Trade in your gas-powered lawnmower & save
Baltimore homeowners: got a gas-powered lawnmower that spews out emissions as it roars around your yard?
Then bring it to the Herring Run Watershed Association's native plant sale next weekend (October 18) and trade that gas guzzler for a voucher toward the purchase of a quiet, energy-efficient lawnmower with a rechargable battery.
The "Cash for Lawn Guzzlers" program, sponsored by Together Green, Audubon Maryland-DC and the Herring Run Watershed Association, will allow Baltimore gardeners to exchange their gas-powered mowers for $110 coupons toward the purchase of a Neuton battery mower. Prices for the cordless, rechargeable mowers range from $299 for a reconditioned model to $439.
According to the program, using a gas-powered mower releases as much emissions as driving 10 cars for that same amount of time, and their electric counterparts only use $5 worth of electricity per year. The exchanged mowers --- just push models, no riding mowers --- will be recycled by Baltimore's Department of Public Works.
To take advantage of the program ...
... first drain any oil or gas from your existing gas mower and bring it to the Baltimore Household Hazardous Waste Collection from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 at Baltimore Polytechnic High School.
Then bring the mower to the Herring Run Watershed Association's Native Plant Sale from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
The sale is located at the Herring Run Nursery, 6131 Hillen Road, in the Mount Pleasant Golf Course. Only one mower will be accepted per household (and only one coupon issued).
While you're there, pick up some native plants, which are a good investment.
As this U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service guide to conservation gardening points out, native plants are better adapted to our environment and thus are easier to manage. That means less watering and less fertilizer, all for less money --- AND all less effort.
Comments
1 gallon of gas will last my lawnmower about 6 months which is only roughly $3.00. I only mow my lawn 6 months out of the year... It doesnt make much sense to buy a new lawnmower than im not going to have to recharge after every use and pay for it through BGE with their amazing rates. This is a pretty desperate attempt here. What a joke. Pay $5 dollars a year is an increase of $2.00. Thanks but no thanks.
Posted by: Aaron Nocar | October 12, 2009 7:14 AM
This is supposed to be a "Green" idea? The previous poster is right on the money about one gallon of gas lasting an entire lawnmowing season as opposed to having to recharge a battery possibly after every couple of uses. According to the Neuton website, a battery can last up to .33 acres on a full charge and if you need more power, just "pop in" a $100 spare battery. So now, you have two batteries to charge. That's not even mentioning that most rechargeable devices become almost useless when the battery begins to drain. So even though the battery may technically last for .33 acres, who knows how soon it begins to lose its effectiveness? That doesn't happen with a gas mower which will maintain full power until it runs dry.
By the way, the battery lasts for only 5 years. I've had my gas mower easily twice as long as that and that's not even with the best of care. Proper care would most likely coax many more than 5 years of use from a gas mower.
Let's not forget that even though it says the battery is 95% recycleable, it doesn't mention on the website what type of battery it is. Most rechargeable batteries are either extremely toxic to dispose of or ravage the environment during their production. Have you ever seen a Nickel mine? You'd think you were standing on the moon.
I know the term "Green" is used to sell just about anything nowadays, but really people, you should probably think and do some research before you act in most cases...and this is no exception. It seems to me the good ol' gas mower still provides more bang for the buck and is ironically much more "Green" than the rechargeable alternative.
I think the Audubon Society would argue it might be more ecologically sound in one respect: fewer emissions. But you're right, Travis --- just like the debate over hybrid cars, there are a lot of factors to weigh when deciding whether to take advantage of this. --- lfk.
Posted by: Travis Cameron | October 16, 2009 2:59 AM
"Most rechargeable batteries are either extremely toxic to dispose of or ravage the environment during their production"
This is what I have found to be true also.
Posted by: James | November 9, 2009 1:33 AM