In the northern parts of the United States, snowing in the winter is a common and unavoidable part of the changing seasons. Naturally, slippery sidewalks and roads are a dangerous reality that people confront in their daily lives. However, many people do not consider the overall environmental impact of pouring egregious levels of salt on the roads. 

Water freezes at a temperature known as the 'freezing point', where the liquid molecules condense into the solid ice we know and love. The addition of salt lowers the freezing point, meaning that the temperature must be lower for the saltwater solution to freeze over. Think of it as if you are trying to fall asleep; when a new thing enters the room (such as a fly), it is much harder to relax. Water behaves in the same fashion, so salt is often used to remove ice from the roads and sidewalks.

This salt can corrode infrastructure and nearby materials. Other challenges of toxicity, water contamination, and accumulation are large issues. Higher salinity in the salt harms plants and wildlife [1]. Around 123 pounds of rock salt is used each year for every American [2]. This is a lot of salt! With this much salt introduced to the ecosystem, negative impacts are imminent.

Some eco-friendly alternatives include sugar beet juice, calcium magnesium acetate, and sand [3]. As the cheapest option, sand does not melt the ice and instead provides traction to reduce slipping. This allows the ice to slowly melt without introducing any new chemicals like rock salt!

[1] https://www.epa.gov/snep/winter-coming-and-it-tons-salt-our-roads#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20excess%20road%20salt%20accumulates,probability%20of%20accidents%20and%20roadkill.

[2] https://extension.psu.edu/environmental-hazards-of-road-salt

[3] https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/thinking-sustainably/3-road-salt-alternatives-that-dont-harm-the-environment