With Earth Day fast approaching, we thought it would be a good time to talk about preventative measures you can take to avoid impacting the environment when operating and working on your boat.

However, no matter how careful you are with your boat, it's recommended you have a boat insurance policy that provides coverage for fuel spills and pollution liability.

9 Steps to Greener Boating

1. Maintain a clean bilge. Don’t pump oily water overboard.
2. Clean safely and use detergent sparingly. You can find environmentally responsible boat cleaning products at www.greenseal.org.
3. Observe sewage regulations both at the local and federal levels.
4. Chart your course responsibly to prevent damage to sensitive marine habitats and reduce fuel waste due to misdirection.
5. Stow your trash. Take your garbage home, including fishing line, cigarettes and other disposable items.
6. Recycle your waste. Properly dispose your batteries and other waste materials.
7. Carry a spill kit.
8. Report pollution.
9. Perform routine maintenance on your watercraft to keep it in tip-top shape year-round.