Mow, mow, mow, your lawn.

Those living in apartments or modest homes with a little fenced-in patch of grass for a backyard are probably already familiar with the push mower. They're fun in small spaces, quiet enough for midnight mowing and nimble enough to cut in corners and around walkways. The push mower has received a very modern upgrade from two companies specializing in environmentally conscious lawn care: Colorado's Sunlawn and Vermont's Neuton. Husband-and-wife team Terry and Sandra larvis founded Sunlawn in '97, bringing German-based Brill Luxus push mowers to the U.S. The company still sells the precise, light, push and battery-operated Brills ($179-$379), but has also developed its own electric models. The Sunlawn EM-1 rechargeable electric push mower ($379) has adjustable blade height and provides a clean clip so you can "grass-cycle"--use the grass clippings as a natural compost, providing nitrogen and organic fertilizer to the lawn. And it keeps pollutants out of the air. It's estimated that 800 million gallons of gas a year go into lawn mowers and the California Air Resources Board says operating a traditional lawn mower for an hour creates the same pollution as driving a car for 13 hours. The Neuton Cordless Electric Mower ($359) can also be used for mulching, or clippings can go into a rear bagger. It's half the weight of a power motor and features a trimmer/edger attachment for detailed cutting. The batteries, according to the company, are good for up to five years and can be recharged as easily as plugging in a toaster. CONTACT: Sunlawn, [phone], www.sunlawn.com; Neuton Power Equipment, 1(888)213-2177, www.neutonmowers.com.