Top rated Consumer Reports Corded Mower: The CR top rated electric corded mower for 2010 was the Black and Decker MM875. The MM875 offers a 19″ cutting deck for making short work of that lawn. This model does every thing well, in fact, it does it just as well as if not better than your run of the mill gas mower. Results showed that the MM875 does a good job at leaving an even lawn height. Mulching, bagging and side discharge all yielded excellent results. Starting and ease of use could not be simpler with its electric no hassle start. Like all corded mowers, you have to handle it with a bit more care so that you do not sever the cord. In conclusion, the MM875 makes for a CR Best Buy as it outperformed all the other corded electrics in the test.

Top 3 CR Best Buy Corded Mower Sorted by Rating

Black and Decker MM875

Black and Decker MM875 Shop At Price Rating: $199.00

Features

• Corded 12 amp electric motor
• 100 foot electric cord
• Mulching, rear bag and discharging capabilities
• Single lever height adjustments
• Lightweight – weighing only 52 pounds
• Easy single button start

Black and Decker MM1800

Black and Decker MM1800 Shop At Price Rating: $226.54

Features

• 18″ deck size with up to 1/4 acre cord rage
• Corded 12 amp electric motor
• 100 foot electric cord
• Mulching, rear bag and discharging capabilities
• Single lever height adjustments
• Lightweight – weighing only 46 pounds
• Easy single button start

Earthwise 50120

Earthwise 50120 Shop At Price Rating: $215.80

Features

• 20″ deck size with up to 1/4 acre cord rage
• Comfort grip V handle
• Corded 12 amp electric motor
• 100 foot electric cord
• 3 in 1 Mulching, rear bag and discharging capabilities
• Single lever height adjustments
• Lightweight – weighing only 60 pounds
• Easy single button start

Earthwise 60020 20-Inch 24 Volt Cordless Electric

Earthwise 60020 Shop At Price Rating: $270.00

The Earthwise 60020 is a powerful 24 volt cordless electric with plenty of juice for the average lawn. Just as with a regular gas mower, you get 3 in 1 flexibility with either rear bag, side discharge or mulch settings without having to buy extra parts. The 60020 is much lighter than your run of the mill gas mower so it is very easy to push and maneuver. Of course you will also enjoy the silent to noxious fume mowing electrics offer.

If run time is your concern, no need to worry with this model because the average run time is 45-60 minutes, more than enough to finish the job. Best of all, this model is quite affordable and is equivalently priced to your average gas mower.

Haussmann CLM46NU 19 inch 24 volt Mower

Haussmann CLM46NU Shop At Price Rating: $199.00

The Haussmann CLM46NU is a sub $200 electric cordless mower with slightly smaller deck with than the Earthwise. It also omits the side chute so this is either a mulcher or a bagger. Ideal for smaller lawns that can be bagged easily or that can be completed quickly in mulch mode. Max run time on this one is 45 minutes so not quite as good as the Earthwise above. If you have a smaller lawn, you can’t go wrong with this one at this price. Of course you will enjoy all the benefits of electric at a low price.

Green Tool Benefits

When people think of  “green” they immediately think earth friendly for good reason.  Of course the same applies for green Eco friendly lawn and garden tools and for good reason. The average person probably does not know that gas powered lawn and garden tools, primarily lawn mowers and weed eaters, account for over 5% of the nation’s total air pollution figures. In addition, they use over 800 million gallons of fuel each year. So when you think about green garden tool benefits, this is certain to be on top of the list. That being said, unlike many other green things today, there are many other great side benefits to owning and operating green lawn and garden tools.  Below are some of these great benefits many people do not think about.

1. Green Eco friendly Allows you to Work in Peace. Did you know that operating your average lawn mower can damage hearing? According to studies, gas powered lawn and garden equipment can be extremely harmful when operated for periods lasting longer than 1 hour. With green tools, there is absolutely no need to worry about this.  Wouldn’t the sound of nature be a lot more relaxing than the constant droning of that lawn mower engine. How about mowing at 6am without waking the dead?
2. Eco friendly lawn and garden tools are easier to operate.   Electric powered lawn and garden tools are much lighter than their gas counter parts.  Most are 1/2 the weight if not more. This makes electric lawn mowers easier to maneuver and electric weed eaters easier to hold for prolonged periods of time.  No more rubber arms after you get done weed eating that yard! Most electric lithium battery powered weed eaters weigh less than 6 pounds!
3. Electric powered garden tools pay for themselves. This is something that has become more important with the age of high gas prices.  On average, an electric lawn mower will cost $5 or less PER YEAR to operate. That’s the price of 2 gallons of gas and soon to be just 1. Then, there are the annoying and costly repairs. As your gas powered equipment ages, it needs constant maintenance.  By switching to electrics, they actually pay for themselves in terms of savings over their gas powered counterparts.
4. Don’t you just hate pull starts! More gas powered tools have met with an early visit to the landfill due to impossible pull starts. As they age, they become more and more difficult to start. They get to a point where homeowners find it easier and more convenient to throw out the old and bring in the new only to repeat the cycle a few years later.  No such thing with electrics, just push a button and you’re off.  When the time comes, put an end to impossible pull starts once and for all by going with electric.
5. Electric garden tools clear the air right in your face.  No more noxious fumes going straight in your face. 0 emissions means 0 fumes. With an Eco friendly electric mower/weed eater, not only do you get to hear nature, you also get to smell it instead of the exhaust.
6. Electric tools are safer. One of the less thought about dangers of gas operated equipment is the gas storage. Most people don’t even think about it but having gas stored in your garage isn’t the safest thing. Fumes can escape the container which can easily ignite. Kids can get into the containers and poison themselves. There are many reasons why you should not be storing gas. Say good buy to those gas cans when you switch to electrics. As a bonus, no more annoying trips to the gas station half way through your mowing!

Ready to start enjoying the benefits of Green Garden Tools? Click here to view a great selection of Eco Friendly Tools, most with Free Shipping.

Mole

You have probably seen them on your lawn, long runs and/or mounds of dirt on your lawn.  While this looks bad, are moles really harmful to your lawn? The answer is absolutely not. The fact is that their co called “damage” is purely cosmetic and temporary. In the long run, no pun intended, their digging is actually quite beneficial to your lawn though it may not look it after they make a fresh run. You see, as they dig, they are actually aerating your gras, allowing air and water to into the soil.  They are also ridding your lawn of harmful pests like grubs.  Since for the most part they are strict insectivores, they do not disturb your grass’ roots. I have yet to see a lawn turn yellow or die from moles digging beneath it. On the contrary, I have seen grass come back stronger, greener and lusher in areas where they dig. Another benefit is fewer pests such as Japanese Beetles.  We had moles on our land for the first time this year and miraculously, had the fewest Japanese Beetles we have ever had since moving into this property.

Another common myth is that people think their lawn will be taken over by them. That they will reproduce and pretty soon your entire lawn will be over run by moles. This is NOT TRUE. Moles are solitary creatures and are very territorial. Aside from mating, they like to have a rather large area all to themselves.  They even drive out their young once they are old enough to fend for themselves. On small lawns, it is highly unlikely that there is more than 1 mole. On larger lawns, you may have 2-3 at most at any given time.

So if they are beneficial, why are they hated so much? I believe it’s due to lack of education. People see their runs and automatically think their lawn is somehow being damaged. The fact is that your pets relieving themselves on your lawn cause much more damage to it than moles ever could.  I have seen an entire small lawn be killed within 2 years by 2 small dogs.  Yet we don’t kill our pets do we?

In short, the best way to control moles is to do nothing at all! About the only problems you will run into is your lawn mower blade hitting some of their runs or mounds.  This is a simple matter of just stomping those down right before you mow.  About the only time I would recommend doing anything about moles, is if they get into your garden beds. While they wont eat your plants or vegetables, they will create tunnels that can then be used by mice or voles that will definitely eat them.  Even then,  I have noticed that this is but a temporary inconvenience since they tend to leave the area  after a short time.  All I have ever done about that is just continually stomping down the tunnels.

In conclusion, if you have have a mole “problem”. Don’t panic, they aren’t going to kill your lawn or anything like that. If you can live with them, great! That is my preferred method and your lawn will actually be more healthy for it.  If you find that you really cannot live with them, consider trapping them live instead of killing them.  A pitfall type trap, such as the one below works great.

Mole Pitfall Trap

Eco Friendly Mowing Myths

Myth #1: Eco-Friendly Mowers Lack the Power You need
Short of thick brush or wet grass, you will not see a lack of power from an electric mower or weed eater. Todays electrics have powerful motors that are suitable for most urban lawns. In fact, this 36-Volt Cordless Lawn Mower offers the power equivalent to a 4.0 horsepower gasoline-powered mower. The only difference is that you do not have to deal with the hassles of buying gas, changing oil, exhausting pull starts, figuring out why it doesn’t start and all the other problems that make gas mowers such a pain . Lastly, many people have been conditioned to look at horsepower figures when shopping for anything that has a gas engine. The reality is that most people buy way too much horse power than they really need. After all, you are cutting blades of grass, not not bamboo canes!

Myth #2: Green Eco Friendly Lawn Mowers Are Much More Expensive than Gas Power.
By in large, most electrics cost about the same or less than your run of the mill gas mower. Then of course, you have all the operating costs associated with gas power. For example, if takes half a gallon to mow your lawn and you mow 10 or more times each year, then at current fuel prices you are spending over $20-$30 a year to operate your mower. By comparison, It costs about $5 a year in electricity to operate a battery or electric-powered lawn mower. An electric mower will actually pay for itself, the same cannot be said about a gas mower.

Myth #3: Eco Friendly Lawn Mowers Will Not Make a Difference in my Mowing.
When thinking about making green changes, one of the stumbling blocks is always thinking that what you are doing makes no difference in the grand scheme of things. If everyone thought like that, then no one would recycle, use energy efficient bulbs, drive low emissions cars, etc. If it helps you, think about all the benefits and changes you will make right in your own back yard with an eco friendly mower.

• Save money on running costs.
• No oil changing or other expensive repairs that end costing more than the mower.
• No more fumes or carcinogens to breathe while you mow.
  
• No dangerous fuels to store or spills to clean up.
  
• No flying projectiles from over powered engines you do not need.
• No obnoxious or harmful noise levels to annoy your family and neighbors.
• No exhausting pull cords , fail starts.
• Lighter and easier to maneuver, especially around obstacles.

Myth #4: Using an Eco-Friendly Lawn Mower is Too Hard.
Im not sure how this one got started, the fact is they are much easier to use. Forget about pull starts, just press a button and start walking. Talk about easy! Unlike gas powered mowers, electric mowers are much lighter and easier to push. This eliminates the need for self propulsion. You will find electrics to be much easier to maneuver especially around obstacles.

Myth #5: Choosing The Right Green Lawn Mower is Too Difficult or Confusing.
While there are many choices such as cordless, corded and robotic. Choice is good! Depending on your fitness level, yard size, environmental interest, and needs, this website as well as others such as GreenGardenTools can help you select the right lawn mower for your job. .

Split System Requirements- Energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 13 or higher and seasonal energy efficiency ration (SEER) of 16 or higher.

Package System Requirements- EER of 12 or higher and SEER of 14 or higher.

Typical Costs Installed- Up to $5000, not including repairs or duct work changes. Get 3 FREE air conditioning quotes from qualified contractors with 1 click.

Furnace or Boiler

Requirements- Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of 95 or higher for natural gas and propane furnaces. AFUE of 90 or higher for boilers or oil furnaces.

Typical Cost Installed- $2,000-$5,000 Click Here to Compare Gas Furnace or Boiler Installation Estimates

Geothermal Heat Pump (Closed loop, open loop and direct expansion)

Closed Loop Requirements- EER of 14.1 or higher. Coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.3 or higher.

Open Loop Requirements- EER of 16.2 or higher. COP of 3.6 or higher.

Direct Expansion Requirements- EER of 15 or higher. COP of 3.5 or higher.

Typical Cost Installed- $7,500 Click Here to Compare Heat Pump Estimates

Attic Insulation

Requirements- Must meet 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. Primary purpose must be to insulate.

Typical Cost Installed- $650-$1,500 Click Here to Compare Insulation Estimates

Wall Insulation

Requirements- Must meet 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. Primary purpose must be to insulate.

Typical Cost Installed- $700 Click Here to Compare Insulation Estimates

Water Heater (Gas, propane or oil. Electric units do not qualify)

Requirements- Energy factor of .82 or higher or thermal efficiency of at least 90%.

Typical Cost Installed- $1000-$1400 Click Here to Compare Water Heater Installation Estimates

Windows

Requirements- U-Factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) must both be .30 or less.

Typical Cost Installed- $700-$100 per window  Click Here for Home Window Installation Estimates

Wood Pellet Stove

Requirements- Thermal efficiency of at least 75%.

Typical Cost Installed- $2300-$6000  Click Here for Stove Installation Estimates

Unlike tax deductions, tax credits directly reduce the amount of tax you owe. If the project involves renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal), the cap is waived and the credit can be carried over to future years. I you are subject to the Alternative minimum tax, you might want to get your projects done in 2009 because the tax credits will be limited by the AMT in 2010 unless congress changes the law. To claim energy efficiency credits, you will need to file IRS FORM 5695 with your taxes for the year which the job was finished. Be sure to keep all manufacturer paperwork such as the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement as well as all receipts and itemized bills.
Federal energy tax credits do not cover appliances, programmable thermostats, and room air conditioners but state governments as well as utility companies often offer rebates on such energy efficient models. Click Here for qualifying energy efficient improvements.

Suburban Lawn

You see it everyday, Joe homeowner mowing his postage stamp size lawn with a clunky gas mower. What’s even worse is the homeowner mowing his little lawn with a riding mower! Did you know that the average homeowner lawn is 1/5 of an acre? That is about 8000 square feet or an 80′ X 100′ lawn. Of course, suburban lawns are even smaller than that. So why contribute to the 5% annual pollution contributed to mower engines when such a small lawn can easily be managed with a either a corded or cordless electric mower?

Of course pollution concerns aren’t the only reason to go electric on that suburban lawn. How would you like to mow your lawn at 6am on a Saturday morning without disturbing your neighbors? You can’t do that with a gas mower but you certainly can with an electric. So are you a suburbanite still gas mowing? If so, ditch that loud and obnoxious gas for a quiet and efficient electric.

Even if you aren’t ready to let go of that gas mower and are still using a gas weed eater, then you should at least consider switching over to an electric. The fact is that electric weed eating is just down right better than gas weed eating a small suburban yard.  Everything from starting them to maneuvering them is just easier and more efficient on electrics.  Consider that that average gas trimmer weighs 15-20 pounds, compare that to the less than 5 pounds on the lightest 18 Volt trimmer.

These actions make us all guilty of harming the environment and we’re here to tell you it’s not hard to change.  Our planet needs people who know the damage they can cause as well as the good they can share.

Share the good by doing away with your gas guzzling lawn mower and upgrade to an earth friendly electric powered lawn tool.  It will make a difference the first day and that is a satisfaction no one can take!  That good feeling to know you are not contributing to our earth’s pollution is one that can leave a lasting scene of goodness that is also contagious.

As a contributor of green garden tools, you can tell others you’re not contributing to more pollution and can even be a hero in your children’s eyes as well as your neighbor’s but more importantly, a hero in your own eyes.