Bay-Friendly Tips: In Your Neighborhood

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Scoop the Poop…

…to keep harmful bacteria out of our waterways and groundwater.

DO pick up after your pet. It’s the law in most communities, and it’s the right thing to do.
DO carry a plastic bag and paper towel with you at all times to pick up Fido’s waste.
DO clean up the pet waste in your own yard. Bacteria in dog poop can linger in the soil and seep into groundwater for more than year if left on the ground.
DON’T leave your bag of poop on the ground.

Download our Bay-Friendly Living Guide

Microplastics

Live Litter Free…

…and keep trash out of our waters and off our beaches.

DON’T litter. Let no bottlecap, straw or cigarette butt fall from your hands onto the ground.
DO bring an empty bag for trash with you to the shore, and take your trash with you when you leave. Many sites don’t have trash cans, or trash cans are overflowing. So bring a bag and be prepared to carry it out.
DO carry something to use as a portable ashtray, if you smoke.
DO take extra care that fishing line doesn’t end up in the environment to entangle wildlife.
DO speak up. If you see friends or family littering, let them know it’s not OK to trash the Bay.
DO join or lead a beach cleanup with Save The Bay from March through November.

Maintain Your Septic System…

…to keep untreated wastewater from leaching into the ground.

DO have your system inspected yearly. Annual inspections are cheaper than fixing a big problem after the fact.
DO have your septic system pumped every three to five years.
DO conserve water to reduce the strain on your septic system and prevent the chance of backups.
DON’T use septic system additives—they’re not a substitute for regular pumping.
DON’T put anything down the toilet or sink drain than can’t normally decompose, such as diapers, sanitary products, disposable wipes, cooking fats, grease and coffee grounds.

Leave a Smaller Footprint…

…and lower your contribution of carbon dioxide into the environment.

DO green your home with National Grid’s free energy audits and rebate programs for such energy efficiencies as lightbulbs, low-flow shower heads, home insulation and heating/cooling systems..
DO go solar and take advantage of state and federal incentives.
DO drive electric cars, which are almost five times more efficient than gasoline cars and emit less carbon, even when charged from the electric grid.
DO walk, bike, or take public transportation whenever you can. It’s good exercise and good for the environment.

Action Apps

Hold your own shoreline cleanup

The Clean Swell App lets volunteers upload important cleanup data in real-time to the world’s largest marine debris database. This database is used by scientists, conservation groups, governments and industry leaders to study ocean trash and take action to ensure trash never reaches our beaches.

Conduct a brand audit on trash

The TrashBlitz App is a new brand audit tool in the fight against litter! The app makes it easy to collect data on brands, materials, and items found at cleanup events. Each record contributes to local, national, and global datasets to help inform policy in the United States and around the world.

Report flooding and storm surges

The MyCoast App lets you upload pictures that capture the highest tides, show storm damage and erosion and record localized flooding. By recording these events, you’ll help decision-makers, emergency managers and others make better decisions about how to protect our coastal communities and assets.