Well it's that time of year again when you can see out your window and realize that there is a yard beyond your doorstep. Of course, the whole thing is a mess and you're wondering what you can do to "spruce things up". Short of planting a bunch of spruce trees, which, btw, would be a good thing, you'll be looking at getting the most effect for the least amount of work. Right? Well at least that's what most people in town are doing. Out comes the bucket of driveway sealer!
It's been the easiest way to get someone's attention off the ugly lawn or broken tree limbs. Both of which wouldn't be so if they were tended to in the first place. But that's another story.
The scenario goes kinda like this. Take out the pressure washer, waste hundreds if not thousands of liters of water and fuel, or coal if you are using an electric pressure washer. Blast away all the dirt and sand that has built up all winter. Not good enough? Didn't think so. Go get that mop and bucket of tar! That'll fix it! Sure it will. For a while. Remember last year when you went through this? Ya that's right. You went through all this last year. Go to the hardware store, get the stuff, spend all day fighting with the hose, the mop, getting all the tar or acrylic (acrylic sounds safer doesn't it!) off everything you can, but you can't. You get the job done and have a beer at the end of your driveway, looking at the beautiful job you did. Then suffer for 3 days because you ache! But... your driveway looks cool! Or does it?
But you say to yourself, "it's to protect my driveway. It's airport grade! My driveway will last longer." Truth is, the only thing it does, besides make your driveway blue and pollute the water and air, is make your driveway slipery! No, the Airport does not use it. The planes would just slide off the tarmac. The department of highways doesn't use it for the same reasons, plus, they tested it to see if it in fact increases the life of the pavement. Guess what! It doesn't. If you didn't use the blue one, you used "Coal tar emulsion" which you will track into your house all year, dirtying the floors of your house and car, plus you're contributing to indoor air polution.
Did you ever ask yourself why you need to "paint" your driveway every year? Yes that's right. Paint. That's basically all you are doing. With tar of course; or acrylic, which sounds safer and looks dumb because then your driveway is blue. Very dark blue, but it's still blue. So where did all the tar go? Since it's a VOC, part of it has evaporated into thin air which you are now breathing! Part of it dried up and blew away in the wind and is now in your plants and garden. Then a big part of it got washed away into the rivers and streams, percolating into the soil and contaminating wells or water tables; killing fish, animals, plants and the people who drink water. Don't drink water? Ah! then don't worry about it. Pollute away! It won't affect you. If you live in a city with municipal water, even less of a concern, right? Think again. Remember this rule of thumb. If you don't want to drink it or eat it, don't put it on your yard. You already knew this about pesticides but forgot about the other chemicals that you use in your yard. ie. Car wash soap, deck cleaner, siding cleaner, Armour All to make the tires black, you get the idea. You didn't think of those did you? Didn't think so!
So basically you dumped 22 liters of goop on your driveway last year and it's all gone. Are you going to drink another 22 liters this year? Why not try a little on your salad! It's easier to digest a little at a time!
By the way, I have a "dirt" driveway! It's staying that way!
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