#MowNoMore Pressure municipalities & HOA’s to permanently relax mowing requirements, to protect pollinators and reduce CO2 emissions.

#MowNoMore Pressure municipalities & HOA’s to permanently relax mowing requirements, to protect pollinators and reduce CO2 emissions.

Following the success of #NoMowMay, it’s time to permanently relax mowing requirements to protect pollinators and reduce CO2 emissions. Spring is a key time to refrain from mowing to give bees access to those early food sources, but anytime is a great time to NOT MOW.

We found out it’s not so bad for you and your neighbors to have a shaggy lawn. In fact, it was a joy to see more bees, to see more flower blossoms, to spend less money on gas for your mower, to spend less time sweating behind your mower, and to spend more time enjoying your lawn with a cool drink in your hand.

Whether you mow your lawn using a gas powered push mower, a riding mower, or even an electric mower, mowing less frequently will reduce the carbon footprint of your mowing activity.

According to Bee City USA, a study out of Lawrence University, and others, the positive impacts of No Mow May on pollinators have been significant, seeing a several-fold increase in pollinators in affected areas.

Replacing your gas-powered mower with an electric mower or changing your landscaping to reduce the area of your lawn are great steps. But, if a new electric isn’t practical in your budget, if you aren’t ready to put the effort into new landscaping, or if your lawn is a great space for your kids to play in, mowing less may be a great way to benefit pollinators and the planet. Municipal regulations or homeowners association (HOA) rules may be an obstacle to a more chill approach to lawn maintenance.

Let’s demand a permanent relaxation of mowing requirements for the benefit of our essential pollinators and our climate.

According to PaleBlueDot.LLC, “1 hour of gas powered lawn mower use produces 11 times the emissions of driving the average new car for an hour… Regardless of whether you use a ‘walk behind’ or riding mower, if it is powered by gasoline it will consume roughly the same amount of fuel per mow: approximately 9/10ths of a gallon of gas for an average lawn, producing 17.6 pounds of greenhouse gas. With an average mow season of 32 weeks, that is 563 pounds of CO2 annually.”

Many sources estimate that there has been a decline in bee populations of 30% or more, and other pollinators have also been hit hard. According to USDA.gov, “ Without pollinators, we don’t eat—it’s simple as that.” According to the Pollinator Partnership (pollinator.org), “Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce,... the very plants that
-bring us countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts,
-½ of the world’s oils, fibers and raw materials;
-prevent soil erosion,
-and increase carbon sequestration

Established by Eric Norland and Critical Precipice Endeavors, our petition and your signatures will be presented to:
-local environmental leaders to inspire movements to reduce the frequency of mowing among residents.
-leaders and elected officials in positions to change policy to relax mowing requirements.