Most lawnmowers, weed eaters and leaf blowers require gasoline and oil to run, and depending on the size of your yard, it can get expensive to fuel, especially during the summer when it seems like mowing is required every other day.
However, there are eco-friendly alternatives to lawn care equipment.
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| Photo courtesy Mow Green Lawn Service |
Deciding whether to use gas-powered or electric tools can depend on your yard size and design. Factors to consider are greenhouse gas emissions, noise levels, range of use and safety concerns. SF Gate has a great article highlighting the differences for each of these factors.
If you're not up for making the switch to alternative lawn equipment, consider hiring a professional that already has the equipment. A quick Google search can point you toward eco-friendly lawn services all over the country.
Right here in Acadiana, Mow Green Lawn Service focuses on using zero-emission lawn care equipment. The company began in 2016 when founder Andre Boudreau acquired a 1970s Snapper lawn mower through the sale of his family's camp. In early 2017, he began converting to low or zero-emission equipment.
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| Photo courtesy Mow Green Lawn Service |
Andre's own philosophy on life helps to explain why he decided to form an eco-friendly lawn company.
"One of my own personal philosophies in life has to do with leaving the world and space we occupy on a daily basis a little better than we find it. This can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task for one person or one business, but we vastly underestimate the little things, such as the effects of required gas consumption for regular lawn maintenance has on the world around us. As a small business owner, aligning what’s important to me with my community’s well-being is the true definition of success."
The current Mow Green equipment fleet is battery operated, and Andre is working to convert a zero-turn riding mower to run on propane to service larger yards. He expects the converted mower to be ready for the 2018 mowing season. For small to medium size yards, Mow Green uses only zero-emission equipment.
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| Photo courtesy Mow Green Lawn Service |
I asked Andre if he finds the noise difference to be noticeable with his equipment compared to conventional equipment. He answered, "If you want to get technical, the equipment I use is 20 decibels lower than the average gas-powered equipment. However, for those who aren’t scientists out there, I’ll put it this way…I have to lower my music on my headphones to be able to hear that my mower is still on."
“Lawn mowing contributes to the nation’s petroleum consumption and pollutant emissions, consuming more than 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually and accounting for approximately 2% of U.S. motor gasoline consumption. Commercial mowers account for 35% of this total, and commercial lawn equipment in some industries, such golf and turf, also consume large amounts of diesel fuel. A single commercial lawn mower can use as much gasoline or diesel fuel as a commercial work truck.” - US Department of Energy
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| Photo courtesy Mow Green Lawn Service |
Andre adds, "If we think logically of all of the areas in
which we can change as a whole, “greener” comes to mind in many forms
and lawn service is one of significant gas consumption. We now know that
being more fuel efficient in the cars we drive everyday impacts our
world significantly for the better. So, by using greener lawn equipment
and services to reach this goal is a no-brainer."
Although summer is winding down, plan ahead for 2018 and think about how you can make your lawn care process a little greener.
DISCOUNT!
If you're interested in a green lawn service, Mow Green is running a fall special! New customers can get a 20% discount for the remainder of the season. Now's your chance to try out an eco-friendly lawn service and get your yard set up for fall and winter.
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