Push or Plug Your Lawnmower
 Small engines are big polluters. There are cleaner, more efficient alternatives to gasoline-powered lawnmowers, leaf and snow blowers, and chain saws.
Reducing the size of your lawn that is manicured is not only good for the environment, but also it will save you time and money on lawn maintenance. However, since most of us are not going to have 100% of our lawns in their natural state, it is important to consider more environmentally- and fuel-friendly options to conventional gasoline-powered small-engine equipment.
DID YOUR KNOW?
- A single lawnmower emits as much pollution in an hour as 50 cars driving 20 miles.
- Low-horsepower machines account for at least 10% of the nation’s smog-forming pollution, which has been linked to respiratory and heart disease.
- Adding catalytic converters can reduce harmful emissions by as much as 75%.
- Any equipment older than about 10 years likely was subject to no or few pollution-control measures, as emissions controls for small gasoline engines have not been a crucial design consideration until very recently.
- Even small gasoline spills evaporate and pollute the air.
- Solar- and electrically-powered lawn and garden tools save gasoline and produce essentially no pollution from engine exhaust emissions or through fuel evaporation
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Decrease your lawn area by planting additional trees and shrubs and native wildflowers and plants that require little to no maintenance after planting.
- Use low-maintenance turf grasses or grass/flower seed mixtures that grow slowly and require less mowing.
- Use manual tools for small yards and jobs.
- When buying new equipment, choose solar, electric, or propane options.
- If your equipment is more than a decade old, consider replacing it, but rather than giving it away or selling it, take it to a recycling center where it can be converted into raw material for use in cleaner equipment and other products.
- Some utility companies, municipalities, and state environmental-protection departments sponsor programs to buy back your old gasoline-powered mower or subsidize replacing it with an electric one.
- If there is not a non-gasoline option, make sure you purchase a new, more efficient, cleaner piece of equipment.
- Maintain your equipment by following the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance.
- Avoid spilling gasoline by using a container you can handle easily and hold securely; pour slowly and smoothly; use a funnel, or a spout with an automatic stop device to prevent overfilling the tank.
RESOURCES
|
