Homeowners are putting their best foot forward to improve the curb appeal of their home while helping to protect the environment when they redo their driveways and walkways with permeable interlocking concrete pavement, or PICP.

PICP not only looks good, but allows water to filter through the pavement to mi-grate back into the ground.

Because PICP returns rainwater to the ground, it helps drought-stricken areas or places where storm sewers overflow from too much runoff.

PICP works like this: A surface of solid concrete pavers is separated by joints filled with small stones that make the joints highly permeable.

Water enters the joints between solid concrete pavers and flows through an “open-graded” base — crushed stone layers with no small or fine particles.

The spaces among the crushed stones store water and infiltrate it back into the soil. The joints provide 100 percent surface permeability and the base filters storm water and reduces pollutants.

Pavers can be used for walks, patios and driveways, as well as for parking lots and residential streets.

Homeowners particularly like the vast array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures available. The pavers are easy to maintain and snowplow.

In addition, because the snow melts faster on PICP, it reduces ice hazards.

Learn more about PICP by visiting the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute’s Web site at www.icpi.org.