On lawn mowers

On lawn mowers

13 Jul 2005

Got questions about the environment? Ask Umbra.

Dear Umbra,

OK, I hate lawns. But for a number of reasons, I have to move into a town where lawns are the law, and mowing a necessity. Can you give me the scoop on the most eco-friendly lawnmower that will still cut decently? (No, I can't have goats.)

My old reel lawnmower never did a decent job, and I doubt I could talk the rest of the family into it. That leaves, as far as I know: electric (corded and cordless), solar, and (gasp) gas. My husband has ancient knowledge of electric mowers and what a terrible job they did, so he may be a hard sell. There must be something out there ...

Mariah Blackhorse
Bend, Ore.

Ask Umbra continues below

ADVERTISING POLICY

Dearest Mariah,

Don't hate your lawn. Lounging on it might be nice. Cutting it, of course, is not so nice. You have done an excellent job of outlining your grass-grooming options. Because you mentioned the reel mower, I'll assume you have a lawn small enough that it's an option. (Most sources recommend 5,000 square feet as a cap.) I draw you back to the reel mower right here at the outset because it is the best choice.

This summer, be a reel player.

Not unlike our recent subject the straight razor, reel mowers offer a durable, effective, trash- and emissions-free (after manufacturing) choice, if they are kept in good condition. I hear that you've been disappointed in the past. Try again, with a new, sharp-sharp-sharp, and lightweight modern reel mower. I will lay down money that you'll find it an improvement.

The advantages can barely be listed in this space: silent, fairly cheap ($80-$200), excellent source of exercise, free to operate, emits nothing, leaves grass clippings to fertilize the lawn or has a handy catch-bag. I shared one with neighbors for a while, which gave me the added benefit of good friendship. If you don't like it, you can return it -- but give it a go.

Let's look at the other mowers. The gasoline-powered version spews a lot. One EPA estimate says using a gas mower for an hour pollutes as much as driving your car 20 miles, and others venture much higher guesses. Say you mow your lawn one hour per week, April through November; even using EPA's low-end number, you would need to cut at least 700 miles off your yearly driving to keep your family emissions level down to that of your pre-lawn life. And then there are your precious lungs to consider, as you inhale a stew of particulates. I cannot support gas mowing.

Your other choice, electric, costs $190 to $500. Plug-in models are limited by the useful length of extension cord (100 yards) and will only work if your entire lawn is within reach of a power source. The cordless, battery-operated type -- which runs about 60 to 90 minutes per charge -- can go farther, but is pricier than its tethered brethren. Scope the scoop on specific model reviews and see what you think.

I have to say, the solar mower was new to me. Click through to Husqvarna to giggle at the bug-like robotic self-propelled mower, which beetles around your lawn looking for tall grass. Or check out Real Goods, which sells a walk-behind solar-powered model for $750.

These sound interesting, but I'm not paid to equivocate. Keep it simple and get yourself an excellent reel mower -- for a healthy family and a healthy lawn.

Pushily,
Umbra

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Please send Umbra any nagging question pertaining to the environment -- but first check out her FAQs!

The claims made in this column may not reflect the views of this magazine. Neither the magazine nor the author guarantees that any advice contained in this column is wise or safe. Please use this column at your own risk.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

Comments: (12 comments)

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Get Reel

I have to agree with Umbra as I heart my push reel lawn mower. Granted, my yard is small and relatively flat, but so is a bunch of others that I see mowed with gas mowers.

Just keep it clean, well lubricated, and the blades sharp.

by Chris Schults at 3:40 PM on 13 Jul 2005

Reel mowers and lawns

When we lived in the USA, we mowed our patch with a reel mower. When we were mowing the front lawn, cars would slow down so the occupants could gawp. We called it a "pizza-powered" lawnmower which confused many people and required much explanation. We were such a novelty! It took only about 15 minutes more to mow the lawn (i.e., 1.5 hours rather than 1.25 hours) than using the gas-powered mower supplied by the landlord. And we didn't choke with fumes and particulate matter, or get deafened either. It drove me nuts to see people out on their ride-on mowers, then using their leaf blowers, then jumping into their SUV to go to the gym... Sigh...

Back home in New Zealand, we have only a tiny patch of lawn, amid a large garden, and we cut it with hedge clippers - takes about 20 minutes. I'll eventually put it into chamomile or thyme.

A hint with reel mowers is to use them regularly - once the grass and weeds are over about 4 inches it can be harder to cut. And keep the blades sharp. We noticed that the reel mowers actually made a nicer job of cutting the grass, rather than ripping the tops.

Another alternative is to resow your lawn with grass that doesn't need cutting so often or at all. Available here is a a grass called "Mercury Bay Ornamental Grass" or Dichondra repens, which is good for shady areas, and reportedly never needs cutting. I think I've seen equivalent advertized in USA gardening magazines.

Cheers,

Judi

by psychokiwi at 3:53 PM on 13 Jul 2005

No mower

On my five acres, about one acre is taken up by a house, pond, driveways, and barn. Two acres are mowed by a few sheep and goats. I cut about a half-acre with a scythe, and the rest is wild, a certified backyard wildlife habitat.

www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/

www.scythesupply.com

Using a scythe is one of the most pleasurable activities, believe it or not. Whether for cutting grass or wildflowers (don't say weed!), a scythe will do it all; and it looks really cool. For those who are into active meditation, there's hardly anything more mindful than working with one of these blades. It's a dance, and it's real, good, old-fashoned exercise. Hare Krsna.

by Pandu at 5:36 AM on 14 Jul 2005

let's see if I can make those links work

NWF_BackyardWildlifeHabitat

ScytheSupply

There, that's better.
Hare Krishna.

by Pandu at 5:50 AM on 14 Jul 2005

Push lawn mowers & cold water washing

I love using my push (reel) lawn mower. Granted, since I live in Tucson I have a smallish patch of grass - about 800 square feet. But, even in the hot Tucson summers, its nice to get out at dusk and quickly mow the yard . And, my dog (whose lawn it is) loves it as much as I do - no fumes, no noise!

And, I've been washing almost exclusively with cold water - I don't know if I've saved $, but I know I'm saving energy and I've not noticed any detrimental effects to the cleanliness of my clothes.

Sonja, Tucson

by sonjastupel at 9:11 AM on 14 Jul 2005

Ecological mowing

Well done, Umbra! I'd like to add that there may be a bit of a "sharp blade" mystique. I'm currently doing our lawn with a handmower picked up 5 years ago from the curb, and I've never had it sharpened. Lawns do differ, of course, both in size and in toughness, and perhaps in the pickiness of spouses.

More important, tho, for someone who "hates lawns," is to realize that a law requiring the lawn to be mowed is not Newton's Fourth Law but human made and thus alterable. In 1975 the Environmental Commission of the town I live in, Yellow Springs, Ohio--a grandchild of Gaylord Nelson, so to speak--persuaded the Village Council to revise a "must mow" law to allow "lawns" of, say, queen anne's lace and chicory. The exact text of the ordinance, which addresses safety and hay fever issues, is at http://yscitizens.org/ysdocs/ordinances/674.htm#02

Other similarly improved laws surely exist.

The law came about because we environmental activists were constantly being told "You want to regulate everything, tell people what to do." So I thought and thought to find a way to improve the environment by regulating less. Of course the town fathers (sic) changed their tune when liberalization of the "must mow" law was suggested, leading me to comment that we now had a new form of pollutant in town--namely, hot air. But the idea eventually carried the day.

A problem EC is working on right now is how to get more residents to take advantage of the freedom not to mow. For very few do. We are thinking of organizing an official tour of "eco-yards" to help spread the idea, but I'm having trouble thinking of suitably different models of lawnless lawns. Some good ideas have been posted in the comments -- more advice would be appreciated.

- tracy

by tracy at 2:24 PM on 15 Jul 2005

on sharpening

Where does one take a pushmower for blade sharpening?

by amiash at 5:44 AM on 17 Jul 2005

Reel mower sought...in UK

Anyone got any leads on where to find a reel mower in the UK?

Have been googling for 30 mins looking for an answer...

Cheers

http://cityhippy.blogspot.com

City Hippy
http://www.cityhippy.net

by City Hippy at 9:42 AM on 17 Jul 2005

sheep mowers

Hooray for Umbra!

This column has finally inspired me to purchase a reel mower, something I have been meaning to do for a few years.

Also, I have recently read about a service that has started up in a few American cities. There are businesses that will bring over a couple of sheep to your yard. The sheep will very effectively give your lawn a "natural mowing" for a couple of hours rent. Apparently, even Mt. Vernon was kept well manicured by having plenty of sheep around!

Unfortunately, I did not clip the articles at the time I read them. If any of you know about any articles about this, let me know!

eddy out, redboat

by redboat at 10:57 AM on 17 Jul 2005

Your Ask is Grass

Mariah's question and comments on mowing is typical of many people who want to do the right thing, and other comments seem to support her. Let me tell you what we have done about this problem in Louisville, KY at the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District. In 2001 we started a program called "Lawn Care for Cleaner Air," and gave recognition awards to home & business owners who minimized their use of gasoline lawn maintenance, either by re-landscaping, or using mowers that pollute less. In the 3 1/2 years since we started the program, we have given almost 2,000 awards--maybe 1500 who bought reel or electric mowers, string trimmers, and blowers (gas string trimmers & blowers pollute more than mowers.) The other 500 or so winners actually re-landscaped part or all of their yards to they reduce or eliminate mowing. Mariah states that her new town mandates grass, but there are several ways to get around that. The best way is to make attractive beds or islands of low-maintenance plants--trees, shrubs, flowers, decorative grasses, ground cover, etc.--and do it a little at a time. After several seasons, during which you enlarge or add new beds, you have removed most of the grass and have a lovely landscape that is enjoyed by (nearly) everyone. It is really catching on, and many neighborhoods now have tours of their low-maintenance landscaping yards. You may view many interesting landscapes on our web page, www.apcd.org/lawncare, by just clicking the link for winners and pictures, then click highlighted zip codes.

Our agency recently offered a "Low-Maintenance Landscaping Design" competition (with a grant from EPA) with numerous substantial prizes, and the winning/best designs will go on our website, http://www.apcd.org/lawncare/design_contest/ . Winners will be announced in August, and the designs will be posted on our website for anyone to use free of charge. To avoid "cookie-cutter" landscapes, entrants were required to list alternative plants for greater replicability. At any rate, beginning in September, 2005, you may look at the website and create your own design, using ideas from the contest.

One last thought on grass vs. anything else is that numerous lawsuits have been brought by municipalities (especially upscale developments) to demand uniformity. These have not produced the uniformity sought by grass-lovers, as shown, for example, by Laurie Otto, a founding member of Wild Ones Native Landscapers, whose native plant yard triumphed over her Wisconsin city's ordinance when such a demand that the area be returned to grass. SO, Mariah, GO FOR IT! little by little, enlarging your non-grass landscape, but keep it beautiful and educate people as you go along.

Phyllis Fitzgerald No Pollution Gardener

by PhyllisFitzgerald at 5:33 AM on 18 Jul 2005

A different form of power

For all of those wanting to get into the TDF action whilst mowing their lawns:

http://www.racecannondale.com/project.htm

I wonder if someone has more than a prototype?

by Cichlid at 8:43 AM on 20 Jul 2005

New lawnmower

Grass is stocked directly into disposable bag

Air and residues are recycled to protect body and grass

Bagmower® can be used with all kinds of bag

and then :

Mow quickly and easily
Prevent grass and body against spores, allergens
Suppress grass blocking

To get more information :

http://www.tondre.fr/indexen

Sylvain

by bagmower at 9:19 AM on 16 Apr 2007

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Your Ask Is Grass