Clean Alternatives to Everyday Machines: The Gas Powered Lawn Mower VS. The Push Reel Mower
Which is better for you and your lawn–the traditional gas-powered lawnmower or the human-powered push reel mower?
Pros and Cons of the traditional gas-powered lawnmower
Pros:
* Consistently cuts everything growing in your lawn, be it grass, weeds, vines, etc…
* Easy to push for long periods of time (ie large lawns)
Cons:
* Air pollution. According to the EPA the average gas-powered lawn mower emits as much pollution per hour as 11 automobiles do during that same time span. Why? The lawn mower engine is a two-cycle engine which pumps out over 90 times more pollution per gallon of gas than any car or truck.
* Noise pollution.
* Recurring gas costs. In case you were unaware–we’re over $4/gallon!
* Maintenance costs.
Pros and Cons of the human-powered push reel mower
Pros:
* Only pollution during mowing is the CO2 that you exhale.
* Quiet.
* The new models have sharp blades and will outperform and outlast the reel mowers your parents pushed around as kids.
* Inexpensive.
* Better exercise considering you aren’t inhaling engine exhaust while mowing.
Cons:
* Does not cut all tall grasses and weeds. After using one for 3 years now. I’d say (as I’ve said to my neighbors) it cuts at about a 93% success rate.
* Not reasonable for large lawns.
The (Unexpected) Outcome
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And the winner is…
…The electric lawn mower!!!
If we consider all the variables; pollution, cutting ability, size of lawn, level of ease to own and operate, this non-contestant has to be the winner (sorry John Henry). As much as I love my push reel mower (which is still the most environmentally friendly mower available), I understand that if I had a larger lawn it may not be the best choice–although, it would still be my choice, but I’m a fanatic. The electric lawnmower is quiet, easy to start, easy to maintain, and costs approximately $5/year for electricity. And I haven’t used one, but I’ve read that the mowing skills rival that of the gas-powered mower.
For what it’s worth, the loser is…
…the riding lawn mower.
The bigger brother of the gas-powered mower sells well in a society full of folks who drive a few blocks to and from various stores each day instead of actually walking or biking.
Pros:
It has a cup holder…
…but I’m thinking of adding one to my push reel mower anyway.
Stay tuned next week for the battle of The Washing Machine vs. a trio of human-powered rivals. You may be surprised when No Impact Man shares his thoughts on this one…
Image credits: Amazon.com
I have to disagree with the earlier comment that a green lawn is healthier for the environment than a dried out lawn. Keeping a green, weed-free lawn all summer takes huge amounts of energy, water, and time and pollutes local bodies of water. If you have a lawn that is too large to handle with a reel mower you might consider whether you are really using all of that lawn. If not, you could plant a low maintenance garden with native plants in some of that space. Some people do make use of their large lawns and in that case I agree that an electric mower is the best alternative.
Love all of the feed back for this post. As being an owner of a Newton electric lawn mower, I have purges the need for long extension cords. Two rechargeable batteries are included for use, and one battery typically lasts through 1.5 months of use, i.e. mowing 1 time per week. Also included is a fine and dandy edger so it cuts out the need for two separate machines. My bias, living in an upscale suburb of Chicago, many of my neighbors use electric and push mowers, but recently traveling through what I call the “Meat” of America, I have seen may 2 cycle mowers up for sale on yards, and these are the ones that keep being passed on to other consumers because they don’t cast much to buy, and they are the easiest to fix. Just drive through central Illinois or Michigan and see how lawns are being mowed. Just because the EPA and new technology are out there, not everyone is using it. My dad still had a hulking 2 cycle snow blower up until 5 years ago. I remember having to run from the blue exhaust that came out of it.
Well now, reel mowers are real hard to push, gas is very expensive and polluting, so what is better than these? PROPANE. This innovational, cleaner alternative (US patented EnviroGard mower) is prudent overall - propane is ~30% cheaper than gas, has 10% better fuel efficiency, runs up to 10MPH, cuts at 19,000 FPM AND has no exhaust polluting waste! Our mowing solution to pollution is available in sit-down or walk behind models and can be seen at http://www.mow-green.com.
[...] it for one year now and the average increase on my monthly bill is $5. 30. Mow your lawn with a reel mower. It’s human powered and good for your lawn. I highly recommend one for lawns less than a half [...]
actually, i’m pretty sure that most gas powered lawn mowers are 4-stroke engines like in a car. if they were two stroke, like a weed-wacker motor, then you would have to use a special kind of oil-gas mixture for a two stroke engine.
I am looking for a gas operated reel lawnmower. My father had one when I was growing up, but now I can’t seem to find any on the market.
What a misinformed BS article. I bet this guy drives a prius and watches queer eye for the straight guy. Probably never even mowed a lawn.
here in S. FLORIDA WE HAVE EVERY ILLEGAL INTHE LANDSCAPING BUSINESS AND I ‘LL GURANTEE YOU THERE USING 2 STROKE VERY,VERY POLLUTING LAWN EQUIP.
Please check out the Rowbomow. I got one over 1 year ago and fell in love. Now I am an authorized Robomow dealer and service center. There is no comparision to a gas mower. the Robomow uses no gas, no oil, makes no noise, no emmisions, no clippings to haul to the curb and best of all no work. You don’t even need to be home because it mowes by it self!
I recently acquired a 14-year old, 2-cycle Lawn Boy mower. I cleaned and repaired it just today. Yeah, it smokes a little more than a 4-cycle engine but it is not without its merits. First, it is lighter than a comparable 4-cycle engine, which is attributed to it having fewer moving parts in its aluminum block. Have any of the greens considered how much less energy and resources are needed to fabricate the heavier 4-cycle, cast iron engine? Second, its fuel delivery system is primarily plastic, so when you forget to drain the fuel during the off season it doesn’t rust! Yeah, I know you guys think that plastic is evil, but isn’t it great that there is something out there that is easy to clean and built to last; not throw away? Third, this mower exhausts below the deck and that muffles the sound so much more than the traditional above deck mufflers. Just think of the money and batteries that I will save by preserving my hearing and not needing hearing aids.
I plan to use it to cut the areas of my yard that are too small for the lawn tractor, but a bit large and somewhat time consuming for the weed whacker. Reducing my weed whacking time from 3 hours to 1 or less should help save my back, which should also postpone my meeting with the health care death panel when I’m declared too old for back surgery. So, even though it ain’t green, the green machine will contribute to the greater good. Right?