It's Flashcards Friday!
Today, I'm going to keep focusing on Earth
Day, because it's really important to me.
And we're focusing on something urgent.
How we can take care of our planet
as AI slowly but surely impacts the environment.
AI is transforming our world in incredible ways.
But behind the scenes, it is consuming vast
amounts of energy and resources.
If we are not careful, this rapid technological
growth could accelerate environmental damage in ways that
will be difficult and almost impossible to reverse.
Today, I'm going to explore how you can
put pressure on big companies and data centers
to act responsibly.
Simple steps that you can take to curb
your personal energy use, and what we need
to know about energy-hungry activities, and how
we can slow down or plateau energy consumption.
But first, a quick word from my advertisers.
Data centers are the beating heart of AI.
These massive facilities house the servers and the
computers that power everything from your voice assistant
to AI-generated art.
But here is the catch.
Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity.
Estimates suggest that data centers worldwide use about
1% of global electricity.
That's huge.
And that number is growing fast as AI
models become larger and more complex.
Most of this energy still comes from fossil
fuels as well, which means more carbon emissions
and more strain on our planet's health.
This is why it's critical to hold these
companies accountable.
So, what can you do?
First, demand transparency.
Ask companies, whether it's your cloud provider, your
favorite AI tool, or your social media platform,
about their energy sources and carbon footprints.
Many companies publish sustainability reports, like Ecosia.
I love Ecosia.
But it's not always easy to find or
understand.
By asking questions and sharing information, you help
create pressure for clearer, more honest reporting.
Second, support green policies.
Advocate for regulations that require data centers to
use renewable energy and to disclose their environmental
impact.
This is so important.
Governments can play a huge role here by
setting standards and incentives that push the tech
industry towards sustainability.
Third, vote with your wallet.
Choose services and products from companies that commit
to sustainability.
Some tech giants are investing in green data
centers powered by wind, solar, or hydroelectric energy.
That's good.
Supporting these companies sends a clear message that
environmental responsibility matters to consumers.
Finally, use your voice on social media and
in your community.
Share articles, start conversations, and highlight the environmental
costs of AI and data centers.
Awareness is the first step toward change.
There is hope.
Some companies have already made strides in powering
data centers with renewable energy and improving energy
efficiency.
That's awesome.
These examples show that a sustainable tech future
is possible, but only if we keep pushing
for it and keep recognizing it and calling
for more of it.
Okie doke, let's move on.
Simple actions you can do to curb personal
energy use.
While corporate responsibility is crucial, individual actions can
matter too.
It's marginal, but, you know, every little bit
helps.
Our daily digital habits collectively add up to
significant energy use.
So let's start with something simple but surprising.
Emails.
Every email you send or receive requires energy
to store and transfer data.
Multiply that by billions of emails daily, and
the energy use is staggering.
Large attachments, unnecessary carbon copies, and spam emails
all contribute to this load.
So a simple way is to declutter your
inbox regularly.
Unsubscribe to newsletters you don't read, and think
twice before sending an email, especially if a
quick phone call or a message would do.
I like phone calls.
It's always nice to hear a voice on
the other end.
Next, consider your use of AI-generated media.
And that includes images, videos, and audio created
by AI tools.
These require intense computational power to produce, meaning
they consume a lot of electricity.
Using these tools sparingly or for essential projects
can reduce your digital carbon footprint.
And as a quick note, when all of
this was a boom, I was actually using
these things, and I made a big mistake.
I wasn't doing my research.
I should have learned, and this is just
me being transparent.
I have stopped using these tools because it's
not good for the planet.
All right, other everyday habits can help too.
Turn off devices when they are not in
use, instead of leaving them on standby.
Use energy-saving settings on your phone, computer,
and other gadgets.
Avoid autoplay videos on websites and apps, which
consume data and power unnecessarily.
Be mindful of cloud storage.
Storing large files online requires energy to maintain
servers.
Delete files you don't need anymore.
When streaming videos or music, choose lower resolutions
when high definition isn't necessary.
Finally, charge devices with renewable energy if you
can.
Solar panels for home charging are becoming more
accessible.
Like your ring cameras, use a solar panel.
Remember, small changes add up.
When millions of people reduce their energy use,
it sends a signal to tech providers that
sustainability matters, and it also reduces the immediate
demand on power grids and data centers.
Finally, have awareness of energy-intensive activities and
how to slow consumption.
To make lasting change, we need to understand
what consumes the most energy in the digital
world and how to slow or plateau that
consumption.
Some of the biggest energy hogs include AI
model training and operations.
Training large AI models can consume as much
electricity as several households do in a year.
Running these models continuously to provide services adds
to the load.
Alright, how about cryptocurrency mining?
This process requires huge amounts of computing power
to verify transactions, often running 24-7.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Then there's streaming high-definition video.
Watching 4K or higher resolution videos demands significant
bandwidth and energy.
And finally, constant cloud syncing and backups.
While they are convenient, these activities require data
centers to work non-stop.
And as a side note, the auto-syncing
on Microsoft sucks because once you hit that
max, you have to figure out what to
do next and it's just a giant time
suck.
So yeah, the cloud-syncing thing is not
fun in every possible way.
It consumes energy and it consumes your life.
So, what can we do?
Supporting the development and adoption of energy-efficient
AI models is key.
Researchers are working on ways to build AI
that requires less computing power without sacrificing performance.
Encouraging companies to invest in these innovations can
make a big difference.
We also need regulation and standards that limit
energy consumption in tech industries.
Policies can set caps on emissions and require
transparency, pushing companies to innovate greener solutions.
Promoting renewable energy investments and energy-saving infrastructure
in data centers is essential.
Some companies are already building data centers near
renewable energy sources or using advanced cooling techniques
to reduce electricity use.
Another promising approach is edge computing, which processes
data locally on devices rather than sending everything
to the cloud.
This reduces the need for constant data transfer
and server use, lowering energy consumption.
At the community and policy level, pushing for
incentives for sustainable technology and supporting research into
carbon-neutral computing can accelerate progress.
Finally, we need a personal mindset shift.
We really do.
More data, more AI, and more digital consumption
aren't always better.
You don't need to write that AI song,
and I'm guilty of that too.
That needs to stop.
Valuing quality over quantity in digital content, being
mindful of our habits, and understanding the environmental
footprint of our digital lives can help us
make smarter choices.
So, to wrap up, here are three flashcards.
First, ask and advocate.
Hold tech companies accountable for their environmental impact.
Ask companies about their energy sources and carbon
footprints.
Support policies that require transparency and renewable energy
use.
Use your voice on social media to raise
awareness.
Second, cut digital waste.
Find simple digital habits to reduce your energy
footprint.
Declutter your inbox, send fewer unnecessary emails, limit
AI-generated media use, turn off devices when
not in use, and choose lower streaming resolutions.
Okay, the third one, choose mindfully.
Look for ways to slow down energy-intensive
digital consumption.
Prioritize quality over quantity in digital content.
Support energy-efficient technology, and be mindful of
your digital habits to help reduce demand on
data centers.
AI's benefits are undeniable, but they must not
come at the expense of our planet's health.
The energy demands of AI and digital technology
are growing, and without action, this growth risks
accelerating environmental damage.
The good news is that we each have
power, both as individuals and as part of
a collective to drive change.
By putting pressure on big companies, curbing our
own energy use, and advocating for smarter, greener
technology, we can help shape a sustainable future.
So on this Earth Day, let's remember that
just like ecosystems can recover with care, so
can our relationship with technology, if we act
wisely and urgently.
Thank you so much for listening to Flashcards
Friday, and if you want to hear the
longer podcast about AI and what we can
do to help the planet, go back to
Wednesday's episode and give it a listen.
Also, if you get a chance and you
visit MathScienceHistory.com, be sure to click on
that coffee button and make a donation, because
every donation you make helps to keep this
podcast up and running.
In the meantime, let's keep learning, let's keep
acting, and let's keep protecting our beautiful, wondrous,
gorgeous planet every single day.
As we approach the month of May, I
will be taking my birthday month off to
get my ducks in a row and to
celebrate.
And so that being said, feel free to
go through my entire backlog of podcasts, I
think I'm over 200 now, and give them
all a listen.
And until June, carpe diem.