Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Garden equipment engines, which have had unregulated emissions until very recently, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation's air pollution and a good deal more in metropolitan areas. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a traditional gas powered lawn mower produces as much air pollution as 43 new cars each being driven 12,000 miles.
Here's a good overview of gas-powered pollution effects.
What’s better than a gas powered mower?
- Push mowers are eco-friendly and great free exercise.
- Solar powered lawn mowers.
- Electric lawn mowers – not great because they use electricity, but still cleaner than gas-powered.
- Propane powered lawn mowers.
Details about exactly what kinds of pollution are here for the techier version for people who understand it.
Push Mower Information
Review of Fiskar's new reel mower in the Baltimore Sun.
And here's more info from a push-mower supplier.
The Noise Issue
Emily Green in the Los Angeles Times about the din of mowers and blowers - "Sounds and Fury in the Garden".
