Residents can trade in gasoline mowers for $400 models from Black & Decker

By County Supervisor Ron Roberts

For the 14th consecutive spring, San Diego’s backyard gardeners are invited to join me on May 11 in helping clean the air we breathe by exchanging old, gas-powered lawnmowers for brand new electric rechargeable models.

For the cost of an old mower and $99.99 in cash or on a credit card, residents can take home a quality Black & Decker rechargeable mower that retails for $420.

This year, the event has moved from the parking lot surrounding the County Administration Center to Qualcomm Stadium.

Throughout my career I have been a staunch and relentless advocate for clean air. Sometimes it has made me friends, sometimes not. I serve on the County’s Air Pollution Control District and, for the last 18 years, as a member of the California Air Resources Board.

As a county and a state, we are leading the world in cleaning up our air. And we are doing it in a way that is sensitive to the needs of business and the pocketbooks of our residents.

Which brings me back to the lawnmowers.

It was 14 years ago that I got the idea to sponsor what has become our annual “Mowing Down Pollution” program.

Since 2000, 6,457 zero-emission mowers have been distributed in San Diego County, removing more than 64,550 pounds of pollutants from our air. In one year, most conventional lawn mowers spew more pollution into our air than a car driven more than 20,000 miles. San Diego’s air is now the cleanest it has been in decades. Programs like this are improving the quality of life for our residents.

We will have 650 mowers available at this year’s exchange. The machine is a Black & Decker CM1936 with 19-inch blades and a 36-volt battery-rechargeable power system, normally priced at $420. Very quiet, it also cuts down on noise pollution.

In a new “cleaner air twist” for this year’s mower exchange, San Diego Gas & Electric will provide a collection of all-electric automobiles for the public to review while the California Plug-in Vehicle Collaborative will offer information on the many affordable charging options for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Our 14th annual Lawnmower Exchange takes place May 11, at the Qualcomm Stadium, 9449 Friars Rd. in San Diego. The location offers ample space for people to line up with old mowers and later, with receipt in hand, cue up in their cars to have a new mower loaded.

Folks always arrive early for this event, which begins at 8 a.m. Lineups can begin at 4 a.m.

This offer is only available to residents of San Diego County. Please bring a valid identification, such as a driver’s license. Also, the mower must be in working condition with all of its parts: no missing wheels, broken blades or other obvious problems.

Finally, I always make it a point to try and visit with as many people in line as possible each year. Please make sure to say hello. Thank you for helping clean up our air.

—County Supervisor Ron Roberts represents the Fourth Supervisorial District. You can reach him at [email protected], follow him on Twitter @RonRobertsSD or find him on Facebook by searching Ron Roberts.