You may not realize that activities in your own backyard contribute to air pollution. Emissions from lawn mowers, snowblowers, chain saws, trimmers, leaf blowers/vacuums, and other outdoor equipment for the lawn and garden are a significant source of pollution.

Small engines are big polluters. The following list of tips on proper maintenance and use will help you lower the pollution that your yard-related activities generate.

Environment Canada is doing its part to reduce pollution from yard equipment sources by developing regulations such as the Off-Road Small Spark-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.

Tips

•Refrain from using outdoor power equipment during hot, hazy summer days when smog is a problem.
•Avoid spilling gasoline when refuelling gas cans and equipment tanks.
•Use small gas-powered machines less often or for shorter periods of time (e.g., mowers, snowblowers, chainsaws and leaf blowers).
•Follow the manufacturer's recommended gasoline to oil blending ratio when using a two-stroke engine.
•Drain extra gasoline before putting your outdoor machines away for winter. Use the excess gas in your car.
•Store power equipment out of the heat and sunlight to prevent evaporation.
•Consider a four-stroke engine for gas-powered machines. Quick Fact:1

Lawn mowers (Quick Fact:1)
Landscaping
•Consider changing the landscaping (plant more trees, native grasses, flower beds, and rock gardens) in your garden to limit the amount of grass you need to maintain with gas-powered machines.
•Reduce mowing time by planting low-maintenance turf grasses or grass and flower seed mixtures that grow more slowly.

Good habits
•Try not to run gas-powered lawn mowers at full throttle/full engine speed, unless the grass is long and thick.
•Leaving your gas-powered lawn machinery to idle is not only hard on the engine, which must be kept moving since it is air cooled, but also wastes gasoline and can be a danger to children and pets.
•Plan an efficient mowing route that will reduce the amount of time your lawnmower is running.
•Mow your lawn late in the evening, after 7 p.m. This gives ozone-forming chemicals a chance to dissipate overnight.

Maintenance
•Electric lawn mowers should be cleaned and lubricated in the spring. Remove grass clippings from under motor hoods; this small precaution will help keep motors running smoothly and efficiently.
•Perform maintenance on gas-powered lawn machines regularly so they operate at their optimum efficiency and reduce mowing time (e.g., keep lawnmower blades sharp, clean spark plugs, adjust carburetors and chokes, and replace transmission oil).

New yard equipment
•When you are ready to buy a new lawn mower or other gas-powered yard equipment, consider manual options, or an electric or new generation low-emissions machine. Quick Fact:1

Snowblowers
•Tune gas-powered snowblowers as you would lawnmowers. Clean spark plugs, adjust carburetors and chokes, and replace transmission oil to help snowblowers run smoothly and use less energy.
•Use snowblowers only for moderate to heavy snowfalls. Clear away light snowfalls with shovels.