This Earth Day, let's celebrate what we love about our favorite natural escapes--and find ways to keep them looking their best for generations to come.

Hop onto your Monterey and take a look at today's blog for a few simple ways to spend the day!

Get back to nature

What better way to celebrate Earth Day, then by getting outdoors and appreciating--in person--all it is we love about our big blue planet?

Blue--as it turns out--is quite a fitting adjective for the Earth, considering that nearly 75 percent of the planet is covered in water in some form (whether that's the salt-rich oceans that blanket the globe, freshwater lakes or mighty, majestic glaciers of the north and Antarctic south). That means there's no limit to the places for you explore by boat! Swim around or have water sports fun in your local lake, or cruise up the coastline and see what fun awaits you on the oceanfront. And of course, being as though Earth Day coincides with many kids' spring breaks from school, it could present the perfect opportunity for a family getaway somewhere special.

Participate in a beach cleanup...

Looking for easy, fun ways to give back to the natural spaces that have given you so much? Try a beach or waterway cleanup! Lots of them, unsurprisingly, take place on or around Earth Day. For most, you'll just need a trash bag, picker, your best can-do spirit and maybe a few helpers. This is your chance to keep the spaces you love so much clean and free of debris and pollutants. While this provides an obvious benefit to you, the explorer who hopes to keep finding new, unspoiled places to enjoy, it's also a way to keep local ecosystems healthy and thriving.

... or find ways to be eco-friendly on board

Earth Day is a great time to consider the eco-friendliness (or lack thereof) of your boating routine. When you go on daylong adventures, try keeping an airtight bag or plastic container to hold trash as it accumulates (since you never know when you'll be close to another trash can on your trip!). This will prevent your on-board garbage from catching a draft and floating into the wind and water. As far as being eco-friendly goes, some of the simplest steps involve building good habits (following posted speed signs, giving wild animals their space, picking up after trips to the shore, etc.).

Boating trends may come and go, but our reliance on a clean, beautiful, bountiful natural landscape stays the same. We hope that these ideas help you enjoy the day and find new ways to savor your time on and off the water!