Clean Air Partners Urges Region to Fight Hidden Backyard Pollution Hazards

With spring upon us, and ozone season just around the corner, Clean Air Partners (CAP) invites Baltimore-Washington residents to replace their gas powered lawn tools (lawn mowers, leaf blowers and grass trimmers) with more eco-friendly electric versions. Kicking off the campaign with Air Quality Awareness Week (May 6-10, 2024), CAP is announcing its lineup of spring events to help residents do their share for cleaner air.

Despite a steady trend of improved air quality across the metropolitan Baltimore-Washington region, 2023 saw the highest number of unhealthy air quality days in more than a decade. Many of last year's spikes in bad air days were attributed to smoke from the unprecedented Canadian wildfires. Last June, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Maryland Department of Environment both issued the region's first code purple health advisories, signifying "very unhealthy" conditions.

As part of this year's campaign, Clean Air Partners is hosting a series of events at Baltimore-Washington area hardware stores to educate locals on how to fight hidden backyard pollution hazards. The events coincide with Clean Air Partners' new 2024 Gas Lawn Tools Exchange, which is set to remove more than one hundred gas-powered polluting tools from local yards in exchange for free electric versions.

"Our CAP Spring events, including the Gas Lawn Tools Exchange, is one way residents can help the community become more resilient against extreme weather events," said Jennifer Raley, Clean Air Partners Board Chair. "There is also a myriad of benefits when folks switch from gas to electric lawn equipment, including lowering emissions, noise pollution, health risks, maintenance costs and time."

Individual actions can go a long way toward supporting local, state and federal programs to meet the community's climate goals. What's more, local governments, such as Montgomery County and the District of Columbia, have recently passed bans on gas-powered leaf blowers, making now the perfect time to go electric.

The pollutants from gas lawn equipment harm not only an individual's lungs but air quality for the whole community. Some gas lawn mowers produce worse carbon footprints than cars. On average, an hour of mowing with gas equals the same emissions as driving between Washington, D.C., and Cleveland, Ohio?about 350 miles. A gas leaf blower pollutes nearly 300 times as much as a pickup truck. Newer electric lawn care equipment is more efficient and doesn't need oil changes or filter cleanings, making it less complicated and costly.

Clean Air Partners encourages residents to green their lawn routines with the following tips:

- Pass on gas tools. Opt for electric and manual lawn care.
- Mow on low ozone days when air quality is good.
- Go organic for fertilizers and pesticides. Try natural alternatives like compost, alfalfa, fish meal and neem oil.
- Mow less often by letting your grass grow a little taller.
- Make your own mulch by leaving grass clippings instead of bagging and sending to the landfill.

According to a recent regional survey, one of the best opportunities for Baltimore and Washington D.C. residents to reduce air pollution is by switching from gas-powered to electric lawn equipment. While 78% of survey respondents said they are willing to make the change, only 42% have actually done so.

Participants at the Clean Air Partners Spring "Backyard Bubble" events will have opportunities to win free raffle prizes of EGO Power+ electric mowers, blowers or trimmers. The interactive exhibit showcases the unexpected sources of air pollution in our own backyards and will visit Waverly Ace Hardware (Baltimore) on May 18, Fairfax Ace Hardware (Fairfax, V.A.) on May 19, and Frager's Hardware (Washington, D.C.) on June 1. Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia residents can sign up to be added to the waitlist to exchange and recycle their gas mower, blower or trimmer at https://qrco.de/CAPExchange.

For more information and resources for Air Quality Awareness week, including the Clean Air Partners Air Quality app, visit cleanairpartners.net.

For media inquiries, contact [email protected] or call (512) 743-2659.

Clean Air Partners is a public-private partnership educating the greater metropolitan Baltimore-Washington region about health risks associated with poor air quality and the impacts everyday actions have on the environment. Since 1997, Clean Air Partners has been dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations to take simple actions to reduce air pollution, protect public health, and improve air quality. cleanairpartners.net