Reducing your carbon footprint one day at a time is your mission. Whether you are reducing the number of plastic water bottles that enter the environment by refilling the old bottles you have, or using your bicycle to get to work, you are proud to say that your efforts will hopefully make a difference in preserving the environment for future generations.
But there is one area of your life that you wish to go green in: your lawn. You literally have to grit your teeth when filling up the lawn mower’s gas tank with fossil fuels. You know you are producing harmful carbon emissions in the environment the moment you pull on the starter string. Seeing the sputtering smoke rise from the cutting machine makes you cough and hunch your shoulders hoping your eco-friendly friends don’t drive by and spot you.
Lawn Mowers Have Gone Green
Guess the one machine that contributes up to 5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions? That’s right. Lawn mowers. This fact is from 2007 studies conducted by the EPA, according to This Old House. Imagine the millions of lawn mowers around the world putting forth that amount of emissions the moment they start up.
It is past time that everyone should start going green. If not for the environment, then think of the fuel savings in eco-friendly mowers. Gas today is expensive just to put it into your car. To then buy extra gas for a lawn mower seems like a waste of your hard-earned cash.
Electric Lawn Mowers
Electric eco-friendly mowers have started to become a new trend. This means no running to the local gas station with a fuel can and no gas emissions. While mowers like this have been on the seen for many years, new technologies have allowed the electric lawn mowers to go cordless. For people who have accidentally ran over the old mower’s cord a few times, this is a great invention. A rechargeable battery can be powered up the night before you plan to mow, reducing the amount of electricity used.
Another plus side, especially if you have had to deal with neighbors complaining about the lawn mower noise on an early Saturday morning, is that electric mowers are quieter than gas-powered mowers. You still have the same amount (or more) of cutting power to get the lawn cut to your desired height. Also, you can play with all the cool little features specific to the type of mower that you purchase.
Human-Powered Lawn Mower
Did the flashback of a hand lawn mower with the twisty blades and metal handles that made palms sore while trying to push it through your grandparent’s yard come into your mind the moment you read this section title? If it did, then you know that human-powered lawn mowers have been around for ages. Back then, they were called cylinder mowers.
Well, human-powered mowers are still around. There is no reason for them to go out of style for the eco-friendly homeowner. These lawn mower use absolutely no gas or electricity. So there is no strain on our natural resources and no harmful emissions entering the air. You also have virtually little noise. Get a full workout while doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint with this lawn mower.
Solar-Powered Lawn Mowers
Still new to the market, a solar-powered lawn mower is a different way to get that power you want without harming the environment. The solar panels are mounted onto the front above the main unit, running along the long push handle. The sun charges the battery as the lawn mower will run just like a regular fuel-powered lawn mower.
For some models, it takes up to three days to charge the battery. But you can detach the solar panels and mount them in a sunny place, like your garage roof, to draw in the full rays of the sun.
You Have Choices When Going Eco-Friendly With Your Lawn
Going green has become easier when it comes to mowing your yard. You can cut out the emissions while still keeping the beauty of your property by purchasing an eco-friendly lawn mower. Such an investment for the sake of the environment is a sound one.
