Spring has sprung and it’s that time again to trim the lawn after a long and blusterous winter. But in a time where Seattle-ites are looking to be more green, Scott McCredie a Ballard resident chose to forget about the gas mower and instead started to think about the alternatives to becoming more earth friendly.

Eco Mow, a environmentally aware lawn mowing business McCredie started two years ago, came about when McCredie noticed a vast amount of lawn services cruising around Ballard in their pick-up trucks with a load full of gas powered mowers, trimmers and blowers.

“I came to realize those small gas engines are really polluting,” McCredie said. “On a typical summer day in Seattle, gas lawnmowers and other lawn equipment contribute up to 10 percent of Seattle’s air pollution.”

McCredie decided to promote push and electric mowers and trimmers, forgetting about the gas powered blowers.

“I started two years ago and I got a lot of response,” he said. “I use a cart to load my mower in and I attach it to my bicycle and I bicycle around. It really cuts on emissions and it gives me a workout at the same time.”

Industry experts have said that a typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower emits the same amount of Volatile Organic Compounds--key precursors to smog--in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles.

In Eco Mow’s first year, McCredie advertised on Craig's List and by word-of-mouth and received responses from neighborhoods as far as West Seattle.


“Initially I did it all on my own and it was ridiculous because I would have to use my car all the time,” McCredie said. “But I would like to sort of spread this out, too, so that each neighborhood has their own Eco Mow, ideally I’d like to get a bunch of high school kids.”

McCredie said that with the amount of people concerned about global warming and air pollution, switching over to electric and hand mowers and trimmers and reducing the reliance on motor oil is where people should start.

“I’m not promoting this for myself but just being more green," he said.

For more information on Eco Mow call Scott at 782-0982 or email at swmccredie@yahoo.com for a free estimate.