— Tucker Smith,Guest Contributor

Nature is beautiful throughout the year, but summer offers more opportunities than any other season to get outside and enjoy all our wonderful planet has to offer. As you soak in the warm weather this summer, be sure to thank Mother Earth by avoiding these environmental risks:

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Boating

High-profile oil spills have brought cargo ships under media scrutiny, but recreational watercrafts can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems as well. Boats’ propellers can disrupt marine life, while paints, petroleum products, and cleaning chemicals often seep into the water and cause lethal damage.

If you go boating this summer, be sure to keep your motor clean and upgraded, and bring rags on board to clean up any fuel or oil leakage before it drips into the water. Try not to travel at top speed in order to avoid releasing heavy amounts of carbon dioxide, and clean your boat on land with natural, non-toxic supplies.

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Campfires

Campfires contribute to air pollution. Burning wood releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene, which can be toxic when inhaled. If campers lose control of their fires or fail to extinguish the flames properly, campfires can grow into wildfires. Among campfires’ other risks are soil erosion and dislodgment of wild animals. To reduce these dangers, build small fires with dry wood, and completely extinguish the fires when you leave them.

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Transporting Firewood

Speaking of campfires, transporting firewood can be dangerous, too. Firewood can host insects and diseases that pose serious threats to trees, and moving their hosts allows these tree-killers to travel hundreds of miles.

To be safe, buy “local” firewood—firewood located less than 50 miles away, ideally within 10 miles or less. The state of New York prohibits any untreated firewood from entering the state, and people within New York are not permitted to carry untreated firewood more than 50 miles. Treated firewood will be labeled “New York Approved Heat Treated Firewood/Pest Free.” Check out www.dontmovefirewood.org for more information.