If you read this column, you know I strongly advocate composting kitchen scraps in your backyard instead of tossing them into the trash. But if this is not a possibility for you and you’d still like to compost, the good news is you can bring your compostables to an off-site location. The website FindAComposter.com helps you find the appropriate composting site for your items. It’s comprehensive: Just type in your ZIP code, and it finds the closest sites that do everything from small-scale community compost to industrial size “biofiltration.” You can even find locations that offer free compost you can collect and use in your own garden.

For many people, vacationing means camping and enjoying the great outdoors. When camping, it’s important to leave the smallest footprint behind at campsites. Some easy ways to green your camping routine include leaving disposable items like cups, plates and utensils behind and using reusable ones instead. Even “eco-friendly” disposables still leave food traces behind and can be too tempting for wildlife, leaving them to rummage through trash cans. If you do light a campfire, source local wood and don’t bring any from home; bringing firewood with you can mean transporting invasive insect species.

Many of us use our backyard grill for cooking during the warmer months. But as you cook up burgers and chicken wings, you’re leaving grease and food traces behind that are enticing to small animals like mice. To prevent mice from invading your grill, cover grill holes that they can enter with screening or even just painter’s tape -- but be sure to remove it before you use the grill again. Be sure to clean the grease trap thoroughly each time to remove the smell of cooked food. There are also companies that make wire mesh covers designed to cover vents as well, which you can find at home improvement stores or online.