THE SUE POPE FUND
REDUCING POLLUTION
IN NORTH TEXAS
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Dallas hopes electric mower exchange will help make lawns greener Dallas officials are helping residents make their lush lawns even greener. The city is offering 400 residents the opportunity to exchange their gas lawn mowers for discounted electric models at Dallas City Hall this weekend. Residents who trade in their mowers will pay only $215 for a new electric Neuton CE 5.2 battery-powered mower that normally costs about $400, said Nicole Cooper of the city’s Office of Environmental Quality. The cost difference will be covered by a $45,000 grant from Downwinders at Risk’s Sue Pope Fund, which provides support to clean air projects throughout North Texas. “Residents are always e-mailing us asking for incentive items,” Ms. Cooper said. “People are saying ‘I want an electric mower but I can’t buy one because I don’t want to pay $400.’” More than 70 percent of Dallas pollution is caused by mobile sources, Ms. Cooper said, and officials hope the program will raise awareness about emissions from sources often ignored. “One of the best parts of this particular project is that it highlights how little dirty motors can put out big pollution,” said Katy Hubener, the Sue Pope Fund grant coordinator. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that 5 percent of air pollution is generated by lawn mowers alone, and according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, one hour of mowing with a gas-powered machine creates as much pollution as driving for four hours. Neuton, a leading electric mower company, has been involved in more than 70 exchange programs across the country in the past few years, said company spokesman Tom Hughes. The company’s first exchange was in Los Angeles four years ago and the programs have become incredibly popular throughout southern California, Mr. Hughes said. In Sacramento, more than 1,200 residents reserved spots in less than an hour for an exchange earlier this spring. Mr. Hughes said the program hosts vary from cities, to counties, utility companies and other organizations. “Agencies pay attention to what their colleagues are doing in other cities and what programs are working,” Mr. Hughes said. Dallas’ exchange will be the third in Texas, after Austin and San Antonio held them this spring. Mr. Hughes said sales on electric mowers have steadily increased in the last few years. He credits the sales not just to an increased environmental awareness, but the fact that electric mowers are lighter, quieter and cheaper, than their gas counterparts. Vendors of non-motorized mowers have also seen an increase in sales over the past few years, said Carol Henry, the store manager of Green Living in Dallas. She offers a 24-hour trial period on her $249 reel mower. Ms. Henry said her quiet, maintenance-free model continue to sell well for environmental and financial reasons. “I think people are just starting to realize it’s one less thing they have to buy gas for,” she said. Exchanged gas models, which must be in working condition and drained of gas and oil, will be recycled for scrap metal, Ms. Cooper said. The “Mowing Down Air Pollution” program is part of the city’s Green Dallas initiative. Residents wanting to exchange their mower must make a reservation by calling 214-670-6646 and bring proof of residency to the exchange, which takes place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday. |
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