Nobody likes an icy and slippery driveway, walkway, pavement or set of steps in the Winter.  I remember a few years ago, when Little One was a newborn, Hubby was walking from the van to the house and slipped on a patch of ice. Everything happened in slow motion right before my eyes. I saw Hubby's feet go out from right under him (his feet did that super fast shuffle that you only see cartoon characters do on TV when they slip on a banana peel). I saw Little One's car seat carrier fly up in the air and out of Hubby's arms and land on the ice, overturned.

Of course, instead of asking if Hubby was okay, I instinctively yelled, "OH, MY GOSH! THE BABY!!! IS THE BABY OKAY?!?!?!"

To be honest, the baby was the only thing I was worried about. Sure, Hubby had a hard fall and injured himself, and I think I may have startled the baby more than anything else.

In all fairness, Hubby wasn't the only one who slipped on ice while carrying the baby. Two winters ago, I was trying to get from the van to the house while clutching onto the baby, my purse, my diaper bag, and two grocery bags. You know, doing the "crazy mama juggle". It was so icy, that I slipped and landed on my behind! I held Little One tightly and dropped everything else. I ended up with a sprained ankle and a bruised ego (okay, and a bruised bum too).

After those incidents, I made sure we always de-iced our walkway.

Now, the problem with road salt is it gets in between our dog's paws and hurts him. It's also messy, not good for the environment, plants, animals, etc. Plus, it always seems to get dragged into the house with everyone's boots (or when the dog comes in)! I can't stand the damage salt does to everything. For example: the salt used to melt the ice in the Winter always ruins my boots, shoes, the bottom of my pants, and it gets all over my van! I can't stand that white salt stain. It's so impossible to get out!

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out a new and innovative product called EcoTraction.

What is EcoTraction?

It's the smarter alternative to road salt. Made from naturally-occurring volcanic mineral, EcoTraction is eco-friendly, kid-friendly, and pet-friendly.

Simply sprinkle EcoTraction on ice and snow for instant traction and grip! This is also perfect to give to my Mother-in-law and my parents.  I worry about them in the Winter with slipping and falling. Serious damage can be done.

We only had one day recently when it snowed and we had a bit of ice. It didn't last too long, but I made sure to bust out the EcoTraction to see how it would fare. It did a great job, but I am (don't be mad at me!) looking forward to the next snow/ice so I can try EcoTraction out a bit more!

The fact that EcoTraction granules can be swept into the lawn and garden in the Spring after the snow melts and be able to help our lawn grow and thrive is a a big selling point for me. That and the fact that it's safe for our child and pets to be around!

There's an interesting tidbit about EcoTraction that I'd like to share with  you. I am a die hard Dragons' Den fan, so this bit of trivia is of particular interest to me. When EcoTraction founder, Mark Watson's dog died from licking harmful road salts, he developed an all-natural, eco-friendly substance (since there was a lack of options for alternatives). When he presented the product to Dragons' Den for investment, all five dragons went in on the deal! How cool is that? Can I tell you  how much I love Brett Wilson? LOVE!


For other EcoTraction videos, check out them out on YouTube. You can also connect with EcoTraction Twitter and on Facebook.

Exciting Announcement!
Did you know that EcoTraction is a PTPA Award Winner? It's been Parent Tested, Parent Approved and has earned the PTPA Seal of Approval! Knowing that parents like myself have tested and approved and that PTPA endorses this product gives me confidence in this product.

Where to Buy:
You can purchase EcoTraction at Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Shoppers Drug Mart, Home Hardware, and other retailers. To find a retailer near you, visit store locations/retailers here.

WIN IT!
Would  you like to try EcoTraction yourself? One lucky Life on Manitoulin reader will win an EcoTraction Prize Pack that contains:

• 1 jug of EcoCompo MSRP $14.95
• 1 jug of EcoTraction MSRP $11.95
• 2 boxes of EcoAirO MSRP $ 7.95/each