Gas-powered lawn equipment is a pain. I can’t count the number of times I have had to tip the mower to unclog the blade and discovered that I was tipping it over the wrong way and that I had flooded the engine. Or the many times I have spilled gas all over myself when I was refueling. Have you noticed that the smell of gas doesn’t go away when you change your clothes? You can even wash your hands in hot water and the gasoline will still be there. And then there was the time when I mistakenly put old mixed gas in our beautiful Stihl weedeater. It started, but when I shut it off, it was destined to never start again. The old mixed gas seized up in the piston, and the whole thing became as hard as rock. Bummer. So here is an article that gives some interesting facts about gas-powered lawn maintenance, and then goes through some of the options for gas-free lawn equipment. I have to say, electric is great. It is so quiet! I could talk on the phone and mow the lawn at the same time. In fact, my corded lawn mower is quieter than our vacuum!
A Swedish study in 2001 determined that cutting grass for one hour with an old gas powered lawn mower creates the same amount of air pollution as driving a 1992 automobile 100 miles. Environmental Canada, the nation’s environmental regulatory agency, says that number is closer to 300 miles in a late-model car. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spill more than 17 million gallons of gasoline each year refilling lawn equipment – more oil than the Exxon Valdez spilled in Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1989.
In an era when people are trying to consume less gasoline and reduce their carbon footprint, lawn maintenance is a function often overlooked as a major contributor to carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases. EPA says as much as 5 percent of the nation’s air pollution is caused by gas-powered lawn and garden tools. To limit these emissions, EPA in 2008 approved regulations that require a 35-percent reduction in emissions from new lawn and garden equipment beginning in 2011. EPA estimates these changes will conserve 190 million gallons of gasoline a year. For people who are moving away from gas-powered equipment, many options are available, from old-fashioned reel mowers – which consumes only human energy – to the pricey Automower by Husqvarna, which is available in rechargeable electric and solar models.
The $3,000 suggested retail price on the new solar Automower will keep it from motoring around most people’s lawns, but the machine incorporates two mainstream technologies that not long ago were considered the parlance of science fiction: solar energy and robotics. Wire placed around the yard is identified by the Automower’s sensors, keeping it within a predetermined area. Several companies make robotic mowers. Even more companies make standard electric mowers in corded and cordless models. Besides using no gasoline, electric mowers are quieter to operate than gas models, reducing both air and noise pollution. Cordless mowers cost more than their corded and gas-powered counterparts. One company that makes a large selection of electric lawn maintenance equipment is Black and Decker. Its Single Source series of cordless yard tools uses an 18-volt rechargeable battery to power hedgers, trimmers, a chain saw, leaf blower, garden cultivator and pole pruner.
The emissions free tools are sold separately and retail from about $70 to $150, depending on the tool. They come with a two-year warranty. According to the company, this series of tools is the first in its class to qualify for energy star approval for the battery charger. On average, Energy Star qualified battery chargers use 35 percent less energy than conventional models. Energy Star is the federal system for rating efficiency in electronic devices. According to Energy Star, more efficient battery chargers in the United States could prevent the release of greenhouse gasses equal to the annual emissions of 150,000 cars. Learn more about information in this story at: www.epa.gov, www.ec.gc.ca, www.automower.com, and www.blackanddecker.com. [Source: Ruralite Magazine, August 2009, page 7]
