Bring your electric lawn mowers for this year’s 4th of July parade in Hanover, NH. Courtesy image

Barbara Callaway

This Fourth of July a group in Hanover, NH will be celebrating electric lawn care as a way to reduce our carbon footprint. Who knew that a gas-powered mower, using 1.75 gallons per hour, running for 50 hours a season, would produce 1,662.5 pounds of CO₂–almost one ton a year! Over the life of a mower, that is a lot of fuel, emissions, and money saved using electricity. And if you power your mower with renewable electricity, you are helping the Upper Valley move closer to using 100% renewable energy by 2050 which is the goal for Hanover.

In addition to electric lawn equipment, there are other ways to achieve more energy-efficient lawn care. Reduce the amount of mowing you actually do by reducing the size of your lawn. Plant “pollinator gardens” and edible landscapes instead of grass. Make sure you improve and maintain the efficiency of your current mower, leaf blower, or trimmer by having it serviced yearly. If you are ready to upgrade your equipment, consider going electric. Electric mowers, leaf blowers, and trimmers are quieter, generate zero emissions, and save you money. There are even robomowers, like robot vacuum cleaners, which are available locally! (See Green-e-Mowers ad on p. 39)

Please join the Hanover Neighborhood Action Group Electric Lawnmower Brigade in the Hanover July 4th parade. Bring your electric lawn mower, electric leaf blower or electric trimmer and march with us. Or just come march with us! The parade begins at 10 AM at Hovey Lane and Lebanon Streets in Hanover. We need “majorettes”,”drum majors,” children, even musicians and especially electric lawn gear. So please plan to bring your electric lawn care tools or come see what your neighbors are using!

Contact Barbara Callaway at bcallaway65@gmail.com for more information.