Running head: MILESTONE 1

Milestone

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
MILESTON 2

Milestone

Section 1

The city of East Lancing in times of heavy blizzard mitigate the adverse by clearing a

majority of the utility roads. One of the most popular mitigation plans they use during such a

time is salting. They usually apply salt on key traffic arteries that emergency vehicles utilize,

highways, residential streets, and in critical spots such as corners, stops and hills. Depending on

the blizzard condition’s severity, property owners are also responsible for ensuring that their

sidewalks are also clear to keep their neighborhood walkable and by treating the ice and snow

with salt.

Section 2

Salt and ploughing are some of the mitigation option for clearing excess snow in times of

blizzard. However, one of the main reasons ploughing is extremely dangerous during blizzards is

the strong winds that come in its wake. Consequent, ploughing is not a safe alternative because

of the additional time it would take to complete the task. On the other hand, salting is effective in

melting such snow and ice. Therefore, every time there is a blizzard in East Lancing tons of salt

is spread and spayed on the roads, highways and streets. While salt is effective in clearing the

snow, it also poses health and environmental consequences. For instance, when pets walk on

these salt, it cracks their paws and also causes corrosion when it comes into contact with metals.

Eventually, the salt also finds its way into the soil and seeps into the city’s waterways, wells,

rivers and lake. Once the chlorine levels increase in these water sources, they violate the water

quality standard, effectively making the water unsafe for drinking. Furthermore, the increased

concentration of salt in the water is also harmful to plants.

Section 3
MILESTON 3

As a result of the adverse health and environmental effects that the use of salt brings when

used as a mitigation measure for blizzard, I propose the use of pickle brine. Like salt, brine

obtained from pickling can also be used in melting the snow and ice. Salt normally melt when a

pavement in question is more than 15 degrees warmer. In contrast, pickle brine is capable of

melting snow at -21 o C or – 6 o F. Consequently, it is more effective even in low temperatures.

Such a trait helps stop snow from successfully bonding with pavement and hence friendly when

chipping off and removing. The utilization of pickle brine decreases the quantity of chloride

discharged to the environment by about 14 to 29 percent (Silverman, 2014). Similarly, its use

means that 4 -29 % less chorine would find its way to the waterway. Furthermore, it is easy to

make it at home by mixing sugar beet juice with water and salt.

Section 4

The intended audience for this mitigation plan proposal is the city of East Lancing’s

Department of Public Works. The department has the duty of outlining the substances that

should be used to clear the streets, highways and roads during extreme weathers such as

Blizzards. To have this proposal approved by this department to implement this plan, I would

show the leaders of this department statistics showing how successful this technique has worked

in other states and countries. Furthermore, I would show the negative effects of excess chloride

on water, soil, animals and people. In so doing, the department would see the need for this

alternative mitigation plan and hence give me the green light to proceed.

References
MILESTON 4

Silverman, R. (2014, February 5). Why Pickle Brine Is a Secret Weapon Against Ice. National

Geographic. Retrieved from htps://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140204-melt-

snow-ice-salt-beet-juice-pickle-brine/