In response to your question on deicing the drive...
Traditional Sodium Chloride (NaCl) deicer (or better known as Rock Salt) can contain cyanide and chloride that can be dangerous to water supplies as well as soils. Excess salts build up in the soil, just as fertilizers do, and can change soil chemistry (makes it acidic) and reduce plant growth by preventing plants from absorbing nutrients and water, and salts can leach heavy metals which eventually make their way into water supplies... Rock salt is definitely affective as a deicer, and if it's your only alternative USE IT SPARINGLY. However, there are other things that can be done / used. I've outlined a few tips below...
I copied and pasted some samples from a website that should help. See below.
Again, please pass on my thanks to the homeowner for taking an active roll in assuring their home and yard practices have a positive impact on the lake!
Joe
Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives to rock salt that will help keep your shoes and your car's wheels from slipping and sliding all over the place.
- This one may seem like a big, fat "duh," but shovel! Shovel as soon as possible during a snow storm, and if it's a long-lasting storm, brave the weather and shovelwhile it snows. This will give the snow less time to set, and you'll have it out of the way before it melts and freezes, becoming ice!
- If you suspect the ice and snow will melt soon anyways, you can improve your traction and make your sidewalks and driveways less slippery by sprinkling them with sand, gravel, or birdseed. It won't melt the ice, but it'll prevent you from falling, and it'll keep the birds happy!
- Before a storm comes into town, cover high-traffic areas like sidewalks, door entries, and the walk between your car and your home with a plastic tarp. Then shovel off the snow and remove it before it has a change to freeze.
- When necessary, use a salt-free deicer, such as Safe Paw or Calcium Magnesium Acetate(CMA), which is less harmful to plants, pets, concrete, and humans.
- Consider the weather conditions before applying a deicer. For dry, powder snow, sweep and shovel the snow instead of deicing. For heavy, wet snow, use a deicer as soon as the snow fall begins to prevent bonding. For freezing rain, use a deicer as soon as possible to prevent freezing. For serious snowfall, have your driveway plowed and shovel your walkways, and then use a deicer.
- If all else fails, pay a friendly neighbor to shovel and plow for you!