A Drop in the Bucket - How Small Steps Can Have Big Environmental Impacts

by Brian T. Lynch, MSW

A drop in the bucket amounts to nothing... until it rains. 

This universal truth applies to every little thing we do or fail to do as a person or a community. However, the tremendous power of small actions repeated by many people is hard to grasp when we feel we are acting alone, just one small drop in a bucket. 

We here in the Jersey Highlands live within three major river basins for the Raritan, Delaware, and Passaic rivers. The rainfall we receive provides two-thirds of the state's drinking water, so we Highlanders have a special obligation to keep this water pure and plentiful.

Some rain evaporates from lawns or fields, and some rainwater percolates deep underground to the aquifers below me. If I still lived in Lake Hopatcong, excess rainwater might wash off my roof, run down my driveway or lawn, and into the lake. Where I live now, the excess water runs down my driveway and into the street.  From there, it flows into a storm drain that empties into a nearby stream. What I can do on my own to keep that rainwater safe to drink doesn't amount to much. Collectively, however, the cumulative impact of small actions by many people can improve the quality of the water we drink.

Here is one local illustration of how small actions can make a big difference. This past Spring, twelve volunteers worked on behalf of the Raritan Headwaters Association to pick up plastic and trash along the Lamington tributary that feeds Sunset Pond (Mine Hill Beach). In three hours, they collected over 400 pounds of trash. Their effort restored the natural beauty in this forested recreation area and prevented microplastics from entering the water. Over time, plastics in the environment break down into tiny particles of plastic and release toxic chemicals in the process. The stream that feeds Sunset Pond is part of a 470 square mile river basin that provides 1.8 million people. Water from this small tributary joins with many others like it to form the mighty Raritan River. And if you think that the quality of water downstream doesn't affect us here, consider this. The water from Sunset Pond and the Black River helps irrigate New Jersey farms and waters livestock downstream. That means any pollutants or microplastics released into the environment here could end up on our breakfast table. 

Just as all the small tributaries in our river basins converge to form great rivers, so too can our small deeds add up to accomplish big things. Those 12 volunteers in Mine Hill this Spring were not acting alone. They were part of 1,242 volunteers that morning participating in the Raritan Headwater's 31st Annual Stream Cleanup. Small groups working together, yet separately, picked up 15 tons of trash and plastic in three hours. We don't have to wait around for officials in Trenton or Washington to fund a big environmental initiative. Taking steps to reduce the phosphates washing into Lake Hopatcong from the yard or diverting rainwater from running into the street can make a huge difference when we all take small steps together.  

In this spirit of doing small things collectively to make big changes, I share with you an article below on How to be a better backyard steward of the Earth. It is possible to enrich the beauty and value of our immediate surroundings while contributing to the ecosystem's health that ultimately sustains us. There is also an interactive planning tool you can use if you are considering a small DIY project around your home.

I will be focusing attention this summer on the small things we can all do to conserve water and improve water quality in the area. I hope these will be informative and encourage others to take a few small steps that collectively can make a big difference.