March 25, 2003
Financial Incentives Offered to “Mow Down Air
Pollution”
As part of its mission
to empower consumers to do their part for cleaner air, the South Coast Air
Quality Management District today announced plans for its first-ever lawn mower
exchange program, dubbed Mow Down Air Pollution 2003.
“An older gas-powered
lawn mower pollutes as much in one year of typical use as a new car driven more
than 86,000 miles,” said William A. Burke, AQMD Chair.
The program will replace
up to 2,000 gas-powered mowers with zero-pollution electric ones, reducing
smog-forming volatile organic compound emissions by 9.7 tons per year. That is
more than the amount emitted by all Southland refineries in one day.
“Consumers can make a
huge difference when presented with a viable option,” Burke said. “Those who
participate in this lawn mower exchange will save $300 on a top-of-the-line
cordless electric mower and will do their part to improve air quality each and
every time they mow their lawns.”
Modeled after highly
successful programs in Sacramento, San Diego and the Bay Area, AQMD will offer
consumers the opportunity to purchase a $449 Black & Decker 24-volt, cordless
rechargeable lawn mower for $150 in exchange for a working, gas-powered mower.
The two lawn mower
exchange events will be held rain or shine:
Saturday, March 29
California Speedway
7 a.m. to noon (or until sold out)
9300 Cherry Ave.,
Fontana
Directions: From the 10 Freeway, take the Cherry Avenue exit, drive north on
Cherry Avenue and follow signs to the main entrance gate.
Saturday, April 12
Hollywood Park
7 a.m. to noon (or
until sold out)
1050 S. Prairie Ave.,
Inglewood
Directions: From the 110 Freeway, merge onto the 105 Freeway west toward LAX.
Exit at Prairie Avenue, turn left (north) on Prairie Avenue and follow the signs
to Arbor Vitae Street and Gate 2 parking lot.
From
the 405 Freeway, exit at Manchester Boulevard or Century Boulevard. Drive east
to South Prairie Avenue. Follow signs to Arbor Vitae Street and Gate 2 parking
lot.
With the support of
Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, Home Depot and Black & Decker, the AQMD
program will offer consumers “drive-thru” convenience in exchanging their
mowers. Other participating organizations include California Speedway,
Hollywood Park and Pick Your Part Auto Wrecking.
At both events, mowers
will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 1,000 people
(one per customer) at each location. Participants must be residents of AQMD’s
four-county jurisdiction, which includes all of Orange County and the non-desert
portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
At each location,
residents will drop off their gas-powered mower, which will be drained of
hazardous fluids prior to its destruction at a metal recycling facility.
Consumers will then purchase a new electric mower at the venue to take home.
The program is funded
through AQMD’s Air Quality Investment Program, which is financed by Southland
companies that pay a fee in lieu of offering rideshare incentives as required by
AQMD’s Rule 2202. The lawn mower exchange program will reduce more emissions
than would be achieved by an employer rideshare program.
Information about Mow
Down Air Pollution 2003 can be obtained by calling
1-888-4 CLN AIR (1-888-425-6247).
AQMD is the air
pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles,
San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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