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- Annie B. Bond
- January 13, 1999
- 9:37 am
- 15 comments
The gushing exhaust from lawn mowing equipment currently contributes to a
staggering 30 percent of overall U.S. vehicle pollution! By the year 2001,
emissions from residential lawn mowers and tractors will have been reduced by
40 percent due to an agreement between the EPA and manufacturers.
While an excellent step in the right direction, manual mowers reduce
emissions by a perfect 100 percent.
If the blades are kept properly sharpened and the machine is well oiled
(jojoba oil works beautifully), manual mowers work well. Even
if you have to push a little harder here and there, they cut down on noise
pollution, save money, and completely eliminate hydrocarbon and nitrogen
oxide. Not a bad trade-off.
Read more: Nature, Lawns & Gardens
Annie B. Bond
Annie is a renowned expert in non-toxic and green living. Named one of the top 20 environmental leaders by Body and Soul Magazine, Annie has authored four books, including "Home Enlightenment" (Rodale Press, 2005) and "Better Basics for the Home" (Three Rivers Press, 1999).
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+ add your ownThank you for sharing.
Thanks.
Thanks for the article.
Reel mowers become even more practical when you reduce the size of your lawn, and replace portions with perennial plants that require less fertilizer and water, don't need mowing, and provide a living mulch.
I have had two reel mowers, one a gift(used) one I bought new. I had the same problem with both in that they do not cut what I have heard called, 'wire grass'. This plant sends up wiry stems with small seed heads and the manual mowers just pushed it down. I tried manual weed cutters but that really turns into a job after mowing!
i use one for smaller jobs
thanks
Thank you, hand mowers sound like an environmentally friendly way to mow lawns.
I just bought the Scott's 18" Supreme mower ($99; free shipping on Amazon). Put it together wearing carpenter's gloves (20 min) then mowed the lawn (in dress and flip flops). We have 1/4 acre and it took me 30 minutes.
Love it.
I bought a "task force" 5 blade, 20" reel push mower from lowes and it works great! It was only $129, including a grass catcher. However, you are supposed to leave the grass clippings on your lawn -- they actually act as natural fertilizer. Of course, you can't let your grass grow too long or you will have to go over and over the grass to get it cut. Many people complain that they are too hard to push -- my comment to that is that it is easier to push a 30 pound push mower versus a 55 pound gas mower, and we all need a little excersize! Like the article points out, you cut out polution by 100% versus a gas mower, and your not walking behind a loud, fuming machine! I might add that my lawn is only 2000 sqaure feet, so everything is relative. It takes me 25 minutes to mow the lawn... a breaze. John
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