Dear Neighbors With the first snow flurries in the forecast for next week, it's time to think about keeping our sidewalks safe. In addition to making sure no one gets injured by falling on them, we need to keep our rivers, drinking water, plants and pets safe from the effects of salt. Salt can injure or kill plants and animals (especially our pets). There is no salt that is safe or good for the environment, but there are safer choices. *Worst Choice:* rock salt (sodium chloride). It is cheapest per pound, but melts less snow than alternatives, so it ends up costing more. It only works down to 15 degrees, so it won't melt ice on a typical winter morning. It also has cyanide in it. It is the worst for the environment, since you end up using more of it. *Better Choice: *calcium chloride or calcium magnesium are better bets. It is much more effective than rock salt, so you use less and that makes it cheaper too. It works down to -25 degrees. It has no cyanide in it. *Best Choice:* Use as little salt as possible to get the job done. Shovel your walks to prevent ice forming and you will need less salt. De-icers don't work on snowy sidewalks, so shovel first Stay warm and safe, Nancy 🚲