Zerofootprint: "Al Gore, you had better get rid of your lawnmower"
by Ron Dembo, Zerofootprint on 07.20.06
What has Al Gore got to do with lawnmowers? A lot. I recently discovered, to my horror, that a typical gas powered lawnmower produces as much pollution in 7 hours of operation as a modern car does in a 100,000 miles of driving! Another way of looking at this is that the two-stroke gasoline lawnmower that is ubiquitous in the suburbs of North America, pollutes (PM, NOx, etc) as much in one hour as 40 late model cars running for the same amount of time!
Why? Because the off-road engines found on lawnmowers, leaf blowers, tillers, as well as snow blowers, snowmobiles and dirt bikes don’t have to have catalytic converters. These handy devices reduce gasoline emissions by about 90%, and are mandatory on cars and trucks.
Actually, Al, you should probably get rid of the lawn, as well. Besides the dangers of pesticides, lawns pose a huge conservation problem. It turns out that about one third of all water used in US East Coast cities is used for watering lawns. So, between lawns and lawnmowers we use a tremendous amount of the world’s resources and contribute enormously to urban smog and greenhouse gas emissions. The irony is that we water our lawns to make them grow and then we mow them! It’s hard being holy, as I too am discovering. I own a soon-to-be organic farm, with a few acres of lawn that gets mowed with one of these earth destroyers. I have started searching feverishly for simple ways to fix this; the solution will soon be published on our website, www.zerofootprint.net.
Today, we do so many stupid things because we have not been paying for their environmental cost. Modern Economics Theory is partly to blame because it makes these so called externalities seem free. Just imagine if we were to pay the true cost for offsetting our footprint. To offset the greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides created by mowing our lawns could cost each of us thousands of dollars if we were to purchase credits or invest in carbon sinks that absorb as much pollution as our mowing emitted. We would very quickly discover that lawnmowers are hogs and modern cars are much better. Our behavior would change. We would discover that cars that emit more cost far more to run than cars that are categorized as ultra low emission. Moreover, we would discover by how much, which could be a great surprise, as is the case with lawnmowers.
Probably the simplest (in principal) way to change our behavior is to create awareness about the true cost, including the environmental impact, of the things we buy and the way we live. If you knew that it would cost you $100 a month less to have a garden made up of local fauna than to keep your lawn looking traditionally pretty, you might change your behavior. By reevaluating what we consider beautiful and its associated cost, this “small” difference could then lead to massive reductions in urban smog, greenhouse gas emissions and water conservation.
There is so much low hanging fruit, simple things we can do to reduce our ecological footprint, that it is possible for us to make huge strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions before we ever need to feel deprived. We just need to operate more ingeniously, do the same stuff but more cleverly at a lower cost.
[Ron Dembo, CEO and Founder, Zerofootprint]
I am solar powered battery driven electric lawn mower for over a year now!
Green and Gold all the way,
Carry on!
Just to correct one statement made. Most mowers are not 2 stoke but are 4 stoke. 4 strokes are cleaner than 2 stroke engines. Most leaf blowers and string trimmers are 2 stroke and very dirty.
You need to be more specific here. The emissions of two-stoke engines are not just greenhouse gases (CO2), they're other pollutants like NOx, CO, particulates, etc.
The real problem with these engines is air quality, not global warming.
I bought a quality reel mower in a garage sale for peanuts and it's perfect. Works very well.
Hey Ron, the obvious solution for your acres of lawn is a herd of goats. They'll keep the grass in trim, and you can add goats' milk to your list of organic products.
Myself, I use a flock of chickens in a mobile fence - just move 'em to the part of the lawn that needs attention and they do the rest. Mind you, I've got the typical city lot so 5 chickens can easily do the job!
OK, but lawns are not always evil and replacing grass with plants is not always good, either. I know some people who have planted yards instead of grass, and they tend to be very weedy and attract animals, bugs, snakes, and other pests. My neighbors who are all "organic" have some pretty nasty weeds that caused some allergy issues at my home last year.
Also, some neighbors will water these "gardens", using as much water as if they had a lawn.
The "we don't believe in chemicals" crowd in my subdivision have been causing a lot of problems. They don't believe in chemicals (OK, fine with me!) which for some reason means they ignore the weeds in their lawns. Then those weeds spread. Guess how the neighbors get rid of the weeds that have spread into their lawns? Chemicals!
Ironically, the ones who stand on organic principle are the ones, at least in my neighborhood, who are responsible for a rise in chemical usage.
I'm not sure where you get the "$100 per month less to maintain" number, or was that just an example of something you think would spur someone to action? I know for sure my lawn, which is probably larger than average, doesn't get near to approaching that kind of cost to maintain. Making up imaginary numbers doesn't help your cause, it just makes people wary of the rest of your article.
Next time I recommend two shorter posts - one about catalytic converters in mowers, and one about how lawns are evil. One argument won't dilute the other.
I purchased a push reel myself.
Don,
The majority of people's allergies are cause by low exposure. If you're one to get outside a lot, you build up a resistance to pollen just like your immune system builds a resistance to desease. If anything, your "organic" neighbors are doing you a service.
Don - the animals, bugs, snakes are not "pests", but the natural inhabitants of a diverse groundcover. By planting native grasses, forbs, and shrubs, we can offer habitat to these critters, rather than a bland expanse of green grass.
You should ask if your neighbors with these types of yards are using municipal water or recycled rainwater to water them. I have a rainbarrel attached to my downspout that I use to store water to water my tiny native prairie garden.
Brenton, are you suggesting that people with allergies should just expose themselves to large amounts of what they're allergic to? Clearly you're not a doctor.
My family and I get out plenty, thank you! My comment is that going organic doesn't mean you can ignore the effects your choices have on others. It just makes being organic look rude and condescending. I'm not much for chemicals myself, but I don't force my neighbors to choose between pulling weeds and chemicals, either. If you want to be organic, fine, and I am not a big fan or user of chemicals myself. But be responsible about it, don't just decide to quit chemicals and then destroy your yard along with your neighbor's.
Don - how does not using chemicals destroy your yard?
Personally, I can think of several hundred more compelling and important things to do than spending time pulling dandelions from my yard (which is primarily what we are talking about when we talk about yard "weeds").
I misspoke - I meant destroy your _lawn_. Lawn in this case being the grass that those same homeowners have spent many hours mowing, watering from seed or sod, and presumably fertilizing with organic fertilizer, only to see them succomb to the weeds.
It's up to you if you don't mind the dandelions (really!) but I'm commenting on the way it forces everyone else to deal with them. I'm speaking of those in my neighborhood whose lawn-care decisions have forced THEIR OWN NEIGHBORS to choose between pulling weeds, watching their lawns disappear into weed pastures, and using chemicals. Many of my neighbors, unfortunately, will probably just choose chemicals and nothing has been solved.
Now admittedly I have a relatively small yard since I live downtown, but I just don't see pulling weeds as that big a deal. I just wander around the yard, checking out my flowers, and pulling weeds as I see them. Sure if you let it go it can be a big job, but if you just make it part of stopping to smell the flowers it's no big deal.
I also have a push mower. It's great exercise!
Wouldn't a more appropriate title be "Ron Dembo, you had better get rid of your lawnmower"?
Unless you know for sure how Mr. Gore handles lawn care keep the focus on what you should be doing, and not play some coy 'gotcha!' game.
don, your logic is absurd. clearly the lawns are unsustainable if they require all these chemicals to maintain. it is not the fault of the responsible neighbor (who chooses to allow diverse, native species with lower maintenance requirements to grow) that the uninformed neighbor chooses to fight the natural order by dumping toxins on their non-native, unsustainable monoculture. it is the fault of the kentucky bluegrass ignorance. personal responsibility?
medical allergy treatments are usually small doses of the allergen injected into the bloodstream so your body build its natural defense. exposure IS the answer. but are you really allergic to dandelions, clovers and crabgrass?? methinks you're grabbing for straws.
What if your yard is 1+ acre? Also, I happen to be a car nut and I happen to know that catalytic converters rob the engine of some serious power therefore taking a standard 4.5 hp push mower down to say 2 hp, which makes it ineffective and powerless. And if they ever use a catalytic converter on mowers, won't the price just increase because the cat. conv. costs money as well as having to create a larger engine to make up for the power loss.
I observe that the converters are practical in cars because most cars at the time of requirement were overpowered as they were without modifications, but it seems that a installing a converter on something such as a mower or lawn accessory seems impractical and expensive.
I have an electric mower with a bagger instead of a reel mower.
In the spring and fall I can easily bag grass clippings and fallen leaves for mulching my garden.
During lower growth periods, like the summer, I just mulch back into the yard.
Sure beats my neighbors and their oil-burning Lawn Boys. They are noisy and stink bad. I also think leaf blowers/vacs should be banned since they produced so much pollution, noise and otherwise.
The lawns are easily sustainable without chemicals! Mine, for one, is. There are many non-chemical-treated lawns in my neighborhood that look fine. I'm complaining about people who scream "Organic! Bad Chemicals!" then proceed to ignore their lawns and ruin their neighbors' as a demonstration of their ignorance. Having a lawn can take the same amount of effort/water/etc. as having a non-grass yard. I'm still waiting for the proof that I can save 100 a month by planting local flora instead of grass.
All I know about the allergies is what I've seen, and I'll defer to the medical professionals as to the true nature of allergies and relief of same.
I have allergies - bad allergies. While shots do help some, that's low-level exposure *directly to the blood stream*, and it wears off after a while if you stop the shots.
Rubbing your face in a cat's fur coat or snorting up some ragweed pollen every day will NOT reduce or eliminate your allergies. Period. I have cats and I'm outdoors a lot (backpacking, kayaking, my back yard, weekend trips with the family, etc) and that exposure certainly does not help reduce my allergies in any way.
As for lawn mowers, when the engine in my 19-year-old John Deere dies, I'm converting it to electric.
I've also heard that some models of mopeds emit as much particulates as 28 automobiles.
I missed the part of the article that actually connects Al Gore to any of these things...
so if you're allergic to ragweed, pull it before it produces pollen. that says nothing of the hundreds of other plants that would naturally grow in a lawn space if alien, water-hungry turf weren't being nurtured in it's place. i don't think anyone recommended snorting the pollen but feel free to give it a shot. nor rubbing your face in a cat... however, after moving in with a cat, many people will notice a huge improvement over time. i know this from experience. exposure does indeed reduce the severity of the reaction.
the effect of the allergy shots did not wear off in my case.
Ron's post is generating some discussion and it's good to hear. While it's great to tell people to stop mowing the lawn, there are few organizations helping the public to actually do something about it.
The Clean Air Foundation, based in Toronto, runs the largest lawn mower recycling program in the world. By partnering with the Home Depot Canada, it encourages the public to bring in old 2-stroke mowers every spring, in exchange for free recycling and discounts off gas-efficient, push-reel or hybrid alternatives. Since 2001, the program has collected over 10,000 highly polluting lawnmowers. Check out www.cleanairfoundation.org for more info.
This isn't an article, it's an advertisement. An article sites sources other than those written by it's author.
The correct response to this problem is to add (or require by law) mandatory pollution control devices.
Adding a catalytic converter would be a good option, but as Ben I, suggests, they rob an engine of significant power.
Environmental Control Corporation has developed a line of 'catalytic mufflers' that drastically reduce the amount of pollution emitted from small engines.
Of course, a natural "lawnmover" consisting of a goat is good suggestion too, just not something everyone can do.
Exposure has nothing to do with allergies, I lived with cats for 15 years of my life and I can still can't get close to them without issues. And for the past 8 years, I get allergens in Texas like clockwork every summer.
Now as far as lawns being evil you can do some research and get a low maint grass or alternatives such as clovers
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lawns/a/clover_lawns_4.htm
With regards to having neighbors that are not organic and are spraying (or whatever their method of application) of inorganic compounds on their property, wouldn't it make sense to not only know your neighbors but to also educate them about organic care? If I lived someplace that had a lawn I had to maintain, or had the opportunity to use a low-impact ground cover, I would engage my neighbors in conversation about the topic and educate them. Including the fact that a "weed" is not really a "weed" or a "pest". What it is, is an indicator of what is deficient in your soils. And I would likely print up copies of the following "book" to give them to read over:
http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/weeds/WeedsToC.html
Of course, you can always turn your "lawn" into a food-garden. If you've got over an acre, why not turn it into a community garden? :)
http://www.terracycle.net/products.htm
Just another tidbit for healthy gardening. A product which everything down to the containers are recycled goods.
Ragweed grows on recently disturbed ground. A settled prairie won't have ragweed. That said, a prairie still requires mowing twice a year or so (or burning to get rid of the shrubby weeds and small trees) -- also it is nice to have some lawn on which to walk barefoot and play croquet.
perhaps exposure didn't work for a few of you (every cat's dander is not the same), but it definitely does work for many. in fact, that is one of the most common medical treatments. claritin also works. but that's very much beside the point. you can't expect that your neighbors support unsustainable lawns because you might be allergic to something that grows naturally outdoors.
MOST lawn mowers are NOT 2-Stroke. They are 4 stroke, much cleaner, and most are now overhead valve which is even cleaner. 2-strokes are reserved now mostly for weed whackers and leaf blowers, and even those are moving to 4-stroke. Just another article of hype without fact.
And the guy who commented on mopeds. Yeah they may pollute more air when they run, but why don't you take the entire ecological footprint of a moped vs say even a Prius. Manufacturing materials, tires, disposing of hazardous chemical batteries...
Everything I have is two-stoke and I will keep it that way!
Just to add to the mix...
I have been cutting my yard for almost five years with various biodiesel powered units. My favorite is the last a 21" Toro with a 3hp 4 stroke unit.
I built all these machines - most fun I've ever had with a wrench.
It smells great, my kids love it and lawn professionals that have tried it think it has 10+ hp.
JP
The home lawn and the turf areas surrounding churches, parks, and office buildings do more than just serve as pleasant green backdrops. The grass plants that make up the lawns serve as miniature air-conditioners and pollution-abatement centers.
On a block of eight houses, the front lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air-conditioning.
Also, A 250-square-foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four. The average lawn traps significant amounts of carbon dioxide, peroxyacetyl nitrates, and ozone as well as particulate matter
A most important effect is the prevention of soil erosion and enhancement of ground water recharge. Research shows infiltration is much higher on turfed areas than on areas of bare ground. The higher infiltration prevents water from running off and encourages it to enter the groundwater stream. Grass roots bind the soil more effectively than any other plant.
The two stroke engine is magnificent. They are so much fun when matched with a motorcycle frame. Also your statements about using water and chemicals on lawns does not apply to everyone. I have a three acre lawn and not a drop of water from a garden hose is put on, not a drop of any chemical substance is applied either. My grass looks fantastic and there are no weeds.