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EPA Cracks Down On Polluting Lawnmowers
Gasoline-powered lawnmowers that are a big cause of summertime air pollution will have to be dramatically cleaner under rules issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The long-awaited regulation requires a 35 percent reduction in emissions from new lawn and garden equipment beginning in 2011. Big emission reductions are also required for speedboats and other recreational watercraft, beginning in 2010.
The reductions will be the equivalent of removing one out of every five cars and trucks on the road, according to Bill Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
EPA said approximately 190 million gallons of gasoline will be saved each year when the rules take effect, and more than 300 premature deaths prevented annually.
"These standards help fight smog in our neighborhoods and waterways as we continue to improve the environmental landscape," said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.
The regulation had been delayed for years by opposition from Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., who took up the cause of small-engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton Corp., which builds many of its engines in Missouri. The final rule Thursday was issued more than a year after the draft rule came out in April 2007.
EPA estimated the cost of implementing the reductions at $236 million a year, which will likely make its way to consumers in the form of more expensive lawnmowers and other machines.
Industry groups said exact figures were difficult to calculate, but the California Air Resources Board has estimated that walk-behind mowers would cost 18 percent more under the new regulation, while the price of commercial turf care mowers would rise about 3 percent.
New Agency Regulations Require 35% Reduction In Emissions By 2011
"It's been an undertaking," said Kris Kiser, vice president of public affairs at the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Inc. "Challenging, but again, fair and achievable and it's the right thing to do."
Environmentalists welcomed the regulation, which applies to lawn care engines under 25 horsepower and to a full range of gas-powered personal watercraft. The rule requires a 70 percent reduction in emissions from recreational watercraft.
"These new clean air standards will reduce dangerous smog pollution from high-emitting gasoline engines while helping to cut costs at the gas pump," said Vickie Patton, the Environmental Defense Fund's deputy general counsel.
The reductions on lawn mower emissions will probably be accomplished by adding catalytic converters that reduce pollution from exhaust but add cost.
Some in industry resisted the change, and Briggs & Stratton found a vocal champion in Bond. He and fellow Appropriations Committee member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., spent years sparring over the issue after California sought EPA permission to implement its own small engine controls in 2003. Gasoline-powered lawnmowers that are a big cause of summertime air pollution will have to be dramatically cleaner under rules issued T... more -
THE ADVANTAGES OF HYDROSEEDING!
Hydro Seeding works great for lawns, roadsides, erosion control projects and more. It offers faster germination, eliminates the use of messy straw and has a nice green appearance.
There are reasons hydro seeding works so well. The seed is suspended in a nutrient rich slurry. The contact of the seed with the water in machine triggers the germination cycle. The mulch layer seals in the moisture, and holds the soil in place. The seed is at an ideal depth for good results. The conditions are right to produce a lush green lawn in very short time.
Hydro seeding is a fast, cost effective way to have a new lawn that will turn your neighbors green with envy.
Hydro seeding costs only a little more than old fashioned methods using dry seeding techniques combined with a messy straw mulch.
The cost to have your new lawn hydro seeded is less than 1/4 the cost of using sod, and in a few weeks you will have a better appearing lawn with no need to worry if the sod will take.
The protective mulch covering has an attractive green appearance. A special blend of seeds will be used that will be chosen for the conditions and requirements you have. The factors that may go into the choice may be the amount of sun, shade, the terrain, the type of soil and if you have children or pets.
Your lawn will be hydro seeded with a tested, high quality, certified turf mix. Germination time will depend on the weather, the time of year, the amount of water, the area you live in and other factors. Usually grass will be visible in 5-7 days, a few days slower in cold weather or the hottest part of summer.
H & K Landscaping
Brett Huizenga
Hydroseeding, Hudsonville
http://hklandscaping.com Hydro Seeding works great for lawns, roadsides, erosion control projects and more. It offers faster germination, eliminates the use of... more -
Hydro Seed Lawncare Maintenance & Tips
H & K Landscaping Lawncare Tips
WATERING
Do not water until the hydro-seed application has completely dried. This allows the tack to set which helps hold the mulch, seed and soil together.
For optimum seed germination, the soil surface should be kept moist for a period of 6 to 8 weeks.
To prevent washouts, it is recommended that you avoid watering when heavy rains are predicted.
To prevent fungus, it is recommended that you water thoroughly every other day when temperatures are 85 degrees or higher.
MOWING
The lawn should be mowed after the grass has reached a height of 3 1/2 to 4.
The cutting height of the mower should be set no lower than 3.
No more than 25% of the grass should be cut off in one cutting.
The mower blade should be sharp to prevent tearing.
The clippings should only be picked up to prevent clumping of cut grass.
The lawn should be cut with the lawn mower set on 1/2 throttle to reduce the amount of suction generated by the mower blade.
The above procedures should be followed for the first 3 or 4 cuttings.
There are three very important conditions to obtain optimum seed germination and plant growth.
First you need a good soil. If your seed bed contains too much clay, your ground becomes too dense and hard making it very difficult to establish good root growth. If your seed bed contains too much sand, then it will be extremely hard for your seed bed to retain a sufficient amount of moisture to support plant growth. We suggest that if you have a clay base area to be seeded that you should add a minimum of 2" sandy base topsoil. If you are dealing with a sandy base area to be seeded, such as yellow sand or coarse sand, then we would recommend 3 to 4 inches of a clay based topsoil.
The next important thing is water. Your seeds must be kept moist, but not saturated. Kept moist could mean, not watering at all today because it had rained enough to keep the ground moist all day or it could mean that you need to water as many as 8 times a day because it is a very sunny, warm and breezy day resulting in quicker evaporation, which in turn will dry out the surface of the Hydro Seeding. It is likely that the germination process will be extended if you are watering only one or twice per day during time when there is little or no rainfall. Insufficient watering will more than likely have an effect on the germination and growth rate. It will usually extend the time it takes for the seed to germinate. For example, if your seed blend contains perennial turf type rye, it will take 7 to 10 days to germinate under optimum conditions. If the seed is not watered sufficiently, then it might take 15 to 20 days for the seeds to germinate.
H & K Landscaping
Hudsonville, MI
http://hklandscaping.com H & K Landscaping Lawncare Tips WATERING ... more -
Lawnmower turns leftover grass into toys
The Muwi cuts grass, and turns the waste into "grass waste toys." No need to go out and buy grass-balls or grass-discs any more. The Muwi cuts grass, and turns the waste into "grass waste toys." No need to go out and buy grass-balls or grass-discs any m... more
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Zero emissions lawn care
"Gallon for gallon — or, given the size of lawnmower tanks, quart for quart — the 2006 lawn mower engines contribute 93 times more smog-forming emissions than 2006 cars, according to the California Air Resources Board."
A 2006 New York Times article pretty much sums it up.
But Robert Johnson does something different. His Green Team Lawn Care service, only recently started, uses zero emissions equipment: a reel mower, brooms, lawn clippers. And he travels around pulling all of it in a trailer behind his bike. The verdict? His customers love it. "Gallon for gallon — or, given the size of lawnmower tanks, quart for quart — the 2006 lawn mower engines contribute 93 times mor... more -
Sweden By Lawnmower
Truck driver Kjell Fundin has done what no man has ever done before by traveling almost the entire length of Sweden on a lawnmower.
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Keep it Reel
This pod is a psa of sorts, that talks about the benefits of a reel type lawn mower instead of a gas mower. Hip-hop, blues and lawn care, how much better could it get? This pod is a psa of sorts, that talks about the benefits of a reel type lawn mower instead of a gas mower. Hip-hop, blues and lawn ca... more
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Gentlemen, Start Your Engines
'The cutting edge of motor sport.' I would happily mow many lawns with one of these.
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