April 27, 2021 Home
With the arrival of spring, we want to get outside and enjoy all the plants and trees that come back to life after a winter break. Of course, that means the grass will grow, the weeds will come, and unwanted shrubs and bushes have grown bigger.
I went out to mow the lawn around the house with my old beat up push mower.
After 45 minutes, I had completed the task; but while mowing, I realized how loud the mower was and how strong were the fumes. Time for a new mower. Exploring the many mowers available, I decided to purchase an electric mower with a 56 volt battery. It cost about $100 more than the gas-powered mower.
Mowing is more enjoyable now. There is no gasoline smell. The mower hums rather than roars. No filling or spilling of gas, and less trips to the gas station to fill gas can and carry it back home in your vehicle.
The battery is easily inserted in the mower and easily removed with a click. The battery can be charged in any household outlet. Full charge in one hour. The fully charged battery allows mowing for a bit over an hour, which is long enough for me. It makes me happy to cut back in this small way on burning fossil fuels.
And the $100 additional cost? Think about how much gas you use over the life of a mower. If you have a two gallon tank, each fill up is $5. How many fill ups will you have over the life of a mower? A lot more than 20. And don’t forget you need to buy oil for your gas-powered mower as well.
Habits are hard to break, and most of us have used gas-powered equipment (and gas-powered vehicles) for years and decades. However, over the past few years there have been major improvements in battery-powered tools and equipment and vehicles, including leaf blowers, weedeaters, and chainsaws. Battery-powered tools may not be useful in all situations, but more and more they are becoming the standard for homeowners. The environment (including the air we breathe) benefits when you reduce usage of fossil fuels.
Then there is the electric car – with General Motors and Volkswagen committing to an all electric fleet by 2035. Next article will present some interesting facts about electric vehicles.
NOTE: As part of the Drive Electric Tennessee activities for Earth Day, on Thursday, April 22 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Bays Mountain Park in Kingsport, there will be a gathering with a dozen electric vehicles. For more information, go to: driveelectricearthday.org Those registering and attending will get a chance to win a $250 VISA gift card.
Everyone needs to learn more about electricity and our electric cooperative. For more information, go to pve.coop.