City offering discounted electric lawn mowers

If you want to jump on the "go green" bandwagon and save some green in the process, heads up: The City of Dallas is offering a deal that lets you do both.
Right now if you trade in your old gas-powered lawnmower, you can get a new electric version for half-off the original price. That means you can score a brand new Neuton Mower for less than $200 including tax.
Get a 50 percent discount, plus save gas money and the environment at the same time? Now there's a good deal that makes you feel good too.
I read about the city's "Mow Down Air Pollution" program today on the Friends of Katy Trail Blog. You just need to contact Nicole Cooper at the city and tell her you'd like to make the trade: 214.670.6646.
But there's only 400 lawnmowers up for grabs, so if you're interested you'd better get a move on.

Comments

[Norman Alston]

I've had a rechargeable mower for years and wouldn't want anything else. Always starts and so quiet you can mow on Saturday before 10:00 am.

[Robert]

Isn't this just shifting pollution from my home to the power plant?

And what is to be done with the mower that is getting replaced? It will be recycled, I presume, but aren't there energy costs in that? And what will the recycled materials be used for? More pollution devices?

This gimmick is a "feel good" approach with little actual benefits.

[Dallas May]

@Norman Alston,

Actually no, it is not just simply shifting pollution from one place to another. First, the power that comes from coal, petroleum, and natural gas power plants is a lot "greener" so to speak because it is easier to produce and less is burnt off in the production. Second they are much more efficient than your gas powered cars and lawn mowers, very little heat is ever wasted at a modern power plant as opposed to your car which wastes heat like an eskimo having a bar-b-q.

Also, 20+ of the power that is feeding your lawn mower is Renewable energy and that number is growing everyday. You can't say the same if you buy a gas powered lawn mower. Finally, you can even purchase your power from a 100% renewable energy company like GreenMountain. My wife and I made the switch in January and our electric bills dropped a staggering 60% year on year. (Granted that also has to do with some upgrades to appliances and better light bulbs but the drop was still very welcome.)

So, no. I don't see this as simply "Feel Good" benefits. Sometimes it's actually not green washing. My wife and I have loved our Fully Electric Lawnmower that we bought last March. And I think knowing my mower is being run by 100% West Texas Wind Power, makes my grass just a little bit greener.