Going Green: Trade in your gas-powered lawn mower

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is teaming up with local governments and agencies for the first ever Lowcountry Lawn Mower Exchange. The event will be held on Saturday, March 28 from 10am-1pm at the Citadel Mall. The exchange will give owners of gas-powered lawn mowers the opportunity to recycle their mowers and receive a discounted rate on a new electric mower.

But why should you change?

When you hear about the impact of fossil fuels on the environment, you often think of automobiles and trucks. However, “off-road” sources such as gas-powered lawn mowers contribute to air pollution as well. In one hour of mowing the lawn, a gas-powered lawn mower produces as much as pollution as driving a car 200 miles. Add to that, an estimated 17 million gallons of gasoline are spilled refueling lawn equipment in the United States every year. This releases harmful fumes into the air and contaminates the ground water.

Did you know?

Mowing on hot days with a gas mower adds to ground level pollution and can cause breathing problems.

April 1st is the beginning of the ozone season and pollution from lawn mowers is a significant contributor to ground level ozone formation.  Ozone formation aggravates people with respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic bronchitis and inhibits healthy breathing.

According to the EPA, there are more than 30 million lawn mowers in the U.S. Gas lawn mowers create 5% of the air pollution in the U.S.