#road-salt — Public Fediverse posts

Pook-Emu Bee: Links For 03-15-26

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/pook-emu-bee-links-for-03-15-26/

Hey #Ontario friends, take this chance to do something nice for the environment that is simple and fast! Right here is a petition to look into alternatives to road salt, which is toxic and polluting the Great Lakes. Given current #water issues, this is pretty important, I think.

https://saltcoalition.ca/#leaders

@ontario @OntarioNDP #GreatLakes #RoadSalt #Salt #Ice #WaterRights #FreshWater #WaterRestrictions

Things I Learned: Berlin’s Road Salt Ban

https://social.emucafe.org/naferrell/berlin-road-salt-ban-02-11-26/

RIDE ON: BIKING THROUGH THE WINTER

Driving and walking are not the only ways to get around town in the winter. Cycling through the slush, snow and ice is an option that many locals are opting for both commuting and recreation.   

Krystal Li, a year-round bicycling commuter, said she chooses to ride through every season because she never felt motivated to own a car after moving to Kitchener.  

“I figured cycling would be easier than walking to a lot of places,” she said.  

In the winter, Li uses a commuter bike with winter tires. The commuter bike is a step-through model that allows riders to easily mount the bicycle verses stepping over a crossbar.  

“It’s more upright, so I feel safer when I’m cycling on snow,” she said.  

As with any winter sport, dressing for winter cycling is specific to each individual. Li said she wears a ski jacket and pants and brings a change of clothes for her workplace. Keeping dry is not only restricted to her clothing. Commuting to work means bringing her laptop, which she transports in a water-proof backpack.  

Li uses the Iron Horse and Spurline Trails in the summer and winter for her commute. She said the trails are maintained well, making it easy and safe to get to and from work.  

“I would go out of my way if that means I can stay on the trail for as long as possible. I hope more people try winter cycling to help encourage the city to maintain the trails,” she said.   

Fellow cyclist Rober Haskett is also an avid recreational winter cyclist. Like Li, Haskett has different bicycles for the summer and winter seasons, including a fat bike. These bicycles have extra-wide tires that run at low pressure to provide better traction and stability on snow and ice. He said the fat bike is his preferred choice for riding in deep snow.  

“As long as you’re paying attention to what you’re doing, riding in the winter is as easy as riding in the summertime. The biggest concern is figuring out what works for you to keep warm,” Haskett said.  

He said one of his friends could never keep his hands warm while cycling in the winter. That was until he discovered pogies, which are water and wind-resistant pockets that fit over a bicycle’s grips, gear shifters, and brake handles.   

“They’re basically an insulated bag that goes on top of your handlebars where your hands go. For me, I find that a pair of lobster claw style gloves work perfectly for me because my hands run hot,” he said.  

Beyond keeping warm and dry, maintaining your bicycle in the winter is another area cyclists need to keep in mind. Ryan McDonough, sales manager at McPhail’s Cycle and Sports, said he advises people to keep their main bicycle in storage for the winter and ride a bicycle that you do not mind getting damaged by water and road salt.  

“Winter is going to put wear and tear on your bike. The great thing about the Region is that they clear the trails. But they salt them heavily, so that will ruin anything that’s metal on the bike,” McDonough said.   

While Haskett said he prefers a fat-tire bike for winter riding, McDonough said a thin tire is his choice in slushy conditions. He said fat bikes were designed to be buoyant on surfaces like sand and dirt.  

“When it comes to slush, you end up sliding on it versus staying buoyant. A narrower tire will cut through the slush and get you down to the cement, which is where you want to be,” McDonough said.  

Whether you choose to ride a fat bike or an older bicycle with winter tires, Haskett said winter cycling can change your outlook on the season.  

“It’s so much fun, especially when you get a fresh snowfall in the evening. The snow is coming down and the trails are quiet. It’s a serene thing to experience,” Haskett said.

#AlexKinsella #Biking #crossbar #driving #dry #ironHorse #KrystalLi #laptop #mcphailsCycleAndSports #mount #roadSalt #RyanMcDonough #spurlineTrails #Summer #transport #Transportation #Walking #winter #Work

Blessed Road Salt

https://streetartutopia.com/2024/03/21/blessed-road-salt/

Every time we get a little bit of snow, homeowners and businesses dump PILES of salt onto sidewalks and parking lots. The city and county aren't much better, but they're trying to reduce salt use thru brining the streets before snowstorms.

The salt all ends up in our water.

I keep remembering Colorado using NO SALT on their mountain roads, opting instead for fine gravel. Seems like a better way. #roadsalt #pollution
https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/high-levels-of-chloride-pollution-discovered-in-la-crosse-streams/article_5c7ba43e-e28b-11ee-a4e2-7b1d7fe42af0.html

Gift link from Washington Post: Scientists have found a ‘sleeping giant’ of environmental problems: Earth is getting saltier

#ClimateChange #RoadSalt #EnviromentalIssues

https://wapo.st/49abPvr

St. John's salt mountain. It's about twice so high now, pretty much ready for winter. Unsurprisingly, the fence is pretty rusted along the bottom.

It'd be amazing if we could find a functional replacement for this stuff.

[ #roadsalt #cyyt #yyt #winter #salt #roads #Nfld #Newfoundland ]

Road Salt? Bah! New Roadway Material Promises A Better Solution to Snow And Ice - If you’ve ever lived somewhere it gets properly cold, you’ll know that winter’s ic... - https://hackaday.com/2023/09/06/road-salt-bah-new-roadway-material-promises-a-better-solution-to-snow-and-ice/ #hackadaycolumns #greenhacks #roadsalt #science #roadway #road

Road salt destroys aquatic ecosystems, but it doesn’t have to. Communities in the Lake George area found a solution that cuts their road salt use in half and saves #costs too. It starts with using #brine instead of rock salt. Please share this with your local municipality. #environment #solutions #waterquality #roadsalt
https://undark.org/2021/03/11/road-salt-imperils-aquatic-ecosystems/

The Road Is Peppered with Rock Salt Alternatives - Every winter, millions of tons of rock salt is sprinkled across roads in the US, m... - https://hackaday.com/2022/01/25/the-road-is-peppered-with-rock-salt-alternatives/ #calciummagnesiumacetate #transportationhacks #hackadaycolumns #chemistryhacks #sodiumchloride #coffeegrounds #chickengrit #kittylitter #roadsalt #de-icer