The Golden Age of yard work

In little more than 60 years, the number of domestic manufacturers of push mowers has declined from 60 to a single company, aptly named American Lawn Mower. But the market is growing for the Shelbyville, Ind., company. While sales still lag far behind power mowers — 350,000 vs. six million — the numbers have increased more than three-fold in the last five years, according to The Associated Press.

Spokesmen for sales outlets interviewed by the AP credited greater numbers of women doing lawn work to the resurgence, along with the influence of former Vice President Al Gore. In his film on global warming, Mr. Gore cited greenhouse gases emitted by the internal combustion engine as one of the main reasons for melting ice caps and rising sea levels.

Meanwhile, women who choose the push mower apparently recognize the superior aesthetics of the rotary cutters' pleasant whir, compared to the racket of the noisy power mower. And presumably they recognize the physical fitness benefits of the push mower. (Mr. Gore, take note.) In truth, many lawns are small enough to be easily clipped the old-fashioned way.

If only the trend could be extended to the gas-powered leaf blower, which has proven so noisily offensive in some jurisdictions as to be banned outright. Local gardening columnist Tony Bertauski recently wrote that the town of Palo Alto, Calif., requires prospective users to take a leaf-blower etiquette test to obtain a license. (If South Carolina ever introduced an etiquette test for operating a piece of machinery, it would do better to start with the automobile.)

Like the push mower, the broom and the rake require more effort, but they offer the aerobic benefits of physical activity, as well as the comparative peace and quiet associated with their use.