Earth-Friendly Tips for the Lawn Care Season

Nearly 60 million Americans will power up gas-powered lawn mowers, trimmers, edgers and blowers this Spring, consuming approximately 800 million gallons of gas a year on more than 30 million acres across the United States.

Although design improvements on these small engines have reduced harmful emissions over the last few years, there are a number of steps homeowners can take to make that green thumb even greener.

  -- Fill up your tank with ethanol-enriched fuel. Small engines can
     efficiently burn E10, a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent
     ethanol. The use of E10 reduces greenhouse gas emissions by as much as
     30 percent.
  -- Ethanol is clean burning and high octane. Small engines run in dirtier
     conditions than cars and contain smaller engine components, making
     clean gas essential for top performance.
  -- Fuel properties must change with the season. Winter gas can cause a
     lawn mower to stall in hot weather. Therefore, using a relatively small
     storage container will help you keep the fuel fresh. If you must store
     fuel for months at a time, use a suitable container designed for
     gasoline and a fuel stabilizer to help avoid poor fuel quality.
  -- Maintain your equipment. Tuning up a typical walk-behind lawn mower at
     the beginning of the season can eliminate the same amount of exhaust
     emissions produced by driving a car 26 miles, according to Briggs &
     Stratton research engineers. It will also conserve gasoline.
  -- Leave grass clippings on the ground instead of picking them up. Grass
     cycling makes the mowing process much faster and the grass blades
     redistribute nitrogen to the lawn and soil.
  -- Avoid spilling gasoline. Buy a "non-spill" gas container or "non-spill"
     nozzle. Leave room in the fuel tank for expansion.
  -- Pay attention to air quality. Don't cut the lawn on days when a
     pollution advisory has been announced.

"Air Pollution is a problem for all Americans," said Joanna Schroeder with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC). "There are simple changes in your everyday chores, even in your own backyard, which can make a difference."

About EPIC:

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is a nonprofit organization of ethanol producers and industry leaders who have come together to spread the word about the benefits of ethanol through information and promotional programs. To learn more about the ethanol, visit http://www.drivingethanol.org/