Summer has finally arrived in Minnesota. That means it's time to shift around those boxes
of winter gear in the garage to make room for those bicycles and that BBQ grill. But wait! There are also easy steps you can take to green your garage while you're out there. The
Clean Air Choice program of the American Lung Association in Minnesota
offers easy ways to make your garage--and your home--a more
environmentally friendly place.
1. Let's start with the reason we have garages in the first place--our vehicles. Do you have at least one smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle? Use that one for the short trips around town, and bunch your trips together whenever possible. Is your vehicle an electric-gasoline hybrid? Even better! Does your vehicle use cleaner-burning alternative fuels like E85 or biodiesel? Check the
CleanAirChoice.org website to see if your vehicles are bio-fuel ready and learn where you can buy biofuels in Minnesota.
2. There's a better way to mow that hay in your front yard! Cordless electric lawnmowers are growing in popularity, and new, easy-to-use models are being born every day. These mowers can bag or mulch just like their gasoline-powered cousins, only they never require oil or gas, are simple and safe to use, have zero emissions, and can recharge overnight on a regular 210-volt outlet.
3. Let's go back to that grill we mentioned earlier. Sure charcoal grills are "old-school," but they also are messy and
emit particulate pollution. Be honest, how many times have you added too much lighter fluid to a charcoal grill and created a "raging inferno"? The propane gas models cook more quickly and deliver an even, easy-to-control temperature. Even better, they emit less air pollutants than charcoal grills.
4. Check your garage to see if you have any old, half-used lawn chemicals, solvents, paints, thinners, etc. piling up on shelves. If you are like most people, you probably do. Since these represent a health risk to you, your family, and your pets, why not get rid of them? Check your city or county web sites to learn about hazardous waste drop-off sites or
RethinkRecycling to learn more about hazardous-waste disposal and recycling. Drop-off is usually quick, easy, and free.
5. Like the idea of fuel-efficient scooters but don't like the cloud of emissions they create? Electric bikes and scooters might fit nicely in your new "green garage." You can find them at local bike shops, scooter stores, Twin Cities Green, and now Minnesota-based Best Buy stores.
6. In addition to rechargeable electric mowers, there are a variety of electric power tools for your yard that are easier on the environment than similar gas-powered models. These include trimmers, blowers, and even a few light-duty snow blowers from Toro.
7. Got any old florescent light bulbs, compact or tube-type, in the garage? Be sure to take the tubes to a certified florescent recycler like Green Lights in Blaine. You can also now drop off old compact florescent bulb (the curly kind) to any Menard’s store in Minnesota for free recycling.
8. Got crabgrass? Instead of using that harsh herbicide try a natural crabgrass inhibitor instead. Corn-gluten meal can be found at many garden centers and feed stores. It’s a co-product of ethanol production that does double duty as food for livestock, and it's also an environmentally friendly way to keep crabgrass at bay.
9. Want to go solar? Garages are a great spot for solar tubes, which channels free sunlight through prisms into enclosed areas. It's a new twist on a method used to lighten the lower decks in old sailing vessels.
10. Consider adding one more garden hose to the garage--a soaker hose. This porous hose puts water just where plants, trees, and shrubs need it, with little waste and less cost to homeowners.
Robert Moffitt is the communications director for the American Lung Association of Minnesota.