Protecting Our Environment It’s Easy For AmericansTo Spring Into Action (NAPSA)—Americans are beginning to focus on the annual tradition of spring cleaning. However, according to a recent survey, Americansare interested in cleaning more than just the inside of their homes this year—they want to help clean the environment, as well. Briggs & Stratton and the National Wildlife Federation conducted the survey to learn more about Americans’ environmental beliefs, as part of their annual Mower Tune-Up Month campaign. The two organizations created the program in 2001 after finding that out of 66 million lawn mower-owning households, 40 million don’t perform an annualtune-up, which can reduce mower emissions up to 50 percent and fuel consumption up to 30 percent. However, many of those 40 million households might be willing to change their ways, according to the survey results: More than 65 percent of Americans are more concerned about the environmenttoday than they were five years ago; * More than 63 percent of Americans currently do things to make a positive impact on the environment; Nearly 70 percent of Americans would be willing to do more to help the environment; and Nearly 70 percent of Americans believe that children influence their environmental beliefs and actions. “With so many Americans willing to do more for the environment, we also wanted to uncover some of the reasons why people aren’t currently doing more to help,” said Cherie Burns, manager service marketing for Briggs & Stratton. “According to the survey, some of those obstacles included Nearly 70 percent of Americans are willing to do more for the environment, and performing a mowertune-up is an easy way to makea difference. lack of time, not knowing what to do and thinkingit costs too much money to makea difference.” With these obstacles in mind, and knowing that people are willing to do moreto help, the organizations created a list of easy, inexpensive tips everyone can perform to positively impact the environment. Strive for Five 1. Tune up your lawn mowereach year. This will not only extend the life of your equipment, it also can cut your lawn mower’s emissions by 50 percent and reduce fuel consumption up to 30 percent. 2. Turn off the water while you brush yourteeth and save four gallons per minute, which amounts to more than 10,000 gallons of water per year for a family of four. 3. Use a ceiling fan yearround. Ceiling fans can reduce a home’s energy consumption up to 15 percent in the summer and the winter. Depending on the direction its blades rotate, a ceiling fan can help heat or cool a home by more evenly distributing air flow. A ceiling fan uses less energy than a 60-watt light bulb. 4. Recycle aluminum cans. Just one recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for three hours. Every three months, Americans throw away enough aluminum to build more than 5,000 airplanes. 5. Don’t overfill fuel tanks. Each gallon of spilled or evaporated gas puts as many hydrocarbons in the air as driving 7,500 miles, the equivalent of driving across the United States 2% times. “The survey shows that an overwhelming majority of American adults care about the environment and are willing to act to protect it,” says Phil Kavits, NWF’s vice president of communications. “Everyone has the ability and responsibility to do more. These are a few tips that are easy to perform and can have a positive impact on the environment.” Those interested in performing a tune-up can take their mower to a service dealer or do it themselves with an easy-to-use Briggs & Stratton maintenance kit, complete with oil, air filter, spark plug and fuel stabilizer. Asthe survey results show, children strongly influence adults’ environmental actions andbeliefs. Kids can learn how to maintain that positive influence, and do even more for Mother Nature, by visiting www.tuneupmonth.com/kids. The site includes fun facts, environmental tips, quizzes and other information. For more information on National Mower Tune-Up Month, visit www.tuneupmonth.com. The site provides helpful tips on selecting the right maintenance kit, locating retailers and dealers whosell the kits, and simple howto instructions for performing a tune-up.
