2023_0124_PWETCPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

PAG E 2 SUSTAINABILITY NEWSLETTER Smart Salting Practices Winter has already put us through several sloppy storm systems this season. While salt is often necessary to keep our roadways and sidewalks safe, it also causes damage to local waterways and is dangerous to many plants and animals. Here are some tips for smart salting: 1. Shovel and scrape snow and ice from the pavement surface, as much as you can. 2. Use less salt - a 12 ounce coffee cup full is enough for a 20 foot driveway 3. Check the temperature —salt will not work below 15 degrees F. 4. Consider using sand or lava grit as alternatives, which can help provide traction on icy surfaces when the temperature is below the threshold where salt won't work. 5. Sweep up extra salt and grit once conditions have dried. Renewable Energy Subscriptions Are you a fan of renewable energy? The easiest way to support renewable electricity sources is to sign up for Windsource® or Solar" Rewards® Community from Xcel Energy! These subscription services allow you to source some or all of your home electricity usage from re- newable sources for a small monthly fee. Check out current renewable options available from Xcel Energy and sign up today. Positive Climate News England will ban some single -use plastics. Following their 2020 ban on plastic straws, cotton swabs, and drink stirrers, England will ban plastic cutlery, plates, trays and other polystyrene cups and food con- tainers starting October 2023. Hole in the ozone laver on track to heal. Despite some setbacks from Chinese CFC emissions, the ozone layer is on track to return to pre-1980 conditions by 2066. USDA approves first vaccine for honeybees. Scientists have devel- oped a vaccine that encourages a prophylactic response in bees to prevent foulbrood, one bacterial threat to hives. The vaccine is injected into royal jelly, which the queen ingests, ac- quiring immunity and passing it onto her offspring.