"Scud in a Bucket" is the result of an environmental education project called LocalEyes, a program which challenges groups of students to explore a local ecosystem, examine the impact of human activities on that ecosystem and its organisms and then present their findings on video. The students conduct their own research, perform interviews, learn video production skills and spend a day in the field exploring the ecosystem. In the end, a video documentary of their experience is completed, to be used as a teaching tool in classrooms, on the internet, and on television.

The students in this video explore Bradley Creek, a tidal creek in Southeastern North Carolina. By interviewing local water quality experts and government officials, they come to understand the role humans play in the delicate balance of this ecosystem. They also learn about watersheds, pollutants, and the results of human development in coastal environments. They conclude their exploration with the "hands on" experience of searching the creek for macroinvertebrates, indicators of water quality in the creek.