From House To Home

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What comes to mind when you think about summertime? Chances are, the smell of freshly mowed grass is high on the list. It is a smell that titillates the senses, and it is the seasonal telltale sign that summer has arrived. Other images of summer? I bet you wouldn't go as far as to say mower exhaust, burning oil, spilled gasoline, and the rumble of a lawn mower fired up at 8 o'clock on a Saturday morning. The 55 million users of gas-powered mowers probably don't even realize the toll they are attributing to the environment--nearly 5 percent of America's air pollution, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to information from Madison Gas and Electric, mowing your lawn for one hour with a conventional gas-powered lawn mower can cause more air pollution than driving the two-and-a-half-hour, 140-mile trip from Madison, Wisconsin, to Chicago in a new car. And the EPA reports that 7 percent of all summertime emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)--the bad stuff that forms ozone and smog, which contribute to breathing problems--in southeastern Wisconsin are produced by lawn and garden equipment.

What can be done to turn the corner and jump on the green bandwagon? It all starts with you. By now you've heard terms that describe the revitalized "green" movement--energy efficiency, alternative energy, sustainable design, and carbon footprint reduction. It has to start with a change in the way we think. There needs to be a cultural revolution in the way we perceive our use of energy and its effects on our environment and overall health.

And sometimes going green means going back to the basics. If your lawn is small enough, why not purchase a manual push mower? "Why do people go to the gym for a workout and use a self-propelled gas mower to mow the lawn? The push mower can be a great workout, it saves energy, and it is much cleaner for the environment. Please America, let's revert to this manual appliance," says Lawrence Comras, president and CEO of Green Home, an online environmental store.

The green guidelines

Green builders have the United States Green Building Council, which accredits points (LEED) to builders, owners, and operators by fostering a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in sustainable site development and building energy efficiency.

Inside the home, consumers can be conscious of their carbon footprint by choosing energy-efficient appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers, hot water heaters, and furnaces with help from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy's ENERGY STAR Program. "ENERGY STAR makes it easy to identify energy efficiency, the starting point in the green building movement," says Jonathan Passe, communications coordinator for ENERGY STAR programs.

But how do we approach our activity outside in the lawn and garden? Where is the collective green consciousness when it applies to the hear-'em-from-a-half-mile-away, gas guzzlin' lawn mowers? Technically, there really hasn't been any guideline in the past for energy-efficient yard and garden appliances such as lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and snow blowers. Until now, that is. The wheels are starting to be put in motion (see "Small Nonroad Emission Standards").

What can I do?

To reiterate, going green takes a collective synergy of thought and effort. Greening your yard could mean going back to the basics. Composting, for example, can be fun, and it contributes to the health of the environment. The Earth Composter from Environment Home, for example, is a stir-free composter that sees results just three weeks after filling it. On a yearly basis it is possible to produce four to six good batches of compost.

When deciding on which lawn mowers to use, know that gas-fired mowers are the most detrimental to the environment. Point-of-use emissions contribute to your overall carbon footprint.

Also, keep in mind that electrical mowers--a much cleaner option than gas mowers--do indirectly pollute the air. Although not emitting pollutants into the air while mowing, the electricity used to power electric models usually is generated from a coal-fired utility plant that emits pollution. Nevertheless, electric mowers do have advantages:

• Inexpensive to operate--less than $10 per year
• Clean--no spilled gasoline, exhaust fumes, or messy oil changes
• Quiet--generate about half of the noise pollution than its gasoline cousins

Customize your lawn mowing with the fully rechargeable Robomower from Craftsman. Spend your time gardening, or sleeping, while your lawn is mowed automatically and precisely. This simple-to-operate, robotic lawn-mowing system mows up to a half acre on its own before returning to its docking station to recharge.

The Auto Mower from Husqvarna features user-friendliness. It cuts the grass automatically, practically silently, and recharges itself. It has collision sensors, which react to garden furniture and trees and is equipped with anti-theft protection.

While some consumers still have price-tag shock when it comes to these products, the long-term investment is worth it, both in your pocketbook and the environment.

"I predict electric lawn mowers will make a comeback. With a little research, you should find some small push-mower types on the market. Additionally, I hope small electric lawn tractors make a comeback, along with solar photovoltaic panels to recharge them off the grid," says Bob "Hot Rod" Rohr, an alternative energy contractor.

Rainwater catchment or harvesting systems

Collecting rainwater can be used for toilets, washing machines, and in the garden. "Rainwater catchment systems are utilized primarily for the growing scarcity of water in the western states and areas of periodic drought such as witnessed in the Atlanta area last fall, for example. Another reason would be to retain storm-water runoff, whereby reducing capital municipal expenses," says Dan Chiles, vice president of marketing of Watts Radiant and director for the Green Mechanical Council. Watts Radiant, which specializes in radiant heating and alternative energy solutions such as solar, is about to embark on a rainwater catchment program.

"Rainwater catchment systems will be big business soon; it could be as simple as a barrel under your roof's gutter system for yard and plant watering or a complete underground storage system with connections to your home's plumbing. Typically this water would be used for non-potable use like toilet flushing or outdoor watering needs," says Rohr.

John Mesenbrink has more than 10 years of magazine-writing experience. He urges everyone to think green at least once a day.

Small Nonroad Emission Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing exhaust emissions standards on small, land-based, nonroad spark-ignition equipment and engines. These standards would apply only to newly manufactured products. These standards would reduce the harmful health effects of ozone and carbon monoxide from these engines and equipment. Nonroad and marine spark-ignition engines account for about 25 percent of mobile source hydrocarbon emissions and 30 percent of mobile source carbon monoxide emissions. Covered under these standards are nonroad spark-ignition engines rated below 25 horsepower used in household and commercial applications, including lawn and garden equipment, utility vehicles, generators, and a variety of other construction, farm, and industrial equipment. The EPA is proposing hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxides exhaust emission standards of 10 g/kW-hr for Class I engines starting in the 2012 model year and 8 g/kW-hr for Class II engines starting in the 2011 model year. Handheld emissions do not apply.

Source: EPA

A Greener Yard

The question you must ask yourself is, "What can I do in the yard and garden to help the environment?" Here are some quick tips for a greener yard.

• Mow high--Reduce bag clippings. "Grasscycling," or leaving the clippings on the lawn, doesn't cause thatch build up, but it does make lawns healthier.
• Reduce mowing time--Use low-maintenance grasses that grow slower and require less mowing.
• Drip irrigation--Put water where it needs to go, near landscaping; this allows water to drip to the roots through pipes and valves.
• Avoid spilling gasoline--Even the smallest spills pollute the air.
• Go organic--Reduce or eliminate pesticide and fertilizer use. If fertilizing, stay away from driveways, sidewalks, and streets. Fertilizer runoff pollutes streams and lakes. Take the natural approach--you actually can purchase live bugs that are yard friendly that attack pests, such as aphids, for example.
• Mulch--Mulch stabilizes soil temperature, prevents weeds, feeds the soil with nutrients, and helps conserve water.

Learn about GreenScaping at www.epa.gov/GreenScapes.