On a hot, muggy Saturday afternoon in July, Julie slips on her old, dirty sneakers. She heads to the garage, where after navigating the overflowing recycling bin, a bike, and two scooters, she reaches the lawn mower.

She puts in the recharged battery and push it out to the front yard. As she pushes the quick start button, she reflects on how much easier this is than the old gas powered mower she used as a teenager. She used to mow lawns in her neighborhood for extra pocket money. Even now, that smell of fresh cut grass brings her back to those lazy summer days. Mowing one or two lawns in the morning, then spending carefree afternoons mostly spent lounging by the pool or playing tennis with friends. This was often followed by a short walk into town for DQ blizzards or 7-11 Slurpees thanks to her lawn mowing money.

She always enjoyed mowing lawns, especially that sense of accomplishment when she was finished. She tried to make the perfect checkerboard pattern as she pushed the mower back and forth over the green turf. It felt almost hypnotic, with the din of the engine drowning out her noisy thoughts. She smiled with pride, as she examined the results of her efforts. She cleaned off the mower, put the battery back on the charger, and went inside for a refreshing glass of ice cold lemonade as a reward for a job well done.