Gas-Powered Lawn Equipment is Killing Life on Our Planet
In 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the findings of a landmark study of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by gas-powered lawn and garden equipment in the United States.
“VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, and include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long-term health effects” (EPA, n.d.).
The study measured levels of pollutants including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide, which escape as troublesome byproducts of the combustion engines in fossil-fueled lawn maintenance equipment, and the numbers were staggering.
The EPA discovered that approximately 26.7 million tons of pollutants were emitted annually by these gas-guzzling machines, accounting for a major portion of non-road gasoline emissions in the US.
Of these 26.7 million tons of pollutants, a whopping 20 million tons of it came in the form of carbon dioxide, which is one of the major greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. It was found that overall, 12% of all carbon dioxide emissions in the US come from lawn care equipment.
Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide pose serious health risks to humans in the form of
respiratory maladies such as asthma, emphysema, and lung cancer.
In addition to carbon dioxide, gas-powered lawn equipment emit huge amounts of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. These compounds are not just planet-killing greenhouse gases, but are also toxic poisons that damage the health of all animals, including humans.
Carbon monoxide has been shown to reduce oxygen levels in our bloodstream, which can impair our cognitive abilities and the way our brains work, as well as heart function, increasing our vulnerability to serious, long-term aortic disease.
Likewise, nitrogen oxide is a plague to both the planet and the people who live here. It is the principle component in smog, which not only causes acid rain, but impairs breathing and lung function, increasing the likelihood of infection and disease.
The EPA also found that gas-powered lawn equipment accounts for as much as 8% of the annual emissions of two lesser known, yet harmful VOCs, benzene and 1,3-butadiene. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene is linked to weakened immune systems, anemia, decreased ovary size in women, and leukemia. The EPA classifies 1,3-butadiene as a carcinogen, and exposure to it may contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and leukemia.
Greenhouse gases do their damage to the Earth by trapping heat in the atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise on both land and sea, melting our glaciers and polar ice caps. It is estimated that tens of millions of people will be displaced in the next few decades as rising ocean waters flood the world’s major coastal cities making them uninhabitable.
In the United States, some 54 million homeowners maintain their land with gas-powered machines, using 800 million gallons of gas per year. Of that 800 million gallons, it is estimated that as much as 17 million gallons end up spilled onto the ground during refueling. That’s about 60% of the amount of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez in the ecological nightmare that took place when it ran aground in 1989, seeping into our soil every single year. Not only does this spillage contaminate groundwater, but it also releases smog-forming ozone into the air as it evaporates after spilling.
The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that one hour of run-time from a typical gas-powered mower releases as much pollution into our air as 8 sedans cruising the highway at 55 mph for the same amount of time.
It is estimated that for every 500 gas-powered mowers that get replaced by battery-powered electric mowers we send 2000 pounds less carbon dioxide, 212 pound less carbon monoxide, and 2 pounds less nitrogen oxide into our fragile atmosphere.
Here at Belladonna Earth, we are optimistic that change can happen if we work for it. We strive to provide top-quality lawn care services, using state-of-the-art, battery-powered equipment, so that you can feel good about helping to reduce our carbon footprint, and have a great-looking yard at the same time.
References
Banks, J. & McConnell, R. (2015, April). National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/banks.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2018, April). Facts About Benzene. Retrieved from https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/benzene/basics/facts.asp
Cleaner Air: Gas Mower Pollution Facts. (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/faq-environment.htm
Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. (n.d.) 1,3-Butadiene. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-08/documents/13-butadiene.pdf
Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. ( n.d.) Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality
Jacobson, M. (2008, February). On the Causal Link Between Carbon Dioxide and Air Pollution Mortality. Atmospheric Science RSS. Retrieved from https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2007GL031101
Klein, J. (2008, June). How to Pick a Lawnmower That’s Easy on Man -- And Nature. Scientific American RSS. Retrieved from https://scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-pick-a-lawnmower/
Lamb, S. (2018, April). How Does Carbon Dioxide Affect the Environment? Retrieved from https://sciencing.com/carbon-dioxide-affect-environment-8583965.html
Mozes, A. (2017, September). Respiratory Disease Death Rates Have Soared. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/news/20170929/respiratory-disease-death-rates-have-soared#1
National Cancer Institute [NIH]. (n.d.). Annual Report of the Nation 2019: Overall Cancer Statistics. Retrieved from https://seer.cancer.gov/report_to_nation/statistics.html
Nunez, C. (2019, May). Carbon Dioxide Levels Are at a Record High: Here’s What You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/greenhouse-gases/