Green Peace: Quiet Mowers

Now that it's spring, you may be awakened by the loud buzz of 6:00 A.M. mowing enthusiasts heedless not only of their neighbors' rest but also the plumes of pollution rising from their vehicle's exhaust pipe. Noisy and gas-guzzling, mower engines are highly inefficient, contributing to greenhouse gases and smallparticle pollution, as well as to health problems such as asthma and heart disease. Last December, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California final approval for its tough new emissions standards for small engines, including lawn mowers, which will cut smog emissions by roughly 40 percent. Happily, the EPA is expected to greenlight nationwide regulations based on California's.

Replanting your yard with hardy, water-conserving indigenous plants is the most environmentally sound choice, but not everyone wants to give up their lawn (for tips on lawn care, see "Detoxing Green Velvet"). Electric lawn mowers produce less than one percent of the smog-contributing carbon monoxide that gas mowers put out and 1/9000th the hydrocarbons, though only six pounds less carbon dioxide. "Sales of electric mowers have seen a 25 percent growth over the last five years," says Carl Eickenberg, senior product manager with DR Power, manufacturers of the Neuton electric lawn mower, "and surveys show that 60 percent of those inquiring about the product were interested for environmental reasons." The average electric mower is also considerably quieter than its gas equivalent, and 10-year operating costs are less than half those of gas mowers, making up for the higher initial cost.

Reel push mowers are still a better bet, with no electricity costs, no on-site emissions and a much lower price tag.

For yards up to a third of an acre, Black & Decker's cordless CMM 1000 mulching mower made Consumer Reports' quick picks with its green features and easy cutting-height adjustment ($394; www.amazon.com). For quarter-acre lawns, the cordless electric Neuton Mower, with a one-hour battery life, handles trimming and edging to boot ($349; www.drpower.com, 800-798-2921). Or try Sunlawn's EM-1 cordless electric rechargeable mower, which works manually or powered with a battery life of up to one hour and 15 minutes ($379; www.sunlawn.com, 970-493-5284). A more affordable option is the MTD cord-run Electric Mini Mower ($200; www.eco-gardening.com, 877-204-7336). Light, quiet, maneuverable and easy to maintain, Sunlawn's Brill Luxus 38 ($199) and American Lawn Mower Co.'s Reel Mower ($100; www.acehardware.com, 866-290-5334) produce zero emissions. With any of these models, the obsessive mower in your life will appreciate the chance to hear the birds, and you'll be able to sleep in this spring.

See also the Lawn Care Product Report.