January 21st

By Mutt Mulligan

Eco-friendly ice melt options

Salt is often used to melt ice and snow pack during the winter months. However, salt can damage vegetation by drawing water away from the roots, it pollutes water supplies, and can be hard on car finishes. All-in-all, it’s not the most eco-friendly solution.

Ice melt options

So what are your options? Here are a few to consider.

• Kitty litter. Non-clumping kitty litter doesn’t actually melt the ice, but it can provide much-needed traction until you can shovel or the sun comes out to melt the mess.
• Coffee grinds. Instead of tossing your morning grinds onto the compost pile, consider using them on your ice patches. Since coffee grinds are dark they absorb more of the sun’s rays, speeding the melting process, and providing some much-needed traction in the meantime.
• Sand. Much like coffee grinds, sand will make things less slippery while the sun’s rays work their magic.
  

If you end up needing to use a deicer, don’t forget our tips on how to properly protect your plants.

Do you have a favorite environmentally friendly ice melt trick? Share your ideas in the comment section, or on TurfMutt’s Facebook page.