Getting covered in mud and dirt may not seem like the ideal Saturday
afternoon to some, but to the group of 20 volunteers who joined forces
and took on the daunting task of cleaning the Raritan River last
Saturday, it was the perfect afternoon.
Meeting in Johnson Park, the volunteers set out to clean the debris and trash along the waterway, which hugs the University.
The
Raritan was in need of a passionate and caring cleaning said Sarah
Wicksnes, head of the New Jersey Community Water Watch of the
Busch-Livingston chapter. In just over an hour, the volunteers already
filled seven bags of trash and expected to fill many more, Wicksnes
said.
Water Watch is a joint project between AmeriCorps and
the New Jersey Public Interest and Research Group Student Chapters who
set out to clean waterways and help the environment.
Among the
discarded items found were soccer equipment, toys, bottles and cans,
and even a tire, said James Williamson, a Cook College junior.
"It's
like an iceberg," Williamson said. "A little bit [of the debris] is
seen at first but underneath is the immense structure ten times the
volume."
"Every person has an impact on the planet and their
actions, no matter how small they may seem, can make a huge difference
in the world," Wicksnes said.
Livingston College sophomore David Lester, who was recruited by Wicksnes, said he was pleased with the turnout.
"I'm surprised that as many people showed up as they did," he said.
For some volunteers like Williamson, this was the first experience cleaning up the waterfront.
"Once you're down on the lake, there is a surprising amount lodged in the bank," he said.
Water
Watch is centered out of 10 different colleges in New Jersey, and works
to educate campuses and communities about the direct effects they have
on their local waterways, Wicksnes said.
"We focus on doing this
in three main ways: through our river cleanups, an environmental
education program and a water quality analysis program," she said.
Saturday's
river cleanup was the first one of the year, and there are more
cleanups scheduled for the next few months, including ecological tours
and much more, Wicksnes said.
Make a Difference Day, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 4 in Johnson Park, is one of Water Watch's largest events.
"All the Rutgers campuses are coming out to that one, and we're hoping to have over 300 people there," Wicksnes said.
Overall, members of the group felt the day was a success.
"It's nice to see people who came out to help," Wicksnes said.
