Propane Council of Texas hosts environmental education event

Jimmy Godfrey of McCoy’s Lawn Equipment in Austin, Texas, demos a propane commercial mower at Southeast Metropolitan Park in Del Valle, Texas. Photo courtesy of the Propane Council of Texas.

The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) partnered with Travis County Parks and Central Texas Clean Cities’ Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance to host an event called Propane in the Park at the Southeast Metropolitan Park in Del Valle, Texas. According to ProCOT, the community event was held in an effort to educate park officials, as well as commercial landscapers, on going green with propane.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year refueling lawn equipment. Parks and landscapers don’t have to worry about this with propane because it does not contaminate groundwater or soil, ProCOT reports. In addition, propane has a closed-loop refueling system.

According to ProCOT, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found that an hour of gasoline-powered lawn mowing produces as much pollution as four hours of driving a car. Compared to gasoline, propane commercial mowers produce 40 percent less carbon monoxide at a minimum of 15 percent less greenhouse emissions. Also, propane mowers can be used on Ozone Action Days.

“There are over 150 propane commercial mower models available from major mower manufacturers as well as aftermarket options on everything from commercial walk-behinds to zero-turns, so the options are there,” says Jackie Mason, education and marketing director for ProCOT, in a press release.

ProCOT also created a mower incentive program in 2010 that helps commercial landscapers, colleges, school districts and city parks departments make the switch to propane. The program provides $1,000 per mower and up to $7,000 per entity, ProCOT adds.