Is There A Greener Way to Mow?

Going ‘green’ is the ‘in’ thing to do, but are homeowners overlooking the green in their yard when ‘greening’ their lives? Your grass isn’t nearly as green as it looks if you’re still using a gas-guzzling, pollution-spewing lawn mower, but is cutting your grass with a reel mower the only way to be green?

Most homeowners are shocked to learn that the conventional gas-powered lawn mower they or their lawn service provider use throughout the summer months actually emit more pollution than their vehicles. According to one U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, in one hour, one lawn mower emits the same amount of total (all pollutants) air pollution as a vehicle driven 100 miles and the same volume of hydrocarbons as a 1992 Ford Explorer driven 23,600 miles. The main pollutants associated with lawn mowers and other lawn equipment are the same as those from any other fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engine: hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Hydrocarbons are a volatile organic compound (VOC) that reacts with NOx in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone, a major health hazard during summer months. CO is also a threat to human health as it inhibits the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Finally, CO2­ is a greenhouse gas and a major contributor to climate change. The small engines in lawn mowers, trimmers and blowers used by conventional lawn service providers disproportionately emit these pollutants because the engines are not equipped with the pollution-reducing catalytic converters that come standard on internal combustion vehicles.

So you are probably wondering, “Are there any viable and affordable alternatives to my dirty gas lawn mower?” Absolutely. And, they’re getting better all the time. You could start by looking into the reel mowers mentioned earlier. These are the manual mowers that are as powerful as the person pushing them and 100% emissions-free. You won’t find too many lawn service providers or opportunities franchise using these mowers however, so if you’re looking for someone to mow your lawn for you or for something a little more automated, you’ll have to look toward electric mowers or those that run on alternative fuels.

Electric mowers have come a long way over the last 10-15 years. In the early development of the electric mower, users struggled with a lack of horsepower and short battery life or dangerous power cords. This led many in the lawn service industry to overlook the potential of electric mowers in their field or as an opportunities franchise. Recently, however, companies like Black & Decker and Neuton have come out with cordless electric mowers comparable in power and price to their gas-guzzling counterparts and lawn care franchises are popping up around the nation using these clean and quiet mowers. Electric mowers are emissions-free, emitting 3,000 times less hydrocarbons, 5,000 times less CO, 1/5th as much NOx and less than half the CO2 as gas lawn mowers. The few emissions that are associated with electric mowers are from the conventionally (coal, natural gas etc.) generated electricity used to charge the mowers. When the mowers are charged with solar, wind or other renewable energy, the emissions are reduced to zeroes across the board. In more and more cities around the country, homeowners can sign up for wind energy to charge their electric mower or they can hire an eco-friendly lawn service company.

Electric mowers are also appealing to homeowners, apartment complexes, business parks, schools, and hospitals because they are quiet. Conventional gas mowers run at an average of 100 decibels; anything over 90 decibels can cause ear damage. Electric mowers, on the other hand cut noise emissions by 50 – 70%.

The other option is to use biodiesel in a traditional diesel mower or retrofit a gas mower to use ethanol. The emissions reduction associated with both fuel types is determined by the origin and composition of the fuel. For example, biodiesel made from waste vegetable oil has a lower emissions factor than biodiesel made from virgin crops produced specifically for biodiesel because waste veggie oil is considered recycled. Also, B100 (biodiesel made from 100% biofuels) has significantly lower emissions that B20 since the latter fuel is only 20% biofuel and 80% conventional diesel. Unfortunately, there is no noise reduction associated with the use of these types of fuel.

The cost associated with retrofitting your existing mower or upgrading to an electric mower depends on the mower you choose and the fuel you use, but the costs are fairly comparable to buying a new gas mower. States and municipalities, particularly those with air pollution issues, frequently offer rebate and/or incentive programs to encourage property owners to use cleaner equipment. Don’t forget to green your lawn when you green your life!

About the Author: Kelly Giard is an owner and founder of Clean Air Lawn Care, a lawn service provider utilizing clean energy in place of heavily polluting small gas engines. For more information about Clean Air Lawn Care’s opportunities franchise, please visit www.cleanairlawncare.com.

Lawn Care Equipment Contributing to the Nation's Ozone Polution Level

The small engines that power lawn equipment are a key contributor to the high levels of summer ozone in cities across the country. The gas-powered mowers, trimmers, and blowers used by homeowners and lawn service providers alike spew volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrous oxides (NOx) that react in the presence of sunlight to form ground-level ozone. Eco-friendly lawn care franchises are popping up around the country in an effort to reduce summer ozone levels.
Atmospheric ozone is primarily found in two locations: the stratosphere (10-50km above sea level) and the troposphere (0-11km above sea level). The majority of Earth’s ozone is located in the stratosphere, the second layer of the atmosphere. The ozone in this layer plays an important role in maintaining life on Earth because it absorbs harmful UV rays emitted by the sun. However, ozone located in the troposphere, referred to as ‘ground-level ozone,’ endangers human, plant, and animal life and contributes to global warming.
Ground-level ozone, a major component of smog, is formed when NOx and VOCs such as hydrocarbons or methane react in the presence of sunlight. Internal combustion engines are the primary source of NOx and VOCs. The small engines in lawn mowers, trimmers and blowers used by conventional lawn service providers disproportionately emit these pollutants because the engines are not equipped with the pollution-reducing catalytic converters that come standard on internal combustion vehicles. Because this equipment does not have catalytic converters, a 2006 lawn mower engine emits 93 times more smog-forming pollutants than a 2006 car engine. The lack of catalytic converters in lawn care equipment can be attributed to staunch the opposition to pollution legislation that would significantly reduce the impact lawn and garden equipment and lawn care franchises has on summer air quality. This opposition comes from powerful gas-powered lawn equipment companies.
High ground-level ozone concentrations cause respiratory problems and worsen conditions such as asthma and emphysema. During the summer, cities are increasingly having to issue alerts recommending that citizens do not exercise outdoors due to high ground-level ozone readings. It also leads to reduced agricultural crop and commercial forest yields, reduced growth and survivability of tree seedlings, and increased susceptibility to diseases, pests and other stresses such as harsh weather as well as damages the foliage of trees and other plants, affecting the landscape of cities, national parks and forests, and recreation areas.
Cities across the country are being designated as ‘nonattainment’ by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because their ozone levels stay too high for too long above the federal ozone standards. Denver, Colorado recently lost its ozone ‘maintenance’ designation and is now listed as ‘nonattainment.’ This means that Denver, and other cities in violation of the EPA’s ozone standards around the country, must develop an action plan to address its nonattainment that will regulate all the sources of ozone forming pollutants, including lawn mowers. This will affect how lawn care franchises and homeowners alike mow their lawn. It will also provide opportunities franchise for those looking to offer their customers a cleaner and greener way to mow their lawn.
What can you do? To do your part to reduce summer ozone levels, try the following:

-Use electric lawn and garden equipment;

-Where available, sign up for wind/renewable energy through your electricity provider;

-Mow your lawn (or ask your lawn service provider/lawn care franchises to) early in the morning or late in the even i.e. the coolest part of the day;

-Hire an eco-friendly lawn service to maintain your property.

About the Author: Kelly Giard is an owner and founder of Clean Air Lawn Care, a lawn service provider utilizing clean energy in place of heavily polluting small gas engines. For more information about Clean Air Lawn Care’s opportunities franchise, please visit www.cleanairlawncare.com.