Salt Smart Outreach
The salt we use to keep our roads, parking lots and sidewalks free of ice during the winter finds its way into our rivers where it is toxic to fish and hurts water quality. Salt is also corrosive to our infrastructure and can kill the vegetation on our landscape.
Below are resources to help your community be smart about their winter salt use:
Salt Smart Collaborative
The Conservation Foundation works to reduce the amount of chlorides getting into waterways through the Salt Smart Collaborative, which it coordinates in partnership with local watershed groups and partners. Find more information at www.saltsmart.org.
Salt Smart and You Exhibit
Engage your community in a conversation about responsible salt use to protect the environment and ensure winter safety. Bring these eight educational pop-up displays to your library or community center! Learn more and reserve the exhibit.
Winter Deicing Trainings
Through Salt Smart, we offer yearly deicing workshops and webinars. Registration for deicing workshops are available at saltsmart.org/workshops.
Winter Chloride Watchers - Promotional Materials
View more information about the Winter Chloride Watchers volunteer program at theconservationfoundation.org/wcw/
Blogs
- Why Road Salt is a Growing Environmental Issue | Download as Word Document
- Winter Safety Starts with You: Tips for a Safer Neighborhood | Download as Word Document
- Find Your WHY for Being Salt Smart | Download as Word Document
- Stay Safe and Salt Smart This Winter! | Download as Word Document
- Salt Smart Practices
- For Safe Roads (municipalities) | Download as Word Document
- For Safe Parking Lots and Sidewalks (contractors, Park Districts) | Download as Word Document
- How Does Salt Melt Snow and Ice? | Download as Word Document
- Salt Smart Tips for Staying Safe on the Roads this Winter | Download as Word Document
- After It Snows, What Gets Plowed First? | Download as Word Document
- Winter Clean-Up Tips | Download as Word Document
- Anti-Icing: The Stripes That Keep You Safe | Download as Word Document
- Lose the Crunch, Love the Lines: Why We Need to Adopt Anti-Icing | Download as Word Document
- How Winter Salt Affects Our Pets | Download as Word Document
- The Scoop on Road Salt: How Chlorides Impact the Environment | Download as Word Document
- Tools for Clearing Snow at Home | Download as Word Document
- Salt Smart Water Softening | Download as Word Document
- Why Salt Brine is Better Than Rock Salt | Download as Word Document
Social Media Graphics
Posters
Other Resources
Bookmark
Salt Scatter Cups
A 12 ounce cup or mug full of salt is enough to cover 10 sidewalk squares! Share these salt scatter cups with residents to promote Smart Salting techniques.
Contact Lea Rodbarry to purchase scatter cups. Cups are free for members of the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition and Lower Des Plaines Watershed Group.
