De-ice your walkway naturally

De-ice your walkway naturally

The salt that they sell at Home Depot and the like pollute our soils and waterways once the winter is over and the salt has nowhere to go but down. There are more eco friendly alternatives to using these conventional products. Here are some options:
Coffee grounds: Coffee contains nitrogen and acids that help melt ice; the dark color absorbs the sun’s heat to speed the process, the grounds add traction to make the surface less slippery and coffee is good for soil once the winter is over. Win win win.
Sand or gravel: This is the basic old-school approach. As long as there’s not too much ice buildup, this helps by adding grit to make the surface less slick.

Shoveling: The best option for the environment is shoveling! It’s great exercise and it avoids putting too much of anything into your storm sewer and soil. Shovel as soon as you are able after the snow stops so that it doesn’t get the chance to get packed down and harden to ice.