Kids Can Teach Mom and Dad When it Comes to Helping the Environment

MILWAUKEE - When it comes to doing things that are friendly to the environment, parents say they are influenced by their children's opinions, according to a recent survey conducted by Briggs & Stratton Corporation, the world's largest maker of gasoline-powered engines for outdoor power equipment.

The telephone survey of 1,000 adults found that 70 percent of respondents believe their children influence their environmental beliefs and actions.In response, Briggs & Stratton and The National Arbor Day Foundation launched Spring is Mower Tune-Up Time, a program that encourages kids and adults to strive for five simple ways – inside and outside their homes – to help the environment.

Among the outdoor tips, kids are encouraged to remind Mom and Dad to tune up the family's lawn mower to help limit pollution, save gasoline and make the mower last longer.

"We want kids and their parents to know that something as simple as tuning up the family's lawn mower each year is a very Earth-friendly thing to do," says Cherie Burns-Boldt, manager of service marketing at Briggs & Stratton."A lawn mower that is tuned up runs cleaner and more efficiently. The homeowner also could save about two gallons of gas over the mowing season."

That is a significant savings on gasoline when you consider there are 66 million lawn mower-owning households in the United States.Only about 26 million households tune up their lawn mower each year, leaving plenty of room for improving the environment.

Facts like that are little known.That is why Briggs & Stratton and The National Arbor Day Foundation teamed up to educate the public this season.In addition to tuning up the mower, planting trees can go a long way toward keeping air clean, points out Foundation President John Rosenow.

"Trees help clean the air and release oxygen," he says. "A single large tree can release up to a day's worth of oxygen – enough for four people.We encourage families to plant a tree together as a fun and easy activity that will help improve the quality of the environment."

To encourage kids to get environmentally involved, the Spring is Mower Tune-Up Time web site (www.mowertuneup.com) offers a kids' link (www.iamtuned.com) where children can share their ideas on how to help the environment, play environmentally-themed games and join the Tune-Up Club (with a parent's approval).Parents also can order a free My Home Biosphere poster and a door hanger checklist for their children.

For elementary school teachers, the web site offers lesson plans and free classroom materials which can be ordered on the site or by calling 1-866-436-7387.

Briggs & Stratton Corporation is the largest manufacturer of small, air-cooled engines for outdoor power equipment, including lawn mowers, pressure washers and generators.Aggressive research and innovative technology have enabled Briggs & Stratton to reduce engine emissions by 70 percent since 1990.

The engines are backed by an authorized service network of more than 30,000 dealers worldwide.Briggs & Stratton engines can be found powering equipment in more than 90 countries on all seven continents.

Founded in 1972, The National Arbor Day Foundation is a non-profit organization established to help people plant and care for trees.The Foundation's national membership has grown to nearly one million members, with eight million trees distributed to its members annually.For additional information about The National Arbor Day Foundation, visit www.arborday.org, call (402) 474-5655, or write to:The National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE68410.

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