For winter maintenance nerds (and deep down, aren't we all in Winnipeg?), check out this CBC segment on the use of beet juice and cheese brine to replace corrosive road salt.

The first half gets into why road salt is detrimental (eats concrete curbs, kills boulevard trees, rusts cars and bikes, drains into our waterways).

To hear about alternatives, start at the 10 minute mark.

http://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/the-current/segment/15509655

cheers, Beth