The Benefits of Electric Lawn Mowers

America’s love affair with the lush, green grass lawn takes an enormous environmental toll. The gas-powered machines most of us use to maintain our lawns spew enormous amounts of pollution into the air and water. Alternatives to gas mowers exist that pollute much less; the electric powered lawn mower is one example of an alternatively-powered machine that performs as well as their dirtier counterpart. Is an electric mower a good choice for your green lawn?

The Problem With Gas Mowers

There’s a perfectly valid reason that the gas-powered lawn mower is the King of the Lawn; they work very, very well. Gasoline mowers have the power to effortlessly cut grass, especially over large areas. But even the newest, cleanest-burning mowers spew a lot of bad stuff.

It is estimated that the average lawn mower, running for an hour, coughs out as much pollution into the air as eight automobiles driving down the highway at 55 miles per hour for that same hour. What’s worse is the fact that we stand or sit directly over all of that pollution while we mow. The EPA estimates that we also spill 17 million gallons of gas and oil annually while filling up our yard machines. Not to mention the noise pollution these machines put out. Standing in a suburban neighborhood on a sunny Saturday afternoon can be as loud and smelly as a busy interstate.

One Solution: Reinvent the Grass Lawn

There’s got to be a better way. One beautiful idea that’s catching on is the grass free lawn, which saves not only an enormous amount of noise and pollution but also saves the owner time. There are plenty of grass alternatives out there that are beautiful and beneficial to the wildlife we share our yards with.

Another alternative to the traditional grass lawn is the no mow lawn. This is a yard seeded with a variety of grasses that grow to a shorter height than conventional grasses, reducing or eliminating the need to cut it down.

While no mow and grass-free lawns are great alternatives, the reality for many of us who live in traditional suburbs or other areas with grass lawns is that we’re probably going to have a regular old grass lawn. Many municipalities actually require a well-maintained grass lawn. What’s a green homeowner to do? Old-fashioned reel mowers that have no motor or engine at all are perhaps the best alternative. No pollution, no noise, just a pleasant ‘snick snick snick’ as the blades slice through the grass. It’s a great way to get some exercise out in the fresh air.

Continue to Electric Lawn Mowers, Page Two

comments powered by Disqus