Let’s talk about road salt- lightly..
Speaking about ‘lightly’,
It Doesn’t Take Much salt to melt ice!🫶🏼
A regular 12ounce coffee cup spread out evenly across a 20ft driveway or across 10 sidewalk squares is enough to melt thin ice or a subtle snow. If there is more than ‘a little’ or if it’s still snowing, save yourself the hassle by waiting until it’s done before salting. You do not want the bottom thawing while new snow lands and freezes on top.
Most, if not all of the salt we disperse eventually ends up in the waterways whether through the soil and groundwater or just running directly into creeks and streams from road ways and drainage points.
Our freshwater organisms are not equipped to endure such salt-infused water at high concentrations. It starts by affecting smaller fish, plankton and plants ability to intake nutrients. Which then affects the capability of certain species to reach their potential weight and size.
If salt can rust metal and stain asphalt, imagine what it’s doing to our environment.
Be smart with it 😊
