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Re: Quasi-lawns that dont need cutting?
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Subject: Re: Quasi-lawns that dont need cutting?
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From: David Staudacher <quiet@igc.apc.org>
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Date: Sat, 15 Jun 1996 20:36:26 -0700 (PDT)
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Article: 13057 of alt.sustainable.agriculture
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Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture
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References: <816334638snz@ozzz.demon.co.uk>
* Noise pollution and the "Perfect" Lawn *
Another negative aspect of gas-powered yard appliances (mowers, blowers,
edgers, chainsaws, etc), is the noise! In my neighborhood on any given
summer weekend it is impossible to enjoy even 1 full hour of quiet outdoors
during daylight hours before one neighbor or another is out filling the
whole neighborhood with that gas-motor drone which sounds like a swarm of
large angry insects and goes on for hours.
In my own yard I use a Great States 18" push-reel mower and finish in
about the same time it takes my neighbor with a 20" gas/rotary mower and a
similar sized yard. In another neighbor's yard last fall 2 people with
leaf-blowers took over 4 hours to finish gathering their leaves. It took me
and my wife about the same time to gather our leaves with two leaf rakes and
a tarp. People who insist on using obnoxious, over-powered lawn appliances
are hardly good neighbors. What they are is inconsiderate, selfish, and
stupid. *Inconsiderate* because they see nothing wrong with flodding the
neighborhood with their noise. *Selfish* because they feel their right to a
"perfect" lawn is more important than quiet. *Stupid* because they refuse to
consider using more appropriate human-powered devices which are usually
cheaper, easier to maintain, and more durable.
I believe the true reason many people choose gas powered devices has more
to do with image than need. Simply put, these devices express power and
power=status. Just as a bicycle appears puny and weak compared to a loud
Harley motorcycle or a "muscle" car blasting down the street with its high
powered stereo blaring out the open windows. This is the best explanation
I can find for why anyone with a lawn the size of an average living room
would buy a riding mower.
If you agree that quiet is an important environmental resource worth
preserving please contact me at "quiet@igc.apc.org". Also, please consider
subscribing to either or both of the following mailing lists:
(1) The World Forum for Acoustic-Ecology. Send an e-mail
containing the message "subscribe acoustic-ecology" to
"majordomo@sfu.ca".
(2) The Bio-Acoustics mailing list. Send an e-mail containing
the message "SUBSCRIBE bioacoustics-l <your real name>" to
"listproc@cornell.edu". Use your real name, not your
internet address.
Thank You,
David Staudacher - quiet@igc.apc.org