Kentucky's Bourbon And Sustainability Landscapes as a Human-Environment Network

abstract: This research explores current environmental sustainability initiatives in Kentucky bourbon production and their interplay with the state's unique geography and traditional practices. Kentucky's bourbon industry, which produces over 95% of the world's supply, is integral to the state's economy and cultural identity. Kentucky's physical geography has historically supported bourbon distilleries by providing essential natural resources, such as high-quality corn for fermentation, and cool mineral-rich water for distillation. This study examines how these natural resources act as non-human actors with their human counterparts to create a network that has shaped a culturally significant practice and product. Next, it uses this same network to survey how Kentucky distilleries are adapting to address contemporary environmental challenges. This study highlights current sustainable practices being implemented within the industry, aiming to ensure the long-term viability of bourbon production while preserving Kentucky's unique landscape and reflecting the human-environment network. Rather than treating sustainability practices in the bourbon industry as an isolated practice, this analysis conveys how Kentucky bourbon production reflects networked ecologies that are assembled, stabilized, and reworked. In doing so, it contributes to a broader discussion of how a significant place-based product and industry are actively shaped by the human-environment systems they rely on.