By mid-week, the D.C. area could see a little snow or ice from a big weather system out West.
The main concern will be a brief period of sleet or freezing rain, which could cause some icy spots on the road Thursday.
That means it may be time to start thinking about de-icing responsibly.
Sodium chloride, also known as rock salt, will melt ice quickly, but, eventually, the salt washes into waterways where it can harm plants, soil and wildlife.
So what can you do to be environmentally responsible when it comes to using salt to de-ice this winter?
- Shovel first and then use salt.
- If the sun is coming out, let it do some of the work first.
- Use rock salt sparingly. Just 12 ounces of rock salt can treat a 20-foot driveway.
- Use traction materials instead, such as bird seed.
