[0:00] Like any good motan knows, it's best to [0:03] clear snow off the pavement as soon as [0:04] possible before anyone stomps on it or [0:07] drives over it and it gets packed down. [0:09] Clear, dry pavement is our best case [0:11] scenario. It's not going to be slippery. [0:12] It's going to be nice and easy to walk [0:14] on. It's not always possible to keep ice [0:17] off of pavement. So, we sometimes have [0:19] to use salt. The city of Bloomington [0:21] knows all about this. The problem is [0:23] salt's not great for the environment. [0:25] Pollutes our water, degrades our [0:26] infrastructure. It's really bad for the [0:28] local soils. If we're going to use salt [0:31] to melt ice, we want to make sure that [0:34] we think about why the ice is forming in [0:36] the first place. [0:39] Clearing the snow is your best [0:41] maintenance opportunity. So, shoveling [0:44] it off, but if you have some leftover [0:46] snow on the ground, it might be worth [0:48] taking a broom and sweeping that off. [0:50] You really want to get that snow and ice [0:53] off of the pavement. That's water. [0:55] That's what turns into slippery [0:56] pavement. Melt water is another big [0:58] issue. Snow is going to melt. So, if you [1:00] have it stored up slope of your [1:02] pavement, it can start to melt in the [1:04] middle of winter when you get some warm [1:06] days or in the spring. And as it runs [1:08] off over the pavement, that melt water [1:10] is going to be a high risk area for [1:12] refreeze and slips. [1:14] If you're going to have to use salt [1:16] anywhere, try and keep it in the [1:18] priority zones like stairways or entries [1:20] to your house or buildings. [1:23] Put all these things together and you [1:25] can do a lot to stop ice forming in the [1:27] first place, which should reduce your [1:29] need for any winter deicing salt. Winter [1:33] safety is our main concern. And with [1:35] your help, we can have a fun, clean, [1:37] happy winter that's a little less [1:38] slippery and a little less salty.