So…a few weeks ago I picked up my previously owned (used) freshly sharpened push mower from AA Mower on Memphis and cut the grass. I also saw one on Craig’s List and at Lakefront Hardware at Detroit and W.74th. I was told by another mower repair place to not buy a new one as the blades can’t really be sharpened like the old steel blade ones.

I had gone to two Home Depot stores and couldn’t find one. When I asked an orange aproned clerk where I would find a push mower he took me to the ones that had a motor but were not self propelled. 

Did it cut as clean and even as my old gas motor one? No. Do I care? No. I have a small yard (and even less grass) so it wasn’t a big deal, takes about 25 minutes. It doesn’t get through the weeds, and of course you have to cut it more often. If you want to try mine for a test run let me know, it’s very light.

Here’s an excerpt from an article I found from Sweden:

The air pollution from cutting grass for an hour with a gasoline powered lawn mower is about the same as that from a 100 mile automobile ride, according to a new study from Sweden. The report, which the authors say is the first to compare lawn mower pollution with auto mileage, recommends using catalytic converters on mowers.

One old gas powered lawn mower running for an hour emits as much pollution as driving 650 miles in a 1992 model automobile Each weekend, about 54 million Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Since this equipment is used mostly during the hot summer months, when ground level ozone is the highest, it causes problems for asthmatics and aggravates other respiratory conditions.

I’ve also been saying no to plastic shopping bags; either bringing my own cloth ones (keeping a stash in the trunk) or just carrying the stuff. Plastic bags are so ubiquitous, they offer you one for one item. The guy at the Exchange in Lakewood got it, and said people are starting to get bothered when you give them a bag, but his boss won’t even let them offer, they have to toss the stuff in one. The young lady at the Rite Aid said jokingly (I hope) she had to give me one “so the security guard wouldn’t take me out”.

Another plastic avoidance thing I’ve been doing—buying in bulk. I’d been familiar with shampoo, peanut butter, olive oil at the Food Coop and I’m sure there’s other stuff out there, if you know of stuff let us all know. Bring your own containers. I used to get beer “in bulk” at the Great Lakes Brewery and then kind of forgot about it. I was pleased to find out they still do it! I use those gallon glass jugs like the ones that cider used to come in.