[0:03] With all of this ice comes uncertainty [0:07] and fear of driving conditions, walking [0:10] conditions, um our personal safety, [0:12] right? And so we want to be as safe as [0:16] possible, but we also want to be mindful [0:19] about the steps that we're taking to be [0:21] safe when it comes to snow and ice in [0:24] the winter. So here at the Creek [0:26] Wershed District, we work both at the [0:28] state level, the county level, and the [0:30] local municipal level um to help fight [0:32] chloride. We have 68 water bodies across [0:36] the state impaired for chloride. We here [0:39] in the Creek wershed district have [0:42] three water bodies impaired for [0:44] chloride, including Latty Lake in Blaine [0:46] and Spring Lake Park, Spring Brook Creek [0:48] in the city of Fidley, and we have [0:50] Pleasure Creek in the city of [0:53] Rapids. And what that means is that [0:55] those chloride levels are reaching a [0:57] point where it can no longer sustain [0:59] aquatic life. So that means that those [1:01] waterways are getting so salty that fish [1:04] and invertebrates can't survive, which [1:07] can have a really big impact on the [1:10] overall ecosystem that we have here in [1:12] the state of Minnesota. We like to talk [1:15] about what's being called smart salting. [1:18] Smart salting is about being mindful [1:20] about how we're using the salt, where [1:23] we're using it, when we're using it, and [1:25] how much we're using, so that one, we're [1:28] using just the right amount of salt so [1:30] that we're not putting excess out into [1:31] the environment, but also so that we're [1:34] not putting more salt down than we need [1:36] to, which saves us money cuz your salt [1:39] will last you longer. So, a lot of [1:42] common smart salting practices will be [1:44] things like shoveling first. So, if you [1:47] shovel a walkway before you put down [1:50] salt, what you're effectively doing is [1:52] eliminating all of the material that [1:55] would eventually become ice. So, you're [1:57] removing the ice before it forms, which [1:59] is why we always encourage people to [2:01] shovel first and shovel frequently. [2:03] Then, you'll have to put less salt down. [2:06] The other thing that we encourage people [2:07] to do is look at the landscape around [2:10] your home or business and prioritize the [2:13] areas that you want to stay on top of [2:15] during the winter. Another super helpful [2:18] smart salting tip is to be mindful about [2:22] what the temperature is when you want to [2:24] use salt. So, something that a lot of [2:27] people don't realize is that your [2:28] traditional rolled salt that you would [2:30] put down on your sidewalk actually has [2:32] an effective temperature where it stops [2:35] working. So, if we have a ton of ice, [2:38] but the temperature is below 15°, [2:41] putting down salt isn't going to help [2:43] that ice. The salt is no longer [2:45] effective when it's 15° or colder. So, [2:48] when it gets to that point, try putting [2:51] something else down to help create the [2:53] traction. And one of those things would [2:55] be grit or some people have heard of it [2:57] called chicken grit, right? It's crushed [2:59] up granite that you can put down on your [3:01] sidewalk to create traction to keep you [3:03] from slipping. And it can also be [3:06] reused. So unlike salt when when it's [3:09] successfully used, it's absorbs and [3:11] melts away. Grit you can actually sweep [3:14] back up and reuse it the next time you [3:16] get ice in that same area. But there's [3:18] also a variety of other methods. Um, one [3:21] of them which you maybe see on a more [3:23] industrial scale, a lot of cities or [3:25] counties are starting to use um a brine [3:28] solution, which is like a watered down [3:29] salt solution. Um, they'll be using beet [3:32] juice and Anoka County is actually one [3:34] of the leaders in the area of trying to [3:36] encourage some alternative methods. Um, [3:39] another alternative that you could use [3:41] at home is actually putting down a [3:43] physical barrier. The get gritty program [3:46] is a partnership between multiple metro [3:48] wershed district to help encourage [3:51] people to take that first step and try a [3:53] different method of ice mitigation. [3:56] Right? And so the purpose of this [3:58] program was to remove a barrier for [4:01] people who maybe want to try grit or [4:04] want to try a new method but aren't sure [4:06] how to do so, where to get the product, [4:09] what to do with it um to take that first [4:12] step. All these different salt awareness [4:14] programs like Smart Sultting and the Get [4:17] Gritty program, they're not trying to [4:20] convince you to get rid of salt [4:21] completely. What we're trying to [4:23] encourage people to do is be more [4:25] mindful about how much salt that we use [4:27] and then be more creative or willing to [4:30] try other approaches that you maybe [4:32] haven't tried before. And maybe they'll [4:34] work for you, maybe they won't. The [4:36] important part is that you gave it a [4:38] try. And any change that we can make to [4:40] the amount of salt that we're using will [4:42] benefit our waterways.