Cut that grass baby! Push! Yard work: Relaxing pastime on the weekends? Or one of the banes of existence?
Having done more than my share of motorized yard work during high school (I mowed yards for several neighbors), I tend to side with the "bane of existence" line of thinking. But is there any magic to be found in yard work?
Let's face it. Lawnmowers are noisy, stinky contraptions that require gasoline and maintenance. Yard work is time and money consuming. Life is short. Don't we have better things to do?
On top of that, when you look at the big picture of millions of people cutting hundreds and hundreds of thousands of acres, we can see a massive economic and environmental cost. Here's a brief excerpt/quote from the article, "The Economics of Lawns and Landscaping" by Brent Blackwelder:
Having done more than my share of motorized yard work during high school (I mowed yards for several neighbors), I tend to side with the "bane of existence" line of thinking. But is there any magic to be found in yard work?
Let's face it. Lawnmowers are noisy, stinky contraptions that require gasoline and maintenance. Yard work is time and money consuming. Life is short. Don't we have better things to do?
On top of that, when you look at the big picture of millions of people cutting hundreds and hundreds of thousands of acres, we can see a massive economic and environmental cost. Here's a brief excerpt/quote from the article, "The Economics of Lawns and Landscaping" by Brent Blackwelder:
Around $45 billion is spent annually to care for the 40 million acres of lawns in the U.S., with 800 million gallons of gasoline burned in dirty lawnmower engines. Application of broad-leaf herbicides and high-nitrogen fertilizers for yard maintenance also entails harmful runoff into streams, rivers, bays and estuaries.
Think about that: $45 billion. I'll repeat: $45 billion PER YEAR is what it costs everyone to care/cut grass, and that's just in the U.S. If that number was reduced by 1/2 or even 1/4, consider how many people could $22 billion potentially feed? How much new medical research or cancer treatment could $11 billion fund?
Of course there are many ways of thinking about it, but the stats speak for themselves about the costs. Sure, each of us is only one person, but each person does make a difference and the more people who think about these things, the more effect/change in the world can be created. We feel that one person cannot make a difference, but the truth is that we each have a measure of choice/responsibility about the world we create.
I was glad when I bought my trailer that the "yard" or lot was small. I have ZERO desire for a large yard and extensive upkeep. For the past several years I've gotten away with using only an electric yard trimmer and extension cord to cut my yard. It's worked well overall and there's no gasoline to buy or store with fumes. Using electricity over buying gas is much less; I figure the electricity used to cut the grass is minimal, especially if I cut it to the ground, which saves me time, as I only have to cut the yard once a month.
But this past summer, I wondered if I could do better? I had the good fortune to buy a used manual reel mower. I wondered if I could get through most of the summer using only a reel mower and a handheld weed whacker.
Now it's easy to say how "green" using a reel mower or old-time manual farm implements are; but the truth is, even if you use them, you're still using fossil fuels. Think about the food you eat to get the energy to your physical body which you then transfer into the manual labor of cutting your grass. Sure there's no motor, but how many barrels of oil did it take to produce the food you ate?
Of course, I suppose one could argue we have to eat food regardless, so anyone is likely still reducing the impact by a certain measure using manual tools. Hmmm....
Thinking about it all just makes your head hurt doesn't it? "Who cares?" "I'm too busy to deal with all this." These are the old, familiar well worn fall-backs right? And this one is good too: "Ted, you must be crazy to think about this stuff?" Right? Maybe. I guess it was crazy being in the Middle East & seeing what oil really costs us all. Come to think of it, this is one crazy world all around. But where is the insanity coming from? And do we have a choice? Or have we traded away all of our power? And for what?
Of course, some say I'm "crazy," so I spent a few years thinking about it all & putting it all together just for you in one book I like to call "The STARLING Connection." It describes the world in 2045 and what's going to happen if people don't cut back on using gas guzzling CO2 emitting lawn mowers for their lawn work... OK, so there aren't actually any lawnmowers in the book, but there are ULTRAs, the high flying gas-guzzling massive SUVs of the near future, which happen to be totally computer driven, along with a description of what we might end up doing to the Earth and ourselves... That part of what it's all about, lol... If you haven't read it already, go ahead, "make my day." It's on Amazon & it's only $2.99. Not a bad price for five years of work, wouldn't you say? Since, as you can see, I keep working and working to use less electricity at home, you can get the e-book, enjoy it & help me pay 1/4-1/2 of my electric bill so I can keep sending you more of these cool blog posts...
I'm pleased to say I did get through most of the summer using the reel mower and old-fashioned weed whacker for the steep bank. I confess to one exception when I broke out the electric trimmer again. I'd been gone for two weeks visiting family & the grass had gotten too high for the reel mower.
Which leads me to the Top 5 pros & cons of reel mowers, based on my experiences this summer (feel free to laugh and think at will):
Charms (Pros):
Curses (Cons):
OK those are my thoughts so far on reel mowers. Enjoy some of the pics below using the reel mower from this past July/August. I may have some updates for you next summer. I'd say overall, I'm glad to enjoy the reel mower. For me, because I have a small yard, the reel mower doesn't actually take too much more time than the electric weed cutter (by the time I fool with the weed cutter's long extension cord, etc.) And I can cut portions of the yard a bit at a time. For example when I pull in the drive, I can take about 5 minutes and cut a portion of the yard so it's part of the routine. I have grown very accustomed to the quiet and peace of mind I enjoy with the reel mower and look forward to using it again next summer.
What are you thoughts on economic/environmental costs of lawn maintenance in the western world? Do you have experience with reel mowers? What are your ideas/tips on best reel mower techniques? Do you use any other manual yard tools? What's worked for you? Share this post! And share your thoughts in the comments below.
Of course there are many ways of thinking about it, but the stats speak for themselves about the costs. Sure, each of us is only one person, but each person does make a difference and the more people who think about these things, the more effect/change in the world can be created. We feel that one person cannot make a difference, but the truth is that we each have a measure of choice/responsibility about the world we create.
I was glad when I bought my trailer that the "yard" or lot was small. I have ZERO desire for a large yard and extensive upkeep. For the past several years I've gotten away with using only an electric yard trimmer and extension cord to cut my yard. It's worked well overall and there's no gasoline to buy or store with fumes. Using electricity over buying gas is much less; I figure the electricity used to cut the grass is minimal, especially if I cut it to the ground, which saves me time, as I only have to cut the yard once a month.
But this past summer, I wondered if I could do better? I had the good fortune to buy a used manual reel mower. I wondered if I could get through most of the summer using only a reel mower and a handheld weed whacker.
Now it's easy to say how "green" using a reel mower or old-time manual farm implements are; but the truth is, even if you use them, you're still using fossil fuels. Think about the food you eat to get the energy to your physical body which you then transfer into the manual labor of cutting your grass. Sure there's no motor, but how many barrels of oil did it take to produce the food you ate?
Of course, I suppose one could argue we have to eat food regardless, so anyone is likely still reducing the impact by a certain measure using manual tools. Hmmm....
Thinking about it all just makes your head hurt doesn't it? "Who cares?" "I'm too busy to deal with all this." These are the old, familiar well worn fall-backs right? And this one is good too: "Ted, you must be crazy to think about this stuff?" Right? Maybe. I guess it was crazy being in the Middle East & seeing what oil really costs us all. Come to think of it, this is one crazy world all around. But where is the insanity coming from? And do we have a choice? Or have we traded away all of our power? And for what?
Of course, some say I'm "crazy," so I spent a few years thinking about it all & putting it all together just for you in one book I like to call "The STARLING Connection." It describes the world in 2045 and what's going to happen if people don't cut back on using gas guzzling CO2 emitting lawn mowers for their lawn work... OK, so there aren't actually any lawnmowers in the book, but there are ULTRAs, the high flying gas-guzzling massive SUVs of the near future, which happen to be totally computer driven, along with a description of what we might end up doing to the Earth and ourselves... That part of what it's all about, lol... If you haven't read it already, go ahead, "make my day." It's on Amazon & it's only $2.99. Not a bad price for five years of work, wouldn't you say? Since, as you can see, I keep working and working to use less electricity at home, you can get the e-book, enjoy it & help me pay 1/4-1/2 of my electric bill so I can keep sending you more of these cool blog posts...
I'm pleased to say I did get through most of the summer using the reel mower and old-fashioned weed whacker for the steep bank. I confess to one exception when I broke out the electric trimmer again. I'd been gone for two weeks visiting family & the grass had gotten too high for the reel mower.
Which leads me to the Top 5 pros & cons of reel mowers, based on my experiences this summer (feel free to laugh and think at will):
Charms (Pros):
- Costs are reduced. No extra out of pocket costs such as buying gasoline. A bit of reduction to electric bill for a bit less electricity used than usual.
- No direct use of coal for extra electricity.
- Get more exercise! Takes a bit more physical effort to push around a reel mower and/or to use a manual implement such as a weed whacker. But who said a bit of extra exercise is a bad thing?
- Additional mental peace of mind (personal benefit stemming from the exercise and satisfaction of reducing your consumption of the planet's finite resources.)
- No noisy motor. It's very nice and can be more enjoyable to cut your grass in silence. You can listen to the birds in the trees above you, the wind and animals, while cutting your grass. You feel more together with your own space on the planet. Plus you don't annoy your neighbors. In fact, you can cut your grass at 6 a.m. or 9 p.m. if you want to and not disturb anybody.
Curses (Cons):
- Reel mowers can take a measure of extra time and extra work. The extra work depends on how large your yard is. Obviously, if you have a large lot, or a steep yard with steep or awkward banks, then it may not be efficient to use a reel mower. That said, it can still be possible to reduce your gasoline mower use/motorized weed whacker use by using a reel mower or manual tools for a portion of your yard. (Example: If your front yard is small and flat, but your back yard is steep and large, you can use a reel mower for the front and only cut the back when you have to with motorized tools.) Another thing about time/work, we should also factor in the extra time/work of a reel mower versus the time/work it takes to produce the money to purchase a quality lawnmower, gasoline on a regular basis, including the fuel your car uses to go get the gasoline, plus the costs of maintenance of the lawn mower, spark plugs, and so on.
- You have to be in good enough physical shape to use a reel mower and other manual tools. A reel mower won't pull for you like some lawnmowers. And you can't ride a reel mower.
- You will be cutting your grass more frequently using a reel mower. Reel mowers take some getting used to. Some techniques work better than others, depending on your equipment. For example, I found that my reel mower works best when I cut the grass every week. If the grass gets too high, it won't fit in at the level where the blades will cut it. So you have to cut it frequently enough that the grass doesn't get too high. Also I found it helps to go over the same area you cut at least twice, preferably in one direction, then in a cross direction, to catch stray blades of grass that the reel mower missed.
- You will have to be satisfied with "good enough" over "perfect." Despite your best efforts, there may still be a blade or two of grass left after you've run over your yard a couple of times with the reel mower. Now for some folks that's unacceptable. It depends on your level of "perfectionism." I'm still training myself to be a "good enough" person, but I prefer to get the old-time weed whacker to cut any remaining blades, because this helps when you use the reel mower the next time.
- Even reel mowers take some maintenance. Be ready to sharpen the blades with a file or knife sharpener. You'll want to keep them sharp for best results. And don't leave the reel mower outside or the blades will rust reducing the effectiveness.
OK those are my thoughts so far on reel mowers. Enjoy some of the pics below using the reel mower from this past July/August. I may have some updates for you next summer. I'd say overall, I'm glad to enjoy the reel mower. For me, because I have a small yard, the reel mower doesn't actually take too much more time than the electric weed cutter (by the time I fool with the weed cutter's long extension cord, etc.) And I can cut portions of the yard a bit at a time. For example when I pull in the drive, I can take about 5 minutes and cut a portion of the yard so it's part of the routine. I have grown very accustomed to the quiet and peace of mind I enjoy with the reel mower and look forward to using it again next summer.
What are you thoughts on economic/environmental costs of lawn maintenance in the western world? Do you have experience with reel mowers? What are your ideas/tips on best reel mower techniques? Do you use any other manual yard tools? What's worked for you? Share this post! And share your thoughts in the comments below.
 20 inches of pure physical cutting power! Yeah!  See the difference? Left side/right side? Dandelions on right. |  Wheels are large enough to roll up the hill.  Heavier reel mowers are available. But I like the lightweight one. Easier to push. |
