According to the Sierra Club, gas-powered lawn and garden equipment is responsible for between 5%-10% of the total air pollution in urban areas, contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog), and can adversely affect public health. To address these environmental challenges in Austin, the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas, with support from Austin Energy, are sponsoring a mower exchange program to encourage area residents to replace old gas mowers with spiffy new electric models. Discounts from $50 to $105 will be available for those exchanging gas-powered mowers for electric ones, with other discounts for first-time buyers as well — but on the sales event days only.

The Austin sales event days will be Saturday, March 16 from 8am-4pm at the Home Depot at 10107 Research Blvd. (at Great Hills Trail) and on Saturday, April 20, from 8am-4pm at the Home Depot at 3600 S. I-35 (exit at Woodward).

For Hays County and Caldwell County residents, sales event days will be in San Marcos at the Black and Decker Outlet Store in the Tanger Mall at 4015 S. I-35, Suite 810, on Saturday, April 6 , 9am-6pm, and Sunday, April 7, 11am-7pm. For more info: www.cleanairforce.org or www.cityofaustin.org/airquality.

This article appears in March 15 • 2002.

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Contributing writer and former news editor Michael King has reported on city and state politics for the Chronicle since 2000. He was educated at Indiana University and Yale, and from 1977 to 1985 taught at UT-Austin. He has been the editor of the Houston Press and The Texas Observer, and has reported and written widely on education, politics, and cultural subjects.