Increasing Numbers of Canadians Switch to Electric and Reel Lawn Mowers

Canadians are switching to electric and manual push reel lawn mowers at increasingly higher rates thanks in part to a partnership between the Clean Air Foundation of Canada and Home Depot Canada.

The Clean Air Foundation's Mow Down Pollution program provides rebates of up to $100 for people who turn in gas powered lawn mowers.  The 7th annual Mow Down Pollution program ran from April 19-29, 2007 across Canada and more than 5,700 mowers and trimmers were collected from consumers.  The lawn mowers and trimmers are then picked up by a network of 65 auto recyclers who remove the fluids and recover the metals from the machines.

"(Gas) lawn mowers and trimmers and small engines across Canada emit 10 percent of the greenhouse gases that are emitted every single year, and as the world is trying to emit less, this is a simple way to do it," said John DeFranco, a merchandising director for Home Depot.

He told the AP that people in health-conscious urban areas, like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, where there are smaller lawns, were returning their gas mowers and switching to push mowers

The partnership between Home Depot and the Clean Air Foundation is an interesting one.  It provides a win win situation for both the non-profit and the retail giant.  Home Depot Canada is the birthplace of another winning eco-idea that has now made its way to the US.  The Eco-Options program began in Canada and was rolled out earlier this year in U.S. stores.  It will be interesting to see if a program similar to the Canadian one addressing gas lawn mowers also comes down from the north.