Just a few minutes at a publicly available decontamination station can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. (credit: Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources)
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ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 13, 2021 – Back in 1970 on the first Earth Day, going out boating often meant tolerating polluted waterways. We’ve come a long way since then. Largely gone are the foul-smelling air and unswimmable waters, remnants of a prior age. How can boat owners keep the momentum going? The BoatUS Foundation offers five simple Earth Day tips for boaters to follow all summer long.

1. Take time to prepare your boat’s shrinkwrap for recycling by removing vents, strapping or zippers. Only the plastic film can be recycled. Many shrinkwrap recycling programs today are offered at the local level, so if your marina does not recycle, ask your county government. Some boaters have found that by carefully removing the wrap it can be reused for a second season.
    
2. If you trailer your boat to different waterways each summer, leave the uninvited aquatic hitchhikers at home by following “Clean, Drain, Dry,” ensuring your boat, trailer and motor are cleaned thoroughly (including any tackle or watersports gear) and allowed to dry completely before splashing in a different body of water.
    
3. The earth may be 71% water, but it’s no place for trash. Always have a trash receptacle aboard, and when underway ensure nothing goes overboard. (A waste can with a closable lid helps.) A second receptacle for recyclables also helps honor Earth Day and make cleanup easier at the end of the boating day.
    
4. Prevent a spill by refueling your boat with care. Always have an absorbent pad, fuel nozzle absorbent “donut,” or “bib” (to soak up back splashes) when you pump. Actively listen to fuel being dispensed into the fuel nozzle receptacle. Slow down the dispensing pump as fuel reaches the top of the tank – usually when you start to hear bubbling or gurgling noises rising from the fuel filler tube. Refuel portable tanks ashore.
    
5. Help keep discarded fishing line and soft baits out of the water by building a fishing line recycling bin and placing it in your community. To learn how, go to BoatUS.org/Monofilament.

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About the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by donations from the more than 700,000 members of Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nonprofit provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America's waterways and keeping boating safe for all. A range of boating safety courses – including 36 free state courses – can be found at BoatUS.org/Courses.