Please check out these four simple tips our friends at Blue Water Baltimore have written up to reduce the harmful effects that snow and ice removal has on our watershed and all the living beings within it.

 1.  SHOOT FOR TRACTION, NOT MELTING
When dealing with slippery and icy conditions, use inexpensive alternatives such as sand, sawdust, kitty litter and even ashes to achieve increased traction.  Click to Tweet This

2.  KNOW WHEN TO SALT
There is a best time to apply salt and that is JUST before the snow falls. The logic is to prevent the snow from sticking from the beginning. If the snow is already present, try an alternative mentioned above.  Click to Tweet This

3.  LOOK FOR LANGUAGE LIKE “PET-FRIENDLY”
Don’t settle for weak language such as “eco-friendly” or “safe” when buying ice melt. If a product is safe enough for pets, it is likely to be safer for plants and people and to cause less polluted runoff.  Click to Tweet This

4.  AVOID SODIUM CHLORIDE
Avoid the temptation to buy the cheapest and most widely used ice melt: sodium chloride. This chemical concoction disrupts the salinity of water, harming the fish and animals. Likewise, this “road salt” erodes the soil and damages trees and vegetation. Look for products containing magnesium chloride instead, which is less damaging to the environment.  Click to Tweet This

You can view the original post here:
http://www.bluewaterbaltimore.org/blog/ice-removal-four-tips/

Stay safe and warm and be sure to have some serious winter wonderland fun!