As the seasonal snowfall draws to a close and you consider where to store that leftover ice and snow melt, consider making room for more environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical snow melts. The first alternative is to lay a tarp on your walkway before the snow begins to fall. If the snow is not too heavy, you may be able to lift or pull the tarp onto the grassy areas once the snow has stopped falling. If you do not plan ahead, the most environmentally friendly method of snow removal is good old manual labor. Shoveling, sweeping, and scraping away ice and snow may be hard on your back, but the waterways will thank you. Remember, bend with your knees! Another option is to use an eco-safe ice melt made of calcium magnesium acetate, which prevents the ice from bonding to the pavement when temperatures are over 20°. It takes a little longer to work but it is less corrosive than rock salt. Try applying sand, sawdust, birdseed, or even coffee grounds for traction on walkways and driveways. Or, if you feel like trying a little DIY, a mixture of beet juice and salt may be helpful. Apparently, it lowers the freezing point while being less corrosive, and you can chug the leftover juice for a burst of nutrient-dense richness! Of course, if the temperature is going to rise above freezing and you don’t have to rush out, consider allowing the sun to do its work first.