My old electric mower has finally given up and gone to lawnmower heaven.
Read the following on the net, so am thinking of getting a manual lawn mower. Anyone used these? Opinions"
A lawn is usually one of the most environmentally unsustainable components of suburban backyards. They are one step better than concrete or paved back yards which create exceptionally high levels of stormwater runoff and kill microbial life in the soil underneath.
Some of us are able to do away with lawn almost entirely and use a landscape design that enables us to use and appreciate our backyards whilst maintaining trees, shrubs, plants and creepers and garden beds. This is difficult if we have children. Children like space to run around and play, so for some of us we must compromise our environmental ethic.
We can achieve some balance by planting alternative lawn species ie species that need little or no mowing, fertilising and pest treatment. Another way we can maintain our environmental ethic and a lawn is to use a push mower instead of a motor mower. It has been estimated that a petrol-powered mower running for 30 minutes will produce the same amount of particulate air pollution as a car travelling approximately 300 kms, or the same as 40 stationary cars with their engines running. The next time you mow with your motor mower, imagine 40 cars in your back yard, all with their motors running for the same length of time you are mowing. Electric mowers produce less pollution, but there is pollution in the energy generation.
Push mowers are sometimes called hand lawn mowers, or manual lawn mowers. Whatever their name, they are all powered by renewable energy ie YOU. They were invented in 1830 by the English engineer Edwin Budding, and have progressed considerable since then. Some of us will remember the heavy, hard to push, push mowers of 30+years ago. The later models have used newer materials to cut the weight to approximately 10 kg. These later models also have the non-contact cutting system - where the two parts of the scissor-like blade come within a fraction of a millimetre of each other but do not actually touch. This makes pushing the mower much easier and quieter. It also means the blade needs sharpening less often.
Push mowers usually have an adjustable cutting height from 1cm to 4 cms. This is shorter than motor mower cutting recommendations, but the push mower cuts differently and leaves the lawn in better condition. Push mowers will help develop a low-water, healthy and energy-efficient lawn.