Begin forwarded message:
From: Valerie Ross <vcer...@gmail.com> Date: January 1, 2012 3:09:13 PM EST Subject: [UCNeighbors] Clark Park and Salting Dear Neighbors, With global warming, who knows if we're going to even have snow, but in the event we do, I hope that you will join me in seeking an end to the excessive use of salt around Clark Park. Last year there were literally piles of salt on sidewalks around Clark Park. Salt was frequently and heavily used in advance of snow (in a few cases, it never even snowed but nonetheless the sidewalks were thick with salt, which remained the entire winter and then, of course, washes into our sewage system where it poisons our water supply and, highly corrosive, eats into the infrastructure. Why should we stop using de-icing salt? 1) It causes very painful burns to the feet of wildlife and pets. Several dogs ended up howling in pain, with bloody paws, last year, including my own. When they try to lick off the salt, the animals compound the problem by burning their tongues and ingesting this poisonous substance (de-icing salt is highly toxic). 2) It poisons our water and also poisons available drinking water for wildlife -- those water puddles created by de-icing salt are highly toxic. De-icing salt also poisons the ground, killing vegetation. On top of generally poisoning the food and water supply for wildlife, animals and particularly birds accidentally ingest the salt directly since it mingles with their food supply on the ground. 3) De-icing salt is not only highly toxic, it is also highly corrosive. It destroys our streets, leading to giant potholes that are such a feature of Philadelphia. Note that many snowbelt states and nations have stopped or dramatically reduced the use of salt because it's so destructive and expensive and of dubious effectiveness in terms of ending slipperiness, given the melt/freeze cycle it generates (as well as the sinkholes). The most effective response to snow is to shovel it immediately and then where and when appropriate to use sand, ashes, gravel, cat litter, lava, etc., which are re-usable and environmentally friendly, and do not create the slippery cycle of melt/and re-freeze typical of de-icing salts. I hope that you will join me in encouraging Clark Park and USP to be kind to pets, wildlife, and the environment this year and replace de- icing salt with timely shoveling and sand or gravel. Valerie Ross Regent Sq.
