While I like a lot of naturally salty things (pickles, olives, Simon Cowell), I’m not big on adding salt to my food. Maybe it’s because I overloaded on salty things (like bacon) during a recent experiment or maybe it’s just because I happen to know it’s not really good for me.
It turns out too much added salt isn’t the greatest for roads, ground, grass, water and infrastructure either. Salt is a very common way people melt ice and remove snow in the winter – it’s cheap, effective and easy (provided you’re using it at the right temperature). In 2008, more than 21 million tons of road salt was used in the U.S., with chemicals running off into vegetation, soil and waterways, affecting plant growth and animal habitats. In addition to the environmental impact, the National Research Council Transportation Board estimates that every ton of road salt costs $600 in downstream infrastructure damage (This study was done in 1991. If we were to adjust for inflation, this would work out to $900 in damage). Now there’s a company out there that has an alternative – one that doesn’t just prevent damage, but can actually help things flourish in the spring.