Educational Institutions | Pennsylvania Road Salt Action

How to Approach an Educational Institution

Educational institutions—such as colleges, universities, and school districts—often manage large areas of pavement and sidewalks, making them important partners in reducing road salt pollution. The steps below can help you start a productive, collaborative conversation.

Note: Please let PARSA know about any actions you have taken.

What were your successes and challenges?
Are there any other resources that you need?
Contact us at paroadsaltactionwg@gmail.com

Photo: J. Latzgo

Remember - Always Tailor Your Message to Your Audience:

People are motivated by different concerns— administrators of educational institutions care about cost savings, infrastructure protection, environmental stewardship and maintaining safety.

1. Before you start, educate yourself

Visit our Road Salt Pollution Information webpage to learn about road salt pollution, its effects, and actions that can be taken. This will give you more confidence when talking about this issue and answering questions.

2. Observe and document

Gather clear, factual information:

Note where excessive salt is being applied e.g. parking decks, sidewalks, entrances, loading zones. (Salt crystals should be approximately 3 inches apart)
Look for where salt is stored on-site. Is it adequately protected from the elements?
Look inside the building - is salt being tracked in to places where it could damage flooring?
Take photos where appropriate

3. Look for chloride data

If there is chloride monitoring data for your area, it can be very persuasive. This type of evidence clearly links road salt use to water quality impacts.Our Researching Chloride Data for Your Watershed webpage gives information on how to find sources of chloride data.

4. Find the correct department

Winter maintenance and deicing may fall under:

Facilities/grounds management
Director of campus operations
Sustainability coordinator

5. Request a meeting

In any communication, name the issue "Winter Maintenance Practices" rather than "Excessive Salt Use"

Here are sample letters you can use:

Sample Letter Requesting Meeting: K-12 School System

Sample Letter Requesting Meeting: College or University

6. Prepare for the meeting

Find out if there will be a projector available to show a slide deck or if you will need to use notes to speak.

If it is possible to show a slide deck, Slide Deck for Educational Institutions has information about why excessive road salt is a problem, detailed information on BMPs that can be used in educational institutions, along with examples of cost savings. You can customize it with pictures, data etc. you have found from your area. If you read the speaker notes aloud, you will be able to give an informative and effective presentation.

Here are detailed instructions on how to download and customize slide decks.

Before the meeting, check whether you should share your slides electronically, bring a flash drive, or connect your laptop via a USB cable.

Always make sure you bring a printed copy of the speaker notes in case you are not able to see them on the screen while you are giving your presentation.

If it is not possible to use a slide deck, use these Talking Points for an Educational Institution to give your presentation.