Working to Preserve Nantucket Sound

Take Action

Ways You Can Help Protect Nantucket Sound

Water

1. Conserve the use of water in your house, on your lawn and in your gardens – take shorter showers, only water lawn and gardens if absolutely necessary, and water before 9a.m. or after 6p.m.
2. Install a waterless/composting toilet.
3. Check for leaks in your toilet, faucets, hoses and pipes.
4. Install low-flow faucet aerators and water-saving showerheads, which use 2 gallons of water a minute compared to normal showerheads that use 5 gallons per minute.
5. Don’t rinse dishes before them putting in your dishwasher – this can save up to 20 gallons of water per load.
6. Only run your dishwasher with full loads.
7. Don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth, washing your face or shaving.
8. Use natural dishwashing and laundry soaps or soaps low in phosphate to help control algal growth in the aquatic environment.
9. If you wash your car at home, do it on grass or gravel to reduce runoff into storm drains.

Lawns and Gardens

1. Apply less lawn fertilizer and pesticides, or none at all.
2. If you must use fertilizer, please use organic or slow-release nitrogen fertilizer.
3. Buy fertilizer with WIN (water insoluble nitrogen) rather than WSN (water insoluble nitrogen).
4. Fertilize once a year in the fall.
5. Spot treat weeds or pull them out by hand.
6. Mow your lawn as high as possible (3 inches or more).
7. Recycle grass clippings by leaving them on the lawn to provide nitrogen.
8. Use native grasses like perennial rye, and fine and tall fescues.
9. Promote the concept of a natural Cape Cod/Island lawn, instead of a perfect green lawn.
10. Mulch plants and garden beds to help retain moisture.
11. Rethink your landscape – plant less turf/grass, use more native plantings, and choose drought-tolerant plants.
12. Water once a week, early in the morning to avoid loss of water to evaporation. A healthy lawn only needs about an inch of water a week.
13. Switch to a drip irrigation system – it’s more efficient.
14. Choose native plants that attract and benefit wildlife.
15. Instead of paving, use crushed shells, stones or plants on your walkways and driveways.
16. Plant more trees to help control erosion, absorb rainwater and take up atmospheric nitrogen.
17. Start a compost pile to make organic matter for use in your gardens.

Beaches and Waterways

1. Clean up litter along beaches, town landings and other waterways.
2. Adopt a local beach or boat launch in your town, and organize monthly clean-ups at these sites.
3. Pick up after your pet as animal wastes contribute unwanted nitrogen to waterways.

Boats

1. Call Nantucket Soundkeeper at 508-775-9767 to receive a free copy of our most current Boaters Guide to Nantucket Sound with useful boating information including green boating tips and a list of pumpout facilities in Massachusetts.
2. When on your boat, make sure trash doesn’t blow overboard.
3. Please pump, don’t dump - your boat sewage wastes are harmful and need to be properly disposed of at a pumpout site.

Wastewater Issues and Septic Systems

1. Install an advanced nitrogen-removing wastewater system. Title V septic systems do not remove enough nitrogen from household wastewater.
2. Check that your current septic system is operating properly and have it pumped out regularly.
3. Compost kitchen wastes. Food solids and grease dumped down your drains can inhibit the bacteria in your septic system from breaking down the sludge.
4. Get involved in community and regional wastewater management plans.
5. Dispose of hazardous wastes properly – please don’t dump them down your drain.

Energy

1. When cooking, use the smallest pan necessary, as they use less energy.
2. Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which last 12 times longer and reduce pollution. Be aware they contain mercury and must be disposed of properly.
3. Use cold water when washing clothes.
4. Wash and dry full loads of laundry.
5. Hang clothes on racks or clotheslines to dry.
6. Buy Energy Star-qualified appliances as needed.
7. Drive less. Walk, bike and paddle more.
8. Consider buying a hybrid or the most fuel efficient car you can afford.
9. Turn your thermostat down 1-3 degrees in winter.
10. Insulate your hot water heater and pipes.
11. Make sure your home is properly insulated and check around the windows for leaks.
12. Remember to turn off lights and electrical devices you are not using, especially computers.
13. Unplug chargers and other small appliances when not in use.
14. Recycle and help reduce CO2 emissions. Every 10 aluminum and steel cans recycled saves 4lbs. of CO2. Every 10 glass bottles recycled saves 3lbs. of CO2. If you recycle that many cans and bottles every week, you would save over 350lbs. of CO2 per year.
15. Buy recycled products.

Get Involved

1. Make your “environmental” voice heard by writing to your local, state and federal politicians. Visit the following websites: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/ and http://www.mass.gov/ for federal and state legislator information.
2. Follow the environmental voting records of legislators through the League of Conservation Voters website at http://www.voteenvironment.org/.
3. Write to newspapers to express your views. Submit letters to the Cape Cod Times at: http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/edits/sendaletter.htm.
   Submit letters to the Boston Globe at: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/write/.
4. Join Nantucket Soundkeeper and work to protect our waters for future generations.

www.nantucketsoundkeeper.org
4 Barnstable Road, Hyannis, MA 02601
508-775-9767