Autumn is the season for droning, carbon-belching leaf blowers that make working from home an assault on the senses. A greener alternative is taking root.

Why it matters: A quieter, more environmentally friendly landscaping company can reduce headaches and help reduce a household's (and widespread industry's) air pollution.

Catch up quick: The advent of gas-powered lawn care equipment shaved hours off homeowners' yard work and boosted landscaping companies' productivity.

• With convenience also comes cost. The two-cycle engines powering the tools are also terrible for the environment and emit greenhouse gases on par with automobile tailpipes, researchers say.

Zoom in: Shades of Green Permaculture's EcoLawns service uses all-electric equipment — backed up by batteries charged by a solar panel array on the work trailer — and mows lawns biweekly to encourage plant growth and biodiversity.

• The full-service landscape design business has 25 employees. It hit the $1 million revenue mark in 2020 and now grosses $4 million annually, founder and CEO Brandy Hall told Axios.
• Another company, Quiet Green Lawns, uses leaf blowers that are 10 times quieter than gas-guzzling ones, owner Bruce Taylor told Axios.

Yes, and: Electric lawn care tools pack less power, and biodiverse yards require more attention, which could mean longer visits.

• But they're quieter, cleaner and competitive when it comes to price and quality of service compared with firms that use gas-powered equipment, Hall and Taylor said.

Context: According to a 2023 study by Environment America, the carbon emissions from lawn care and garden equipment in Georgia were the equivalent of emissions from 230,000 typical cars.

What's next: Advances in battery and equipment technology, plus greater awareness about climate change and a desire for a quieter, gentler leaf blower, have moved green lawn care companies past the proof-of-concept stage, Taylor said.

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President-elect Trump has vowed to crack down on immigration and start mass deportations on Day 1 of his presidency, but the operation will be difficult to pull off without major structural overhauls.

Why it matters: A backlog of nearly 4 million immigration cases and a shortage of immigration judges and detention centers can hinder quick deportation.

• The mass deportations outlined by Trump could cost $150 billion to $350 billion, immigration experts say.

Catch up quick: Trump shared a social media post Monday suggesting his new administration will declare a national emergency and use the military for mass deportations, and he labeled the claim, "TRUE!!!"

State of play: An estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants live across the country, working in the agriculture, oil and gas, construction, health care and service industries.

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It finally feels like fall in Atlanta, so get outside and take in the crisp air with these events happening this weekend:

🛍️ The eighth annual Christkindl Market returns this weekend, blending German traditions with "the vibrant spirit of Atlanta," according to its website.

• This year, the market will be held in two locations: Buckhead Village (290 East Paces Ferry Road NE) and Galleria on the Park (100 Galleria Parkway) in Cobb County.
• The Buckhead location opens this Friday and the Cobb outpost next Friday.

🤝🏽 Learn how you can celebrate and support Black-owned businesses at the fifth annual Black Entrepreneurs Day. (Friday)

🎤 Mariah Carey is thawed out and is bringing her Christmas Time show to State Farm Arena. (Saturday)

🎄 Celebrate the holiday season at Atlantic Station with its annual tree-lighting ceremony and Parade of Lights. (Saturday)

🏮 Illuminights: A Lantern Festival lights up Zoo Atlanta. (through Jan. 19)

⛸️ Skate City Springs offers you the chance to brush up on your ice-skating skills. (through Jan. 20)

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Developer and architect John Portman's mind-blowing Sea Island beach house could be yours for an equally eye-popping $40 million.

Why it matters: The sale marks the first time the Portman-designed estate has been publicly listed on the market.

Zoom in: Built in 1986, Entelechy II blends the outdoor and indoor and features the innovative builder's sculptural works and lush plantings.

• The roughly 13,000-square-foot home flaunts the neo-futurist design elements Portman used on landmark buildings in Downtown Atlanta and across the world.
• Yes, you bet there's a grand atrium. The main house has a total of seven bedrooms and eight and a half bathrooms, along with an additional guest cottage.

Fun fact: Entelechy means the realization of one's potential. Portman's Buckhead home is Entelechy I.

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🚜 Georgia farmworkers are struggling to get back on their feet nearly two months after Hurricane Helene devastated the field where they work. (AJC)

Spencer Lawton, the district attorney who prosecuted the case at the center of the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," has died at the age of 81. (AP)

⚖️ Two former Fulton election workers who ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Guiliani defamed are asking a judge to hold him in contempt for repeating false claims about them on his podcast. (Axios)

🍸 Talat Market plans to open Some Luck, a Thai bar next summer in space formerly occupied by the Highland Ballroom Lounge. (Rough Draft Atlanta)

🚨 Smyrna police are hosting seminars to help parents spot warning signs in their children that could lead to school shootings. (WSB)

Braves pitcher Chris Sale was named the Cy Young Award winner for the National League yesterday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

• According to MLB, Sale is the fifth Braves pitcher to win the award.