areyougreenenough
least expensive, least
polluting and quietest.
• Rechargeable
mowers & blowers
cordless weed
whackers allow
the flexibil-
Trimming both your carbon footprint
ity to walk
amongst
©2009 Black & Decker
NST2018 GrassHog
and yard maintenance costs
trees and
String Trimmer
by david wells bushes
without
paying attention to the exten-
W
hen you wake up on a Satur-
Lawnmowers
day morning to the sound of
sion cord, but are a lot pricier.
• Manual push reel mowers are
a gas-powered lawn mower
inexpensive, almost noiseless
or leaf blower, consider these facts:
and create no pollution.
Leaf Blowers
• Most leaf blowers and weed
• Rotary blade gas mowers can
• Gas-powered leaf blowers are
whackers, and some gas-pow-
be expensive, noisy and exces-
the most costly, exceptionally
ered lawn mowers, disperse
sively polluting.
loud (requiring ear protection),
30% of their unburned fuel with
• Electric rotary blade mowers are
and highly polluting.
the exhaust. You and your family
low-maintenance, lightweight,
• Electric blowers are often just as
breathe that gas-laden air.
less expensive, less noisy and
powerful as their gasoline coun-
• Cutting grass or blowing leaves
significantly less polluting than
terparts, minus the high noise,
with a gas-powered tool – for
their gas-powered counterparts.
weight, cost and pollution.
just one hour – produces the
• Battery-powered rotary blade
• Battery-powered leaf blow-
same air pollution as driving
mowers are heavier and a little
ers often don’t live up to the
your car from Tempe to Tucson.
more costly than corded electric
standards set by corded electric
• Blasting out between 75-95
models, but are ideal for areas
units, but they do share the
decibels, gas models are much
where extension cords are im-
same eco-sensitive qualities.
noisier than the 65 dB limit set
practical.
©2009 Toro
by many municipalities.
• Solar-pow-
UltraBlower-Vac 51599
• The powerful engine within a
ered electric
leaf blower disturbs and sus-
mowers feature
pends airborne particulates such
all the benefits of
as dust, pesticides, fertilizers,
fecal matter, and street dirt.
©2009 Black & Decker
MM875 Electric Mower
comPAriNg diFFereNt
tYPes oF Products
• Rakes &
Home energy-saving opportunities
brooms seem
a standard cordless mower
aren’t limited to the great indoors.
to have been
with zero emissions, but are just
Comparable electric mowers, trimmers
forgotten, but are
now becoming available in the
and blowers can save you up to 50%
highly appropriate for clean-
US market.
in yearly maintenance costs and time,
ing up manageable patches of
• Robotic, programmable cord-
and considerably reduce pollution
grass, walkways, patios and
less electric mowers can clip up
and noxious odors. Do your home-
driveways.
to two acres of relatively flat turf
work before you head to your nearby
for you.
Garden Center. See full-length version
David Wells is a partner in OneSolar,
of this article at NaturalAz.com where
a community-minded, Green Energy
Weed Whackers/
highly rated models, prices ranges and
Systems consultancy, helping Phoenix-
features to look for are listed.
String Trimmers
area homeowners sensibly reduce
• Gas trimmers may look small
their energy needs and move towards
©2009 Husqvarna
and innocent, but their two-
AutoMower Solar
energy independence. OneSolar can
Robotic Mower
cycle engines are the most
help you with solar energy, home
expensive, noisy and polluting
energy audits, and any other home
of all weed whackers.
energy-reduction projects. Go Green
• Electric string trimmers are the
at OneSolar.org, or call 623-535-0744.
Pr i n t e d o n re c y c l e d Pa P e r t o Pr o t e c t t h e en v i r o n m e n t
March 2010 21
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