The Green Web: Mow Down Pollution with the Clean Air Foundation

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The sounds of summer usually include the splashing of swimmers at the beach, the repetitive midi tune of the ice cream man’s truck, and the sound of your neighbour mowing the lawn. It may however be a little-known fact that gas-powered lawn mowers are serious environmental offenders.

  • A gasoline-powered lawnmower run for an hour puts out about the same amount of smog-forming emissions as 40 new automobiles run for an hour. (California Environmental Protection Agency, Air Resources Board. May 20, 1999)
  • Each summer weekend, about 2.7 million Canadians mow their lawns, using 40 million gallons of gasoline a year. (Environment Canada, One-Tonne Challenge, 2005)
  • Running your gas powered lawnmower for one hour is equal to driving a new car for almost 500 kilometres. (Environment Canada)

  • Photo by Darren Barefoot at the CAF’s Mow Down Pollution Launch in Victoria
  • Lawn and garden equipment users in California spill 17 million gallons of fuel each year while refilling their outdoor power equipment.
  • A typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower… can emit the same amount of VOCs – key precursors to smog – in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles (540 km), say industry experts. [Clean Air Foundation]
  • So how can we trim our grass so that its length is still conducive to hours of croquet without loosing the ball in the mossy brush of the backyard lawn? Simple – use an electric mower. To enable Canadians to take another step towards green living, “Mow Down Pollution” is educating Canadians about the eco-friendliness of using electric tools around the yard.

    Bring your working or non-working gas-powered mower or trimmer to any Home Depot location between April 17 and 27, 2008 and receive up to a $100 instant rebate on the purchase of a new push-reel, electric, rechargeable or low-emission alternative mower or trimmer. [Mow Down Pollution]

    Photo by Darren Barefoot at the CAF’s Mow Down Pollution Launch in Victoria

    If you’ve spent a hot summer in Vancouver then you know how terrible our air can get – especially by the time it all blows out to the valley and they warn seniors to stay indoors to due its low and harmful quality.

    By bringing in your old mower – or trimmer – you’re not only recycling something old and stinky that takes up space in the corner of the garage, but you’ll also get some green points (which are kind of like warm-fuzzies). You’ll know that achieving that perfect putting-green lawn for your next BBQ get together with the Jones’ won’t hurt clog the air with pollutants that can cause and irritate respiratory problems such as asthma. That’s a good thing – for you, the Earth, and well… Chilliwack.

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    3 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

    1. RaulFriday, April 18th, 2008 — 2:32pm PDT

      Wow – two environmentally-related posts in a day 🙂 Hehehe good for you Rebecca!

    2. DarrenFriday, April 18th, 2008 — 2:34pm PDT

      Thanks for the write-up. 4750 green points for you.

    3. Client Plug: Turn In That Old and Busted LawnmowerFriday, April 18th, 2008 — 3:36pm PDT

      […] to Rob, Erika and Rebecca for blogging about this. If you want to mention it, don’t let me stop you. If that’s […]

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