Traditionalists may not be keen to brag on Facebook about how many pavements they have cleared, but plenty of others are thus helping to spread the city's message that everyone has to do their bit.

ECONOMIST: Mr Emanuel��s feeling for snow

The pair already knew dozens of owners who would pay for a more sustainable alternative to the traditional product they were using. (Keen to avoid alerting potential competitors, the pair asked me to not be overly specific about their product.) Now they are buying additional machinery and renting more warehouse space to keep up with demand.

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