Whenever we do a quick Google search or snap a picture on our phones and it saves to the “cloud,” many of us don’t think about what that means. The internet feels like an imaginary, infinite space for holding all our digital stuff. But it’s actually all powered by millions of computer towers called servers housed in thousands of data centers across the nation and the world.
The development of data centers has skyrocketed recently due to the increased use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud storage, and cryptocurrency, which all have to be powered and stored somewhere. So, let’s take a look at how this growth in data centers impacts us all.
What is a data center?
Data centers are massive — sometimes more than 10,000 square feet — warehouse facilities filled with the equipment that it takes to power everything we do online. You can think of them as where the internet physically lives.
Why should we be concerned about data centers?
Data centers have a negative impact on local resources and the environment.
- Their massive footprint takes up a lot of land, often land that was previously open, natural space or farmland.
- Data centers require a lot of energy to operate — as much electricity as 900,000 households — which strains the local utility infrastructure and can create power shortages. This leads to rising utility costs that get passed on to all of us, not just the tech corporations.
- They often run on fossil fuels, which creates air pollution linked to asthma, cancer, heart attacks, and cognitive decline.
- Their loud turbines and generators create noise pollution which impacts the quality of life for local residents and wildlife.
- The equipment runs so hot, it requires tons of water to constantly cool it. Large data centers consume the same amount of water as 50,000 people, which puts a real strain on local water supplies.
- Data centers also create waste water containing PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” that can pollute rivers, streams, and groundwater.
Data centers don’t contribute to the local economy.
- Despite what tech corporations may pitch, data centers don’t actually provide many local economic opportunities. Their construction jobs are often done by out-of-state developers, and they produce very few permanent jobs. Most data centers only need about 100 positions to operate, and they are not high-paying.
- Data centers are one of the most highly subsidized industries in the U.S. Tens of millions of our tax dollars go toward data center development every year, and some states have found they’ve lost money on these subsidies! Since the corporations don’t have to pay back into the local system, our communities are bearing the costs while the corporations are raking in the profits. Worse, a lot of these agreements are done without any transparency, shielded by non disclosure agreements.
Most of us would rather see our money go toward services we actually rely on or benefit from, like higher teacher pay and improved roads and parks. Even if we aren’t entirely against the idea of data centers, we want to see them run responsibly, with accountability to the communities in which they operate.
How can we protect our communities from data centers?
The big tech companies would have us believe that this AI Boom is inevitable and so is the addition of these harmful data centers to our communities, but that’s not the case.
Plans to develop data centers can be blocked, put on hold through moratoriums, or regulated by local governments, and that’s where we hold the most power.
Here’s how we can make a difference:
- We can talk with our state legislators, city council members, county commissioners, and any other local leaders who have the power to decide what gets built where, and how they get regulated. We can demand that if data centers are ever on the agenda where we live, that transparent, thoughtful development and operations take place — if at all — that protect our natural resources, infrastructure, and budgets, and remain accountable to local taxpayers.
- People who are already impacted by data centers can speak out and share their stories on social media, in the press, and at public meetings. This creates public awareness which is critical to impacting local decisions.
- We can elect leaders who will protect our community’s best interests and not the interests of big corporations. When it comes to data centers, the races at the bottom of our ballots have the most impact, so be sure to know who is running for local positions in every election and vote!