The impact of lawns on the environment have become a hot topic in recent years. Not only the lawn itself, but perhaps more importantly the lawns mower has come under scrutiny by environmentalists. Let’s explore some of the facts. We’ll see if lawns and mowing the lawn are really bad for the environment, and whether or not fake lawns are the answer. We’ll also look at some alternatives to the well known polluting two stroke lawn mower.
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Are Lawn Mowers Bad for the Environment?
Lawn mowers have always been common, as most households and businesses have and use them on a regular basis, but as people become more and more concerned about taking care of the environment, they are starting to wonder if lawn mowers are bad for the environment if you use them on a regularly.
Unfortunately, some lawn mowers are bad for the environment. Heavy gas-powered lawn mowers that are old and not fuel efficient release a lot of emissions into the air, and this can be bad for air quality. Not only do they add to the air pollution of an area, but they often leak oil and gas, which can contaminate the ground, as well as water sources.
There are some great alternatives, however, which means that it’s possible to keep a lawn looking wonderful without worrying about negatively impacting the environment. Green alternatives to traditional gas lawn mowers release fewer emissions, making them a good choice, but there is an even better alternative.
Electric mowers can be a great option for some homeowners, as are solar mowers and even traditional push mowers that don’t use any gas or electricity. While not everyone wants to get out with a reel mower to mow their lawn, this is the best way to reduce pollution due to yard work and even to get some exercise at the same time.
There are two types of electric lawn mowers. There are corded electric mowers, which are great if you only have a small lawn to mow without obstacles. These mowers are very cost effective, because they do not feature batteries or a gas engine. I recommend corded mowers for small lawns.
Then there are the battery operated lawn mowers. This type of mower is growing increasingly popular in recent years. These machines are very powerful, and can certainly compete with gas powered machines. I recommend this type of mower for mid-sized lawns.
Are Lawns Good for the Environment?
There is a lot of conflicting information available about whether or not lawns are good for the environment, as well as what needs to be done about the problem. Understanding the pros and cons of a traditional lawn that you may have at your home will ensure that homeowners have the necessary information to decide whether or not a lawn is the right choice for them.
One major argument against having lawns is that by putting in a lawn, a homeowner or business owner is destroying the natural environment. This means that animals have their natural habitats destroyed and the amount of space that they have to live and to hunt is diminished.
Another argument against having a lawn is that they require a lot of resources to take care of. Most homeowners want to keep their lawns looking great all year long, which means watering the lawn on a regular basis. Additionally, adding chemicals and pesticides to the lawn to keep it green and healthy can be dangerous and harmful to the environment, unless you’re using organic lawn insecticide.
Properly maintained lawns actually have a number of benefits that many people don’t know about. One of the main benefits of a healthy lawn is that it can purify the air, much like trees do. Healthy lawns absorb CO2 from the air and release oxygen, which is great for homeowners who may otherwise have breathing problems.
Additionally, lawns do a great job purifying water, which is really important for healthy and clean groundwater. When it rains or floods and water passes through the grass in a lawn, the roots absorb harmful substances from the water, as well as excess nutrients. This means that the water is filtered, which is great for healthy streams and lakes.
Small mammals and birds love to hunt in lawns thanks to the high visibility and presence of pests. A healthy lawn provides a great place for animals and birds to hunt and ensures that they will always have easy access to hunting grounds.
Is Lawn Fertilizer Bad for the Environment?
It’s normal for homeowners and businessowners to turn to fertilizers to keep their lawns green and healthy, but recently fertilizers have come under some scrutiny. This leaves people wondering if fertilizers are as bad for the environment as some people claim.
While fertilizers contain nutrients that plants need for healthy growth, such as potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and nitrogen, using fertilizers on a lawn can have some major drawbacks. While these nutrients are important for healthy plant growth, they can be overused and are, sometimes, combined with other ingredients that are dangerous to the environment.
Excess nitrogen that isn’t absorbed by grass easily finds its way into water. Too much nitrogen in a pond or stream can promote algae growth, which will decrease the amount of oxygen in the water, harming wildlife.
When pesticides are included in fertilizers, they can easily pollute the water. Not only groundwater is affected, but the pesticides can run off into lakes and streams, which can easily sicken or kill fish and other wildlife. Humans who eat fish that have been sickened by fertilizer runoff will become sick, as well.
One problem that many people don’t realize when they fertilize their lawn is that these products are often made from products developed from waste water treatment facilities. What this means is that they can contain toxic waste, which is something that nobody wants in their drinking water.
Organic fertilizers are a much better option for fertilizing a lawn without worrying about toxic runoff, killing fish, or polluting water. While many people opt to purchase their organic fertilizers to ensure that it is as easy as possible to take care of their lawn, others turn to making their own fertilizer. Any store-bought organic fertilizer needs to have nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the correct amounts and without any dangerous additives.
Using grass clippings is a great way to fertilize a lawn without worrying about any damaging effects of commercial fertilizer.
Is Mowing the Lawn Bad for the Environment?
Most people crave a trimmed and cared-for lawn that is even, flat, and doesn’t have a single blade of grass out of place, but that isn’t the best option for the environment. Mowing lawns too short has a number of implications, which is why more and more people are allowing their lawns to grow just a little longer than they did before.
One of the main problems that people run into when they mow their lawns regularly and end up with short grass is that weeds are better able to grow in the yard. While this may not seem like a big deal, it then requires weed care, and these herbicides can be very harmful for the environment, especially when not applied properly or allowed to run off into local water sources.
Another problem with mowing lawns on a regular basis is all of the exhaust and dangerous chemicals that are released from lawn mowers. Generally speaking, this yard equipment is not very clean running, and gas-powered options can release a lot of chemicals and toxins into the air.
By simply decreasing the amount of times that a lawn is mowed each year, people can easily work together to cut down on the emissions that they release into the air. Studies are showing that emissions from lawn mowers can contribute to five to ten percent of urban pollution from engines. source
Depending on the type of mower that you use, cutting the grass for just one hour can be equivalent to 200 miles in a car. This means that the larger the yard and the older and less efficient the mower, the worse the impact on the environment mowing the lawn will be.
Two-stroke engines, which is what lawn mowers have, burn both oil and gas, and never burn them as cleanly as four-stroke engines, which are in cars. The two-stroke engine, however, is lighter and incredibly powerful, making it a great option for use in a lawn mower, but not great for the environment.
Are Fake Lawns the Answer?
Fake lawns are a great alternative to real lawns in many situations. While there are some concerns over the safety of fake lawns, they offer real benefits for many homeowners.
One problem with fake lawns is that they can be very expensive to install. While grass seed is costly, it is not nearly as expensive as having a fake lawn installed. Additionally, they do not have the same cooling quality that real grass does. This means that the air around a fake lawn can feel very hot.
Fake lawns also don’t release oxygen into the air the way that real grass does, but they aren’t as harmful as some people think. In fact, fake lawns are often made from recycled bottles, which is great for environment. They also feature antimicrobial benefits, which will help keep pets and children from getting sick.
Once a fake lawn is installed, it doesn’t require any expensive maintenance, harmful chemicals or pesticides, or long hours of work. This is great as it improves the health of the land where the lawn is installed and also allows homeowners to spend more time with their family and less time cutting the grass.
While fake lawns do cost more to install and may have some environmental concerns, they are great in areas where the grass will be under a lot of duress, as fake lawns are incredibly durable. They are also ideal in locations where there isn’t a lot of sun, as they will provide a soft and grassy area even in high shade.
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