We Are What We Consume

Abstract This illustrated article explores how the plastic cycle connects Appalachia to the rest of the nation. I write from my personal experience living, working, and playing in the New River watershed, which feeds the Ohio River. These experiences led me to explore connections between fossil fuel production, microplastic pollution, and the work of artists and activists working to support sustainable solutions for our region and our planet. Through photographs and text, I explore an arts-based response to protect the region's water resources and explain how the cultural resources of the region can be used to protect our most valuable resource—fresh water.