PROTECT AIR QUALITY: 
  • Reduce my gasoline consumption.
  • Buy fuel-efficient engines (in vehicles, lawn mowers, snowmobiles, etc.).

IN MY HOUSE/COTTAGE: 
  • Inspect my septic tank every 2 to 3 years and have it pumped regularly, as appropriate.
  • Use phosphate-free soaps and alternative cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar. 
  • Take paint, batteries, aerosol cans and petroleum products to hazardous waste depots for disposal. 
  • Recycle and compost to reduce my household garbage to 1 bag or less per week.
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ON MY PROPERTY:  
  • Reduce my use of chemical fertilizers and eliminate my use of pesticides.
  • Preserve the natural vegetation and trees on my property.
  • Handle fuel, oil and other chemicals with great care and have an action plan to deal with any spills that occur.

ON THE SHORELINE: 
  • Ensure that my dock(s), boathouse and other structures do not occupy more than 25% of my shoreline.
  • Leave the remaining 75% (or more) of my shoreline in its natural state.
WHEN USING WATERCRAFT, SNOWMOBILE OR OTHER ENGINES: 
  • Prevent erosion by reducing boat wake effects on shorelines.
  • Buy a 4-stroke engine in any future boat or other recreational vehicle purchase.

​TOXIC CHEMICALS
  • No fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides on cottage property
  • Use Enviro Friendly products --NO PHOSPHATES, NO ANTI-BACTERIAL PRODUCTS, NO CHLORINE BLEACH
  • Do not use soap in the lake - EVER - including phosphate-free or biodegradable
  • Refuel gas tanks, chainsaws, generators, boats, etc., away from the lake over a tray or use a siphon pump
  • Get the lead out of the tackle box (stop loon deaths from lead sinker poisoning)
  • Dispose of all residue from fireworks
  • Empty hot tubs after all chemicals have disappeared. Test your hot tub or spa to ensure chemical levels are as close to zero as possible before discharging it. These chemicals are deadly to the fish and other organisms that live in our creeks, rivers and lakes.
  • Do not dispose of wastes such as old paints or chemicals into drains. Dispose of them at hazardous waste centres. See your township links for Hazardous Waste Centres and dates.  
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To learn more, explore the Best Practices Program developed by the Muskoka Watershed Council. It’s designed for both the general public and local businesses, offering practical, hands-on advice on how to live, work, and develop properties in our watershed—while protecting the natural values we all cherish.