Government to Clip You in a New Way
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WASHINGTON — If you’ve got a noisy, greasy, gas-powered lawn mower that jolts the neighbors awake on Saturday mornings, the federal government has a deal for you:
Swap it for a quieter, cordless electric model so environmental researchers can determine better ways to cut air pollution generated in the pursuit of a perfect lawn.
The offer is from the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Consortium for Emissions Reductions in Lawn Care, an organization made up mostly of electric companies.
Up to 1,000 electric mowers, which cost about $400, will be given away to help in EPA’s research.
The swap works like this: Volunteers turn in their gas mowers at a participating electric utility, which exchanges it for an electric mower and forwards the gas-powered one to the EPA.
The EPA tests the gas mowers for emissions. The consortium monitors the electric mowers for performance. The consumer gets a free electric mower.
If electric mower users are unhappy, they can even get their old mowers back.
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