What Can You Do? Sure, you want your driveway and sidewalk cleared.
But that doesn't mean you have to use piles of salt.
Try these tactics instead.
Combine salt use with snow shoveling. Use salt only on icy spots that can't be removed with a shovel.
Use calcium chloride (available in most home supply and hardware stores) rather than sodium chloride salt. Though not benign, it's less harmful.
Mix deicing salt with sand or kitty litter to provide traction and lower the need for salt.
Enrich soil near roads and sidewalks with compost or peat moss, as that will increase its salt tolerance.
Go easy on water softening, which uses a great deal of salt. Use softened water for such purposes as washing, but not for outdoor uses.
Since municipalities and state agencies use much more salt than the average citizen, residents can contact their local public works department to voice their concerns.
