Stop Using so Much Salt on Sidewalks
Winter is in full swing, and with it the problem of salt that covers our every sidewalk and street, unless, of course, you live in a state where there are practically no seasonal differences (I envy).
While salt helps us avoid accumulations due to melting snow, salt regularly pollutes our water sources, damages the environment and affects our own health. How does plain sidewalk salt get into our bodies?
First, there is a difference between the salt you usually see on the roads and the salt you see on sidewalks and street corners, although they can be used interchangeably. Rock salt is commonly used on the roads. It’s cheap and has the same composition as table salt, just like the one you use at dinner. It helps provide traction, but is considered more harmful to plants and animals (including dogs!).
Melting ice, on the other hand, is regular salt, similar to the granules you see on the sidewalks. It is believed to be more pet-friendly (albeit harmful) and works in temperatures below 5 degrees, unlike rock salt, so it withstands the worst winters better. It is also considered to be less corrosive than rock salt and is therefore more commonly used near and near homes.
But these are all forms of salt, and when they seep into sidewalks or streets or are carried away by runoff , they end up in our groundwater or rivers, from where a number of American communities get their drinking water. A recent study found that 37% of the U.S. catchments, or areas where rain and snow melt meet streams and rivers, are becoming saltier. And in the northeastern regions, road salt is mainly to blame.
What’s the worst that could have happened? Well, when you drink saltier water, it can raise your blood pressure. And for themillions of Americans who already suffer from high blood pressure, this is a hell of a problem.
A 2008 study found that 48% of wells tested in Duchesse County, New York exceeded the EPA’s sodium limit for water, and 20% of wells had enough salt to compromise residents’ health due to high blood pressure. …
Salt is also a threat to aquatic organisms and entire bodies of water, which are depleted in oxygen due to too much salt. Worse, the salt does not leave , but accumulates in water bodies. There is also no economical method to remove it (it dissolves in water so it can no longer be seen, which exacerbates the problem).
So how can you help?
First, if you’re going to use salt at all, don’t overdo it. Spread it evenly over the surface, not in bulk, so you will need less (this is also more efficient ). Shoveling more often will also help reduce your salt requirement. And clean up excess salt after a storm so it doesn’t end up in your drinking water anymore.