The Serenity of Using a Non-Power Mower
Dear Elaine: Here’s one step I’ve taken to simplify my life: I bought one of those lawn mowers with rotating blades and no motor.
Where I live, in the Deep South, the heat and humidity can literally be killers, but I can mow my lawn in the cool hours of early morning without bothering the neighbors. This is not your grandfather’s mower! The new models are lightweight, easy to push and whisper-quiet. Also, they don’t lay a cloud of smelly fumes or hurl out hard objects at high velocity.
My neighbors do wonder, though, at how I can get my grass cut without them hearing or seeing me.
--T.H., NEW ORLEANS
Dear T.H.: Ahhh, yes. Many of us can remember a time when the sounds of summer were as mellow as the hum of bees at work in the clover. Occasionally you’d hear the gentle whirling of a reel lawn mower, which didn’t feel the least bit intrusive. These days the music of nature is more likely to be drowned out by the steady roar of mowers, vacuums and blowers.
In my first book in the simplicity series, “Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter,” I suggest in item No. 14, that you can simplify your life by getting rid of your lawn altogether and replacing it with a beautiful, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant ground cover, and I’ve heard from many readers who’ve done that and never looked back.
But I know there are many people who love their lawns and their power mowers. Some might even argue that the power mower helps them simplify their lives and leave room for the things they really enjoy.
However, simplifying isn’t something that happens in a vacuum. Maybe some of those people would feel differently if they knew the downside of power mowers.
For starters, power mowers are a safety hazard. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 60,359 emergency room visits were associated with power mowers in 1997. A study at Loyola University Medical Center revealed that more than 2,000 children are permanently disabled every year by power lawn mowers.
Power mowers can propel stones, wire, glass and other objects at speeds of up to 200 mph and can easily fling them 40 or 50 feet. The blade itself is a dangerous weapon, with a wounding capacity more than three times that of a .357-caliber Magnum gun. Why would anyone want such a hazard within range of children--or anyone else?
Power mowers also contribute to the general noise pollution in neighborhoods and pollute the air with gas, oil and fumes, all of which rob us of the pleasure of being outdoors.
Few of us are anti-technology, but perhaps it’s time we reexamine some of our choices and ask what we’ve lost by insisting that every task be power-assisted.
Reel mowers are inexpensive to purchase, and they’re environment- and neighbor-friendly. And they’re easy to use, even for kids. Wouldn’t it simplify your life if your kids could easily and safely mow the lawn for you?
The new reel mowers are designed to cut better, and the blades stay sharp longer. They’re much easier to push than the clunky versions of yesteryear.
Pushing a lawn mower can also be terrific exercise, which makes it a satisfying alternative to a crowded, noisy gym. According to Men’s Fitness magazine, pushing a manual mower burns 400 to 450 calories an hour.
There are encouraging signs that reel mowers are making a comeback, as a result of the trend in simplifying and conserving the environment. The American Lawn Mower Co., the largest manufacturer of reel mowers, set a company record in 1998, with sales of 300,000 units. Maybe it’s time for everyone else to join T.H. on this bandwagon.
Elaine St. James is the author of “Simplify Your Life” and “Simplify Your Life With Kids.” For questions or comments, write to her in care of Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111, or e-mail her at estjames@silcom.com.
