ice assistance needed

Does anyone have any experience keeping steps from icing up?

Our house has lovely slate steps out front. The problem with the lovely slate steps is that the owner is very proud of them and doesn't want us using salt or other chemical ice melters on them. Of course, the result is that a thick coat of ice builds up, which may partially melt during the day but refreezes at night, with the assistance of runoff from the ice-dams on the roof. We put down grit, but that is only of limited usefulness, as the runoff carries it away or refreezes with the grit underneath it.

Advice gratefully accepted...

I'm just curious

Do you drink (alcohol) when you are by yourself?

If yes, do you observe the same limits as when you are drinking with other people, or different ones? Why?

If no, why not?

I'm sure some of you don't drink alcohol at all, and while I respect that choice and am sure you have reasons for making it, I'm interested in the alkies' responses on this one.