April 17, 2008

Cut your lawn and CO2 at the same time

Thanks to Darren Barefoot for the photo and for telling me about the following tip.

The Clean Air Foundation‘s Mow Down Pollution program is once again taking a good jab at ol’ Mr. Smoggy, the Lawn Mower Hog himself, by educating the public about the significant amount of greenhouse gases and air pollution we can prevent by retiring the ol’ stinker and replacing it with a more earth-friendly alternative. Ever since I saw one of those push mowers, I had been suggesting my dad look into it, to replace the gas one. Some credit can be given for its long lifespan, but it’s noisy, it stinks and heck, it’s so hard to push that he got stuck with the job every time. Besides, the push mower is good for the grass! We’re eco-friendly folk, so knowing just how much a gas-powered lawn mower actually emits over time is pretty enlightening. And a $100 instant rebate? Talk about motivation! Here are the deets:

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.

Why give up your old mower or trimmer?

– You’d be getting up to $100 instant rebate on a new push-reel, electric, rechargeable or low emission alternative mower or trimmer

– You’d be responsibly recycling your old mower

– You can help manage and even prevent asthma and other respiratory conditions by reducing ground-level pollution

– You are helping to Mow Down Pollution in your own backyard!

So before your broken grass chomper becomes your new water feature, or you plan on razing the field with your trusty gas-powered mower, think about how good it would feel to do this one simple thing for everyone and even save some dough. (With the price of gas these days, lots of dough!) And if you already use one of those eco-friendly alternatives, great! Because “a standard gas mower can emit the same amount of common air pollutants in one hour as driving a new car for over 550 kms!” Now that, I didn’t know.

Maybe if I’m really lucky, when I get a little patch of grass with my future townhouse, I’ll buy a sheep. Doesn’t get any better than that. Free fertilizer, free wool, free… lanolin. (I don’t eat lamb.) Not a baaaad idea. (Sorry, that was awful. 🙂 I couldn’t help it.)

Don’t you wish your lawn mower were this beautiful.