Tip #9 Lawn Care

Green Living: a series in which we provide tips to help you implement practices, habits, and products into your life which respect and work towards the redemption of God’s creation.
 
Did you know that the standard, gas-powered lawn mower is less efficient than your typical car?  In fact, these lawn mowers are known for their inefficiency and are a major contributing factor in our country’s pollution.  But if you happen to own a home with a lawn, what can you do?  Fortunately their are several viable alternatives that will still allow you to have that aesthetic yard you always dreamed of.

Electric mower

First off, the electric mower.  Why is this a better alternative?  Well, first and foremost they do not produce any emissions.  You can mow to your heart’s content without worrying about your impact.  Well, except for one thing.  If you trace the electricity back to its source, you may still be using dirty energy from a polluting power plant.  If your power provider is burning dirty coal for example, you are still be polluting the air, just further down the chain.  A better way would be to charge it from a clean energy source such as solar panels on your roof.  Another advantage of these electric mowers is that they are quiet.  Cutting down on the noise pollution might not have tangible results but it would certainly be appreciated by your neighbors.  Trust me.  We live in a neighborhood where it seems someone is mowing, blowing, or trimming hedges every day of the week.  It would be nice to cut down on the noise.

Push mower:

A better alternative to both the gas and electric mowers is the good, old push mower.  Also known as a reel mower, the push mower truly has zero-emissions because it is powered by you.  Not only are you stripping away all noise pollution but you are getting some decent exercise at the same time.  Here is what I would find to be the greatest advantage:  you don’t have to do any thinking ahead.  Let me explain. Almost every time I go to use my electric drill the battery is not charged and I have the frustrating experience of waiting impatiently for it to charge up just enough to do the job.  The electric mower has to be charged ahead of time, and you need to fill up a gas can before using the gas mower.  For the push mower you just need to grab a quick snack.  Oh, and did I mention that they are way cheaper.

No-mow grass:

While it might seem that it doesn’t get any better than the push mower, there is actually an even greener solution: a yard that requires no mowing at all.  Just think of the potential here.  No cost for a mower.  No pollution.  No pushing.  No time invested.

How can this be you ask?  Well, by growing native grasses.  There are a variety of grasses that are native to your area that are much better acclimated to the local climate.  These grasses often need little to no mowing over the course of a year.  Additionally, they often do not need any pesticides and require less water.  You can also choose drought-resistant grasses to ensure that you are not wasting excess, high quality, drinking water (which is used to water our lawns).

Check with a local expert for the option that would be best for you.

No lawn at all:

A final option is not to have any lawn at all.  I know this does not go over well in some communities, but there are lawn-less options that are still pleasing to the eye.  Possibilities include a rock garden, cactus, and (my personal favorite) vegetable gardens.  Why not ask your landscape to work for you?  Instead of trees that just look nice, put in fruit trees (which also happen to look nice by the way).  Instead of bushes, why not blueberries and tomato plants?  Instead of a lawn, why not put in some nice raised beds.  While you will still have higher water consumption this way, you will eliminate the resources that it would otherwise take to produce and ship your food.  And again, no mowing or noise pollution.

Going a step further

Want to take this a step further?  Here are a couple more ideas for you:

1. Share a mower:  if you must have a mower, why not share one?  Most only use their mower once a week.  Why not split the cost of one (preferably a low-emissions option) with a few neighbors?  Not only does it save you money, but it requires less resources that way.
2. Use a broom or rake:  gas-powered blowers rival lawn mowers for the inefficiency crown.  All you really get out of it is displaced yard waste.  Unintended consequences include high emissions, noise pollution, and things blown around that you did not want moved.  Try using a rake or a broom to get some exercise and better care for creation.
3. Use organic fertilizer:  Whether working with a traditional lawn, a vegetable garden, or some other option, go with the organic option to improve the soil.  Protect your family’s health by opting for no chemicals.

Also consider:

Green Living: #3 Sharing in Community

Welcome to Creation Hope

* Electric mower image from http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Walk-Behind-Mowers-Electric-Battery-Powered-Mowers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhcZbbot/R-202045619/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

* Push mower image from http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-Mowers-Riding-Mowers-Reel-Mowers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhcZboay/R-100329907/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

* No-mow grass image from http://www.sunset.com/garden/garden-basics/plant-no-mow-lawn-00400000029555/

* No lawn image from http://www.sunset.com/garden/landscaping-design/raised-bed-vegetables-00400000020697/

Please subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.