honored to be recognized for this work and certified as a Level 1 AGZA Green Zone by AGZA and Quiet Communities,” said Adrian Benepe, President of Brooklyn Botanic Garden. “We hope to be a resource for other botanic gardens, parks, and organizations looking to adopt greener, cleaner, quieter operations.”
In partnership with Quiet Communities, AGZA implements the certification program nationwide for parks, municipalities, institutions, and businesses. The four-level program includes education, training, certification, and data tracking to ensure measurable and lasting reductions in noise and emissions—while aiming to deliver cost savings early in the transition.
The work in Brooklyn will continue, as BBG plans to pursue Level 2 AGZA Green Zone® Certification.
