City News

From Your Cleveland Heights City Government

Cleveland Heights Launches New Lawnmower Exchange Program

Day 2, May 2, 2023--Today is also World Asthma Day, which is fitting because asthma is closely tied to air pollution.

Nearly 1 in 13 school-age children has asthma, which makes it the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness in the U.S.

When inhaled, outdoor pollutants and pollen can aggravate the lungs and lead to:

Chest pain
Coughing
Digestive problems
Dizziness
Fever
Lethargy
Sneezing
Shortness of breath
Throat irritation and/or
Watery eyes

Outdoor air pollution and pollen may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

One of the ways we can improve air quality and be more lung healthy is by switching to electric-powered lawnmowers. Gas-powered lawnmowers are a much bigger contributor to poor air quality than many people realize.

Impact of Gas-Powered Mowers

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, running the average gas mower for one hour produces 11 times more air pollution than running the average new car for the same amount of time.

Compared to gas mowers, electric lawnmowers emit:

50% less carbon dioxide
3,300 times less hydrocarbons
5,000 times less carbon monoxide

Using a gas mower for a year creates the same amount of greenhouse gas as driving a car from Cleveland Heights to Las Vegas.

To help keep pollution from gas mowers out of the lungs of Cleveland Heights residents, the City of Cleveland Heights is launching a new Lawn Mower Exchange Program.

Instead of receiving a voucher for a portion of the cost of an electric mower, this is a one-for-one exchange.

The City has purchased 30 DeWalt electric lawnmowers that it will exchange with 30 Cleveland Heights residents.

Residents must be willing to turn in their working gas-powered lawnmowers, which the City will then scrap.

There are three requirements to have a chance to participate in the exchange:

You must provide proof that you are a resident of Cleveland Heights.

You must be willing to exchange your working gas-powered lawn mower and bring it to the Cleveland Heights Community Center on Thursday, May 11, 2023.

You must go to the Cleveland Heights Lawnmower Exchange Program page and apply to be part of the program.

The City of Cleveland Heights

Will begin accepting applications

For the Lawnmower Exchange Program

Tomorrow, May 3, 2023, at 6:00 pm.

The City will accept the first 100 applications and randomly choose the 30 residents who will participate in the exchange.

All accepted applicants will be notified by email by Monday, May 8, whether they have been selected to participate in the exchange.

The Lawnmower Exchange will take place

On Thursday, May 11, 2023, from 4:00–8:00 pm

At the Cleveland Heights Community Center,

1 Monticello Boulevard.

All participants in the program must be able to transport their gas-powered mowers to the Community Center during this time. The gas-powered mower the participant exchanges must be operational. The goal of the program is to remove the pollution caused by a functioning gas-powered lawnmower. Exchanging a lawnmower that doesn’t run doesn’t accomplish this goal.

In exchange for their gas-powered mowers, selected lawnmower exchange participants will receive a completely assembled electric mower and must be able to transport it home from the Community Center on May 11.

Help make Cleveland Heights’ air cleaner and safer for people with asthma and other respiratory ailments. Set an alarm and be ready to submit your lawnmower exchange application tomorrow at 6:00 pm.

APPLY FOR THE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS LAWNMOWER EXCHANGE

View previous Air Quality Awareness Week emails

Day 1, May 2, 2023

-- All Are Welcome --

#ClevelandHeights

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www.clevelandheights.gov