The heavy snowfall this season has blanketed the campus with unavoidable snow-covered, icy walkways. In the movement of students and faculty to be more environmentally conscious, St. Michael’s has taken another step in going green – green, environmentally friendly ice salt.
Deck the paths with boughs of green salt
The maintenance department at St. Michael’s is working to make the campus safe for students, faculty and staff, while also being eco-friendly. The green salt complements the campus’ continuing mission of going "green," says Alan Dickinson, associate director of Grounds & Special Services.
 |
The green salt used on the sidewalks is gathered from a pile located in the Physical Plant storage barn near the cemetery. |
The green salt, known as ClearLane is biodegradable and 67 percent less corrosive than regular salt, Dickinson says. It has an anti-caking agent (which helps prevent lumps in the salt) that traditional rock salt does not have, he says.
The idea to use environmentally friendly salt was brought up over a year ago. There has been a growing interest in protecting the environment, says Dave Cutler, director of Facilities.
ClearLane green salt also does not scatter as easily as regular salt, Dickinson says. For the same effect, the school doesn’t have to put as much on the sidewalks.
While regular road salt leaves a white residue, the new salt doesn’t track into the buildings, leaving the campus hallways and classrooms notably cleaner, Dickinson says.
One ton of green salt is about $20 dollars more expensive than regular road salt, Dickinson says. The maintenance department cannot afford to buy all green salt with its current budget, he says.
Currently, the salt budget is about $1,500 per winter season, but it costs more with machinery and workers. Green salt may be more expensive than sand or regular salt, but it takes less in the form of cleaning the buildings and the storm drains, Dickinson says.
St. Michael’s has not seen a lack of salt, but the price of salt has dramatically increased, Dickinson says.
Regular salt has increased to $90 dollars a ton, from the previous $59 dollars a ton. Green salt prices have also increased in price, although the maintenance department has not had to purchase anymore this season, Dickinson says.
“There has only been one budget increase in the last 13 years for the maintenance department,” Cutler says. “It’s hard with the growing inflation to meet all needs.”
This year 10 tons of “magic salt” were purchased. It is as effective as green salt, brown in color and made by a different company. Twenty tons of green salt and 140 tons of regular salt were also purchased, Dickinson says.
Green salt is mostly found on the six miles of campus sidewalks, Dickinson says.
In icy conditions, a mixture of both sand and salt are used, Cutler says.
Purple and gold...and green!
St. Michael’s is hoping to make ClearLane a permanent addition to the school, Cutler says.
 |
Rock salt is found near the front steps of Hamel Hall on North Campus on Feb. 26, 2008. (Photo by Kaitlin Couillard) |
“It’s pretty great. Every little step we can take in protecting the environment helps,” says sophomore Meghan Hemond of Green Up SMC.
With the changing weather this winter, the conditions have been unpredictable.
“We have seen between 5-10 students this semester for falls in and around campus,” says Health Services Nurse Susan Jacques.
None of the injuries have been major, Jacques says, mainly bruised backs, sprained ankles, or abrasions on the arms and legs. These numbers are normal for the months of January and February, she says.
Where did all the green salt go?
The supply chain for green salt is somewhat unknown, Cutler says. If local towns decide to go all green, the high demand for ClearLane will affect St. Michael’s, he says.
 |
The Physical Plant storage barn holds the green salt. |
“The town [of Colchester] has not run out of salt this year, but that is because we have been conservative with salting,” says Brian Tuttle, operation manager for the Department of Public Works in Colchester.
Previously, when a call is placed for salt, it arrives in a day or two. Now it takes about a week longer and only one ton will be received instead of the four or five that were ordered. The reason is the salt shortage, Tuttle says.
The maintenance department is not as far behind the times as some may think, Cutler says. Campus fertilizers don’t contain phosphorous; there are conservation lights already in place; and since break the cleaning supplies are 100 percent green.
“The intention is to go all green,” Cutler says.