3000 Miles of Acid Mine Drainage in My Backyard is a series of abstract images of water pollution, which were taken in Central Pennsylvania. There are over 3000 miles of polluted streams and rivers that meander throughout Pennsylvania. These waters often have pH’s of less than 3. This pollution is created when oxygen, water, bacteria, and pyrite meet this acid mine drainage occurs and is the result of bad coal mining practices and/or old abandoned mines. Pyrite is not only found amongst coal beds but it is also found in gold, silver mines as well. It is a huge hidden environmental cost linked to our world’s need for energy (clean coal) and precious metals.
3000 Miles of Acid Mine Drainage in My Backyard is a series of abstract images of water pollution, which were taken in Central Pennsylvania. There are over 3000 miles of polluted streams and rivers that meander throughout Pennsylvania. These waters often have pH’s of less than 3. This pollution is created when oxygen, water, bacteria, and pyrite meet this acid mine drainage occurs and is the result of bad coal mining practices and/or old abandoned mines. Pyrite is not only found amongst coal beds but it is also found in gold, silver mines as well. It is a huge hidden environmental cost linked to our world’s need for energy (clean coal) and precious metals.
In these same regions, oil and natural gas drilling companies are now drilling and fracking in the Marcellus Shale beds to extract natural gas. (Drill baby drill). Pipelines are being built and this natural gas is being exported out of my backyard as well.
Most are printed on Watercolor Paper and some are printed on a metallic paper.
These images have been shown in the Brick Lane Gallery in London England as well as been juried into an exhibition called "The Human Condition" held at the Castell Photography Gallery and written about by Diana Stroll the Senior Editor of Aperture Magazine.