Currents \| January 2014

It is cold outside. More than ever, your water needs protecting! Water can get polluted easily in the winter months especially from using snow and ice removal products incorrectly. Snow and ice melting products, known as de-icers, can have negative environmental impacts when melted snow and ice carry the harsh chemicals to our ditches, streams and rivers. Overuse of certain products, such as salts, can also damage driveways and vehicles and can be a hazard for pets and children. Not all de-icing products are equal in terms of cost, environmental impact or effectiveness either. Here are some simple suggestions of how to properly use de-icers and protect our waterways.

1. Shovel early, shovel often. De-icers work best when there is only a thin layer of snow or ice that to melt. Remove as much snow as you can during the storm. Use a hoe or other tool to scrape off ice from the surface before de-icers are applied.

2. If you have a chronic problem with ice forming, determine the source and divert the melting snow away from your sidewalks and driveways to an area where the ice won't be a problem. 

3. Shovel early in the day, the sun will warm the surface and help melt new snow and prevent the need for de-icers.

4. Shovel before you drive a vehicle on the driveway to reduce packed snow that can turn icy.

5. Limit the use of de-icers, especially those with the most negative impacts to be used only when needed.

6. Make sure to purchase your deicing product well before the storm hits. Otherwise, you will be looking at empty shelves, and have few, if any environmentally friendly choices to make at the store. 

7. Many de-icers will not work in extremely low temperatures. Make sure you are getting the correct product for the situation.

8. Do not use fertilizers for snow and ice removal. Fertilizers are very poor at ice melting and removal and melting and increase nutrient runoff to nearby streams. 

9. Do not try to use sand to melt snow or ice. It will only increase traction, which can be very helpful in certain situations.

Remember that when the snow and ice melt, it carries everything in to the nearest ditch or stream often via storm drains. The chemicals you pour on your sidewalks can have detrimental effects on nearby plants, animals and water systems. Think carefully about nearby kids, pets and landscaping when using de-icing products. Keep your own safety in mind. Our waterways are our drinking sources. Your rivers will thank you when the snow and ice melts. 

Information provided by Snow, Road, Salt and the Chesapeake Bay by Tom Shuler, Center for Watershed Protection. For more information, check out this article about de-icing.

Exercise more. Clean more. Eat less junk food. Or you could take shorter showers, buy local food, use less fertilizer, carpool more and recycle more. While you are on the path of doing good for the world, why not take care of your drinking water, your recreational source and your playground for your kids? Join Partners for Clean Streams and you can do all of these things! Now is your chance to do something that makes an impact on your rivers, help create wildlife habitat, rebuild a healthy environment and teach others to do the same. We cannot live without water and here in northwest Ohio, we are blessed to have an abundance of it, but our rivers need constant care and attention and we cannot do it alone. We need your help. Join us and become a Partner and empower volunteers and staff to make our rivers clean, clear and safe for generations to come. By joining us and getting involved in our river protecting efforts, we promise exercise, fresh air and better scenery than a gym. So this year, make a promise that you can keep; a promise for a better world. Join us now by donating and becoming a member of Partners for Clean Streams.

The Northwest Ohio Community Shares raises its glass with you at the Share-a-Glass on January 25^th at 7:00pm. This fun beer, wine and hors d’oeuvers event showcases over 27 members of Northwest Ohio Community Shares. Raffles will be held throughout the evening. Share-a-Glass will be held at UAW Local 14 at 5411 Jackman Road, Toledo Ohio. Northwest Ohio Community Shares provides funding and visibility in the community for 27 local non-profits that address some of the most pressing needs facing our community today, including health and human services, education, the arts, the environment, animal welfare, social justice and equality. Partners for Clean Streams is one of the highlighted groups for the event. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased by contacting Partners for Clean Streams at 419-874-0727. We look forward to seeing you there!