Written by Clean Air Partners

Each spring, as everything starts turning green and yard work ramps up, it’s easy to think of lawn care as a routine chore. But what many residents don’t realize is that the tools and products we use in our own backyards can have a measurable impact on regional air quality, public health, and even our own lungs.

That’s why Clean Air Partners is proud to partner with the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) to help residents make cleaner, healthier choices at home. Over the past three years, this collaboration has supported the exchange of nearly 300 gas-powered lawn tools for electric alternatives across Fairfax County.

The Hidden Impact of Lawn Care

Gas-powered lawn equipment — like mowers, leaf blowers and trimmers — may seem insignificant, but their environmental footprint is anything but. These tools emit pollutants that contribute to smog and can trigger serious health issues, including asthma attacks, respiratory problems and even heart conditions (Learn more about how poor air quality affects health).

To put it in perspective:

• One hour of gas-powered mowing can produce the same emissions as driving a gas-powered car from Fairfax to Cleveland, Ohio — a distance of more than 300 miles.
• Using a backpack-style gas leaf blower for one hour creates as much pollution as driving a gas-powered car for more than 1,100 miles.

These numbers often come as a surprise. But they also highlight an opportunity: small changes at home can add up to meaningful change.

Simple Steps for Cleaner Air

The good news is that creating a more environmentally friendly yard doesn’t require a complete overhaul. A few practical changes can significantly reduce pollution:

• Pass on gas tools. Opt for electric or manual lawn care. Compared with gas tools, electric lawn equipment can lower emissions as well as noise pollution, health risks, and maintenance costs and time.
• Mow on low ozone days when air quality is good.
• Go organic with fertilizers and pesticides. Try natural alternatives such as compost, alfalfa, fish meal and neem oil.
• Mow less often by letting grass grow a little taller.
• Make your own mulch by leaving grass clippings instead of bagging and sending to the landfill.
• Plant native plants. Reducing overall turf area lowers maintenance needs and supports pollinators.

These are small actions — but when adopted across a community, they create real impact.

See It in Action

To make these concepts more tangible, Clean Air Partners and Fairfax OEEC are engaging residents through the educational "Backyard Bubble" demonstration. This hands-on exhibit allows participants to visualize and test their knowledge of how common outdoor activities affect air quality — while also empowering them to take a simple pledge to green their lawn care routine.

Fairfax residents will have the opportunity to experience this firsthand at the upcoming event on May 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fairfax Ace Hardware, where attendees can learn, engage, and even enter for a chance to win free electric tools.

Across Fairfax County and the greater Baltimore-Washington region, neighbors are making small shifts that add up— fewer emissions and cleaner air — block by block.

 

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. Learn more at www.CleanAirPartners.net.

Climate Matters is the blog of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, where we share stories, insights and information related to climate change and environmental sustainability. Posts are written by knowledgeable and passionate OEEC staff members and guest authors. To read all blog posts, visit Climate Matters.