Americans may carpool, ride or buy hybrid vehicles. But if they live in the northern climate, then it might be the roads that need greener.
Ice on roads is dangerous in cold weather. Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is an effective and inexpensive way to melt snow. In Minneapolis, the Twin Cities, road crews consume an astonishing 260 pounds of salt each winter.
The salt used to deice roads can cause damage to the environment. The soil and water supply do not have any salt-removing capabilities. Americans can add salt to the environment in a variety of ways. It might move through the soil or into aquifers. But, it doesn’t really go.
What does this all mean? Salt kills wildlife and plants in land environments. Salt can cause toxicity in small birds who confuse it with minerals. Salt can prevent plants from absorbing water and cause slow growth or even death. One Canadian study found that up to 50.8 per cent of woody plants are sensitive to sodium chloride. The erosion rate is higher when there is less plant growth. Unnaturally high salt levels can cause aquatic habitats to be depleted of native species.
Road salt affects humans, too. Salt removal from drinking water is expensive and requires energy. The salt chloride can corrode automobile parts and roads.
It’s not possible to drive on slippery roads so cities must find eco-friendly ways of making winter driving safer. Others materials also look promising. Power of the Dream Ventures, Inc., an Hungarian technology company, is currently trying to patent a biodegradable deicing solution. The all-natural ingredients in the solution are included. The solution prevents ice formation by pretreatment. It also melts existing snow and ice.
Visit Power of the Dream Ventures, Inc. for more information www.powerofthedream.com. On the OTCBB exchange, the company trades under the symbol PWRV
