Archive for May, 2011
Push Mowers: For a Better Tomorrow
Gas-powered weed trimmers cause several times more pollution than vehicles; the engines in yard tools are not very fuel-efficient. Gas-powered combustion is a source of smog-causing pollutants and greenhouse gases. In fact, according to the Ministry of the Environment, running an old gas-powered lawn mower for one hour can produce as much air pollution as driving a new car 550 kilometers (25, April, 2006).
Gas mowers which have unregulated emissions until very recently, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides. Studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveal that a traditional gas powered lawn mower produces as much air pollutants as 43 new cars, each being driven 12,000 miles. As well, it is estimated that using a push mower instead of a gas power unit helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 37 kg, annually. (2 May, 2011)
The importance of this report goes beyond education; moreover, it serves as a factual overview that has the potential to influence legislation and promote bans to protect the Earth, air quality, and the health of present and future generations. It further summarizes the data of the gas vs. the push mower on related health and environmental implications.
Solar Clotheslines and Push Lawn Mowers Make our Summer a Cool Place
“A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it.” from “A Sand County Almanac” by Aldo Leopold
“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.” Mark Twain
For the second year, Collingwood and area will be able to share the warmth of the sun with- their clothes. This innovative program will get its launch in 2011 with the paid Eco Action Centre youth putting up a clothesline (all the hardware and poles and cement included for $94) in your yard. Not only is the line emitting zero greenhouse emissions, but the youth will ride over on their bicycles to your house to install it!
Replace your high cost (it’s 8 to 10% of your utility bill) and Earth unfriendly clothes dryer with a zero emission clothesline and breathe in that fresh air scent. Thornbury’s Home Hardware will be giving you one at cost through the new Eco Action Centre. Georgian Triangle Earth Day Celebrations and Elephant Thoughts’ August team of teens will put up your clothesline for no extra fee, and if you live in the immediate area, Home Hardware will deliver the package to your home or pick it up and install it yourself in Thornbury once you have obtained our Eco Action Certificate from us to do so. The supply of clotheslines is limited so write to us soon at celebrateearth@yahoo.ca using the subject heading, “clotheslines”. If you are wondering if your bylaws permit clotheslines, a provincial statute has all municipalities grant home residents the right to put one up.
Not long ago Melanie Vollick completed a six month in the making excellent research paper for Georgian Triangle Earth Day Celebration. As we expected, the pollution from lawn gas mowers is destroying our health. Up to nine percent of Canada’s pollution is created by these devils. It’s not only pollution but the noise, and the fact that a person does not get much exercise as they breathe in nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds and sulfur dioxide Besides the fact that Americans alone burn 800 million gallons of gas each year, Canadians share the same glee in killing their youth by letting them cut their lawns, and in the worse cases, actually buy a gas mower for their teens to go off and have a ‘summer job’ breathing in all that junk and ending up with real health issues. Is this ‘Parenting’? Other adults tell us that they have a gas mower and now are ‘committed’ to using it. The Home Depot had a high profile two week “Mow Down Pollution Event” six weeks ago and every spring, whereby you can buy a push mower and get a rebate for up to $100 for that destructive monster. Ms Vollick’s research points to this astonishing fact given to us by the California Environmental Protection Agency: “A gasoline-powered lawn mower, running for an hour puts out about the same amount of smog-forming emissions as 40 new automobiles that run for an hour.” You can now read her report on-line at www.georgianbayearthdays.org.
The Collingwood area is now lucky enough to have a program with youth cycling to houses and cutting homeowners’ lawns with a Fiskars “Momentum” push mower that was purchased at Canadian Tire. If you wish a youth to cut your lawn, send an email to celebrateearth@yahoo.ca and use the subject, “push mower”. Georgian Triangle Earth Day Celebration will send a teen over and end your noise and pollution problems within the week. Plus, you’re helping a teen stay strong and know that he/she is doing great work for their community instead of ruining it with a gas mower.