Lawn Mowing: Get Reel, Go Gas-free

Warm weather arrives with the melodic chipping of songbirds preparing their nests. What? Can’t hear them? The steady rumble of lawn mowers not only drowns out nature’s melodies, it disturbs wildlife and sleeping neighbors, and is an unhealthy source of summertime air pollution.

Gasoline-powered lawnmowers will soon have to be dramatically cleaner under new rules issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The reductions will be the equivalent of removing one out of every five cars and trucks on the road, according to the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.

The EPA said the new rules will save about 190 million gallons of gasoline each year.

Environmental awareness of gasoline engine pollution has sparked a renewed interest in reel mowers. This, coupled with the growing trend of smaller lots and lawns, greatly reduces the need for large, heavy, gas-guzzling mowers.

The new reel mowers in the marketplace today are not your granddaddy’s heavy, hard-to-push, blunt-edged mowers of time past. They’re state-of-the-art, lightweight and give your grass a gorgeous grooming.

Reel mowers are:

• Environmentally Effective: Reel mowers don’t add any pollution, noise or emission levels into the atmosphere. And, thankfully, there are no gasoline fumes or smell.
• Small Size and Right Weight: Reel mowers don’t have many working parts, so they’re smaller and lighter than electric or gas mowers. They’re actually relatively easy to lift, store and push.
• Energy-boosting Exercise: They’re a great form of exercise while you accomplish a much-needed outdoor task. You can burn about 400 calories an hour mowing the lawn with a reel mower.
• Economically Attractive: Reel mowers are considerably less expensive than gas, electric or battery-powered mowers. And, again, because you’re not using gasoline, they continue to be budget friendly.
• Quality of Cut: Reel mowers tend to deliver a superior cut. The sharp blades make clean cuts much like scissors. Traditional rotary mowers actually tear the tips of your grass off, leaving jagged edges that often turn yellow.
• Quell the Noise: Because reel mowers don’t have an engine, they make virtually no noise at all. You can mow the lawn whenever you want to without disturbing your family or neighbors.

If you’re ready to “get reel,” a good mower choice is the German-made modern classic Brill Mower 38-reel-mower. The mower offers several benefits:

• It features five blades, the optimal number for superior cutting and ease of pushing.
• Weighs only 17 pounds, light enough to hang on the garage wall or pick up with one hand.
• Eight-inch diameter wheels make it easy to push over tough terrain.
• The manufacturer offers a two-year warranty.

Keep in mind that manual reel mowers don’t cut tall weeds well, but they do great on grass. Because of the design, the reel will roll over tall weeds without cutting much. So they aren’t a good choice to mow a vacant lot, or overgrown areas of the landscape.

You can also go gas free but add a little power to your push, opting for cordless electric reel mowers. Like the manual reel mower, no gasoline is required, which makes for a much quieter mowing experience without the pollution of the gas mowers.

Brill also makes the Brill Razorcut Accu 38, the newest addition to the Razorcut line of reel mowers. It has a 24 Volt cordless electric motor, can cut up to 2,500 square feet of grass when fully charged, and weighs just 29 pounds.

Reel or electric, your lawn will love it. A good sharp reel mower will leave your lawn in beautiful shape. You can also get bag attachments for many of the models.

For more information on reel and electric mowers as well as environmentally friendly lawn and garden supplies visit www.cleanairgardening.com.