It’s More Work, but It Causes Less Pollution

Huntington Beach resident Jason LaBounty said he drew pity from his neighbor the first time he used the reel mower he purchased at a garage sale for $15.

“He looked at me, looked at the mower, then back at me and said, ‘I’ve got a power mower in the garage.’ I said, ‘No, I just got this.’

“He looked at the mower again and said, ‘Uh huh, but if you want it . . . ‘ “

LaBounty said he gets a lot of ribbing from people about his reel mower, unable to convince them that he chose it over a power mower for environmental as well as health reasons.

“There’s no noise pollution, no pollution from gas,” he said. “Also, I like being outside doing stuff and getting a workout. You get a good workout for your arms and legs.”

There’s another reason LaBounty said he chose a reel mower--nostalgia. Pushing his reel mower reminds him of his boyhood days when he would help his dad push the family reel mower.

Mowing his own lawn has become somewhat of a ritual, accompanied by the wearing of a particular pair of shorts. “They’re plaid--definitely lawn shorts,” he said.