From heating your water more efficiently to drying your clothes more quickly, switching to propane can save you money as well as help protect the environment.

According to Bermuda Gas, propane could now also be set to become the fuel of choice for powering the Island’s commercial lawnmowers.

The Department of Parks is currently trialling a propane powered machine designed to reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent or more, as part of the utility’s efforts to promote the alternative fuel.

Propane mowers are already commonly used by landscapers, golf courses and grounds managers all over the United States, thanks to their low running costs compared with gasoline or diesel.

Additional savings come from the elimination of spillage and leaks, while crews can improve efficiency because they get longer run times on a single fill.

The environmental benefits were outlined in a recent study from the National Golf Course Owners’ Association, which found propane mowers produce 475 parts per million of carbon, compared with 1,900 per million for a gasoline mower.

Bermuda Gas says propane mowers also create less engine deposit, resulting in lower maintenance costs and a longer life for the mower.

On presenting the propane powered mower to the Department of Parks, the company stated: “While the American experience is exciting, Bermuda Gas is committed to gaining actual Bermuda-based experience data. That’s why we’ve offered the Department of Parks the first ever propane lawnmower. We want to hear from the professionals at Parks just what their experience of the new mower is.

“That’s how confident we are that propane is the future of commercial mower in Bermuda. Thanks to the Bermuda Government for helping us with this Island test.”

Propane, a by-product of natural gas or crude oil refining, has been used in Bermuda for more than 70 years.

Bermuda Gas states that it can reduce your energy costs by as much as 20 percent, emits fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline or diesel, and is sourced from conflict-free countries.

It also:

* dries your clothes in three quarters of the time it takes an electric dryer;

* heats twice as much water per hour as comparable electric models;

* releases 40 times fewer emissions than a wood-burning fireplace;

* is unaffected by power outages.

General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, Judith Uddin, whose own home is equipped with a bulk propane tank that powers virtually every appliance, said: “Propane is a cost-effective and environmentally conscious fuel choice for Bermuda’s homes and businesses.

“Its versatility — everything from heating our hot water and cooking our meals to drying clothes quicker and powering the outdoor fireplace — is matched only by its status as one of the cleanest burning of all alternative fuels.

“Homeowners can feel good about protecting our Island environment by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by more than half and by using a power source that is both non-toxic and insoluble in water.

“So, in the unlikely event of a tank leak, propane would not harm our soil or water.”

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For more information, call 295-3111 or visit:

www.bermudagas.bm