[caption id="attachment_486" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="Be careful, it's slippery!"] [/caption] In these cold, icy times, it's so easy to slip and fall - or so easy to face a lawsuit, depending on which side of the sidewalk you're on. In order to remain safe, it's second nature to reach for the bag of salt and sprinkle it over your walk to ensure you, your kids and your mail carrier don't break a leg. But, in our ever-growing eco-conscience, we all know that salting ice - though effective - ain't too good for the environment. The salt we use to melt ice finds its way into soil, streams, rivers, plants and vegetation and wildlife (and our doggies' paws) . It also damages our roads and sidewalks, as it is corrosive. Seeing as de-icing is a fact of life in these parts, it may be worth trying some of the eco-friendly de-icers on the shelves. These are said to be made without corrosives and the chlorine component that harms both the environment and our roads. How do you de-ice your walkway and sidewalk? Have you tried an eco-friendly alternative? Does it work?