The James River Steward's Almanac

The James and Your Lawn

by Gabe Silver, JRA Education and Outreach Manager

Be a Friend of the River…choose the right mower.  

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers and trimmers add quite a bit of pollution to the atmosphere, not only reducing the quality of the air we breathe but also polluting our rivers and the Bay. Air pollution easily translates to water pollution when it rains: as much as one third of nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay comes from air pollution.

Two-stroke engines, lack of emissions controls, and poor maintenance can all lead to lawn care becoming a larger burden on our environment than it has to be. The EPA says 5 percent of urban air pollution comes from gas-powered lawn equipment. Additionally, gas mowers use 580 million gallons of gas yearly with 17 million gallons being spilled during the refueling process.

Depending on the size of your lawn (which can always be reduced), there are many options available to you. First and foremost, you can keep your current equipment well-maintained. If you are ready to buy new equipment or downsize from what you use today, consider one of the following air and water-friendly options.

1. Four-stroke gasoline engines (no oil burning!)
2. Electric motor powered equipment (corded or cordless)
3. Hand-powered equipment (You guessed it…this is the best!)

This spring, please remember to consider your neighbor’s quality of life and the environment when choosing your lawn care equipment.

More Info About Greener Lawn Mowers

Be a Guardian of the River…reduce the size of your lawn.

Yes, it’s true, the big American lawn tends to be one of the worse environmental offenders around our homes. Caring for the lawn doesn’t just take a lot out of your free time; it also puts a lot of pollution into the environment. With 40 million acres of lawn across the country, the fuel, fertilizer, and herbicides really stack up against a clean environment.

This season, ask yourself if you really use your whole lawn. How much lawn do you need? Could you replace certain parts of your lawn with a mulched bed of beautiful native perennials, shrubs, or trees? What will you do with your free time not spent caring for un-used lawn space in the future?


After asking these questions, it’s time to take action. Decide how you want to reduce your lawn size this season and have at it! Then start enjoying the money and time you save.

More on the American Lawn

Turf Alternatives Video