It’s one thing to protect yourself from fallen snow; here are the top ten tips for that. Banishing ice is much harder – literally. If it’s thick, you have to chop it up before you can shovel it off. If it’s thin, like the ice I’m dealing with today, you’ve got three choices:

* Scatter something like sand or grainy kitty litter to create traction. The downsides? Neither actually melts ice, and both leave a big mess you’ll have to clean up later so it all doesn’t wash into the storm drains. Plus, you have to wait until after the ice forms. If you throw it down before hand, the ice will simply bury it, and you’ll have to do it again later so it stays on the surface and actually creates resistance when you walk on it.

* Just stay inside until the temperatures heat up and the ice melts on its own. Probably for most of you, that’s not really an option!

* Treat with an environmentally-friendly de-icer that’s safer for pets, too. Upsides? You can pre-treat to prevent ice from building up, and treat again as the ice forms to keep your steps, driveway or sidewalk from getting too slick. Downsides? It’s confusing to figure out which de-icer to buy. Some de-icing products are bad for wood (like my wooden steps). Some can’t be applied to new concrete. Most salt-based de-icers can stain carpet and flooring when tracked into the house. Some products say they’re eco-friendly, but turn out to contain ingredients like rock salt, urea, or sodium or magnesium chloride – chemicals that can burn plants and irritate pets that walk on them. Plus, they can claim they’re “natural” or “eco friendly” because the use of those words isn’t regulated by the government.

Here are the best options I’ve found to date. All of them can be purchased online. Many of them may be sold in your local hardware or pet store; if they’re not, ask the store manager to stock them so other shoppers can buy them, too.

Safe Paw Ice Melter– This de-icer is the only one recommended by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a non-profit organization focused on environmental research and advocacy. It’s 100% salt free and leaves minimal or no residue when it degrades. The green pellets make it easy to keep track of where you apply it.

Storm Team Plus Liquid Ice Melt –  The advantage of Liquid Ice Melt is that it can be used on wood and all kinds of other surfaces, including concrete, asphalt, and even satellite dishes. If you order online, you’ll need to buy a pack of four 1-gallon jugs, which can get expensive, and a sprayer if you don’t already have one. Either share the cost with neighbors, or ask your local hardware store to stock and sell individually. Ice Melt Pellets are also available, but they can’t be applied to wood or new concrete.

Ice Clear Liquid De-Icer – I haven’t tried this, but it looks worthwhile. The ingredients are derived from agricultural products and contain no salts. It comes with a sprayer for easier application.

Whatever de-icer you use, keep in mind that you will use less if you:

1)   Apply before the snow and ice fall. Pretreat surfaces an hour or two in advance of precipitation.

2)    Shovel snow and ice before they have a chance to accumulate. Once snow is deep, don’t throw de-icer on top of it. Wait until the snow stops falling, then shovel down to bare cement before applying de-icer again.

3)  Shovel off the slush as the snow and ice melt. Otherwise, they’ll refreeze and you’ll have to apply all over again.

The post Eco-Friendly, Pet-Safe De-Icers So You Won’t Break Your Neck appeared first on Big Green Purse.

For the rest of us, the big challenge is dealing with frozen precipitation once it hits the ground, especially if we want to be ‘eco friendly.’ These tips will help.

What’s wrong with rock salt? Many consumers use rock salt to clear a path through the snow around their homes. But this is not ideal for the planet.

* Excess salts build up in the soil, just as they do with chemical fertilizers.

* Salt residue prevents plants from absorbing moisture and nutrients.

* Salts can leach heavy metals, which eventually make their way into water supplies.

* Salt on grass or sidewalks close to roads can attract animals, which may be hit by cars if they’re licking the salt from the ground.

* Plus, salt can burn our pets if it lodges in their paws.

Yes, salt does effectively melt snow. But is there a better way?

Top Ten To Do’s

• Minimize snow and ice by shoveling, and the sooner after snow stops falling, the better. If shoveling is too challenging for you, pay a neighborhood kid a few dollars to help.

• If you prefer to use a snow blower, get an electric model. Gas-powered blowers generate a lot more air and noise pollution

• Try a “snow melt mat.” If you’re installing a new driveway or replacing an old one, lay down electric wires to heat the driveway from below and radiate heat upwards. Yes, you pay for electricity, so it’s not as “eco” as shoveling by hand. On the other hand, it may be better than using chemicals that pollute the water and endanger plants and pets. It would cost someone living in the Washington, DC area (where I live) about $14 in electricity each time the system was used – though that doesn’t include the cost of installing the system. Electricity costs will vary by region. (NOTE: I’m not recommending you tear up a perfectly good driveway to put in a snow melt system!)

• Scatter sand or even birdseed for traction. The grains won’t melt snow or ice, but they will give you more grip on icy surfaces.

• Scrimp on the de-icer. Remember, the job of a de-icer is to loosen ice from below to make it easier to shovel or plow. Don’t pile on the de-icer thinking you’ll remove the ice completely. You won’t. The recommended application rate for rock salt is around a handful per square yard you treat. Calcium chloride will treat about 3 square yards per handful.

• Pick your salt carefully. If you do use salt, choose wisely. Sodium chloride (NaCL) may contain cyanide. Calcium chloride (CaCl) is slightly better since less goes farther, but it is still not ideal, since its run-off still increases algae growth, which clogs waterways. Potassium chloride is another salt to avoid. • Whatever you use, keep it away from landscape plants, especially those that are particularly salt-sensitive, like tulip poplars, maples, balsam firs, white pines, hemlock, Norway spruce, dogwood, redbud, rose bushes and spirea bushes.

• Skip the kitty litter or wood ashes. Neither melts snow and ice, and they have a tendency to get messy when it warms up.

• Avoid products that contain nitrogen-based urea. They’re more expensive and are not effective once the temperature drops below 20°F. Plus, the application rate for urea during a single deicing is ten times greater than that needed to fertilize the same area of your yard. Remember that the urea you apply to the ground will eventually run off into the street, down the drain, and into lakes and streams.

• Wear boots that have a solid toe and bottom treads to help increase your grip on icy surfaces. Or try “YakTrax,” lightweight, flexible rubber treads studded with steel coil grips so you won’t fall. The YakTrax slip over the soles of your shoes like snow chains slip over tires. $19.95 – $29.95 – kids’, women’s, and men’s sizes available.

The post Top Ten Eco Ways to De-Ice Your Driveway appeared first on Big Green Purse.