Comments on: Saltless In Seattle http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/12/saltless-in-seattle Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Mark Reyer http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/12/saltless-in-seattle/comment-page-1#comment-48261 Mark Reyer Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:39:01 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=6973#comment-48261 I live in Portland. We have the same issues as Seattle. I've lived in the East and Midwest and the lame excuses I hear in the Northwest for not using salt just dumbfounds those of us who know better. Like it will kill the vegetation, fish, wildlife, and the list goes on. Funny, we have vegetation, fish, and wildlife back East and in the mid-west. As far as the economics are concerned; the wear and tear chains and studded tires cause to the roads is far more expensive than salt. Not to mention the cost to businesses for closing. Lets not forget, that in Seattle and Portland you may have a need for salt once maybe twice a year. Where I come from it was more like once or twice a week. So how bad can it be for the environment or on the budget? I live in Portland. We have the same issues as Seattle. I’ve lived in the East and Midwest and the lame excuses I hear in the Northwest for not using salt just dumbfounds those of us who know better. Like it will kill the vegetation, fish, wildlife, and the list goes on. Funny, we have vegetation, fish, and wildlife back East and in the mid-west. As far as the economics are concerned; the wear and tear chains and studded tires cause to the roads is far more expensive than salt. Not to mention the cost to businesses for closing. Lets not forget, that in Seattle and Portland you may have a need for salt once maybe twice a year. Where I come from it was more like once or twice a week. So how bad can it be for the environment or on the budget?

]]> By: tas http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/12/saltless-in-seattle/comment-page-1#comment-48259 tas Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:29:47 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=6973#comment-48259 I agree, it is ridiculous. I want to save the environment too, but we have to work within the confines of our society. Salt is bad, but if we don't currently have anything to replace it with to keep roads clear... I mean, hardpacking? Give me a break. They might as well just leave slush on the road -- in fact, that might be better than hardpacking and thus creating a sheer sheet of ice. But, of course, salt is the best solution environment or not. Humans need to be protected first. I agree, it is ridiculous. I want to save the environment too, but we have to work within the confines of our society. Salt is bad, but if we don’t currently have anything to replace it with to keep roads clear… I mean, hardpacking? Give me a break. They might as well just leave slush on the road — in fact, that might be better than hardpacking and thus creating a sheer sheet of ice. But, of course, salt is the best solution environment or not. Humans need to be protected first.

]]> By: Dustin http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/12/saltless-in-seattle/comment-page-1#comment-48257 Dustin Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:36:32 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=6973#comment-48257 Given the general issue city's have been having with acquiring salt (either due to lack of supply available or money issues) that would make sense, and if that's the case here so be it. But to pass this off as a <em>good</em> thing and to try to claim it's "for the environment"? No, now we just entered asinine territory. Even if this is just political BS spin to try to claim that they're on top of things and they "have the storm right where they want it", so to speak, it's ridiculous. Given the general issue city’s have been having with acquiring salt (either due to lack of supply available or money issues) that would make sense, and if that’s the case here so be it. But to pass this off as a good thing and to try to claim it’s “for the environment”? No, now we just entered asinine territory.

Even if this is just political BS spin to try to claim that they’re on top of things and they “have the storm right where they want it”, so to speak, it’s ridiculous.

]]> By: tas http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/12/saltless-in-seattle/comment-page-1#comment-48255 tas Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:31:23 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=6973#comment-48255 This is worse than the seemingly now standard excuse cities have for not using salt on the roads: budget reductions. Perhaps the councilpeople of Seattle are trying to package budget reductions as green so they don't look so cheap...? This is worse than the seemingly now standard excuse cities have for not using salt on the roads: budget reductions. Perhaps the councilpeople of Seattle are trying to package budget reductions as green so they don’t look so cheap…?

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