AI's Environmental Impact: The Growing Strain on Power Grids and Local Communities
Ask students: What is AI's environmental impact? Should we slow down AI development to focus on sustainability, or keep advancing at the current pace?
What if the very technologies shaping our future are also threatening the planet's energy resources?
As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries, its environmental footprint is becoming increasingly significant. This lesson dives into the rising energy demands of AI, particularly the strain caused by data centers on power grids, and encourages students to critically evaluate the trade-offs between technological advancement and environmental sustainability. With the rapid expansion of AI technologies, understanding their impact on climate change is more crucial than ever. This edition of“Today’s News, Tomorrow’s Lesson” includes a PBS video analysis, discussion questions, and a brief research project, making it a timely and relevant exploration of how AI is shaping our world and the resources its usage requires.
Key Terms
- Data centers: Data centers are specialized facilities that house computer servers responsible for processing and storing large amounts of digital information.
- Power grid: The power grid is the network that delivers electricity from power plants to homes, businesses and industries.
- Carbon footprint: A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities, such as energy use in data centers.
- Sustainability: Sustainability is the practice of using resources in a way that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Discussion Questions
- AI's Environmental Impact: Given AI's high energy use, do you think its benefits outweigh the environmental costs? Why or why not?
- Water Usage Concerns: How does the water needed to cool data centers, especially in drought-prone areas, pose a problem for local communities and resources?
- Innovation vs. Sustainability: Should we slow down AI development to focus on sustainability, or keep advancing at the current pace? How can we balance progress with environmental responsibility?
- Energy Trade-offs: AI can save energy in some areas, like optimizing flight paths, but it also consumes a lot of power. Do the potential savings justify the energy AI uses? Why?
- Short-Term vs. Long-Term: Should we focus on the long-term benefits of AI, even if it creates short-term problems like energy strain and price hikes? How should we approach this?
- Regulation: Do you think the government should regulate AI to ensure that it’s developed responsibly, or should the industry handle this on its own? Why? Can you think of motivational reasons for industries to handle this on their own? Or could local or state governments offer incentives to motivate businesses to regulate themselves?
- Optimism vs. Caution: Some believe AI will be a net positive for society despite its current environmental challenges. Do you agree, or should we be more cautious? What are the risks and benefits?
Extension: Mapping Data Centers and Environmental Impact
Students will investigate the locations of major data processing centers in the U.S. and analyze their environmental impact, focusing on energy use and resource consumption.
Instructions
- Identify Locations: Research and create a list of major data processing centers in the U.S. You should include data centers owned by companies like Google/Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon, IBM and Meta.
- Analyze Environmental Impact: Find out the energy sources each location relies on (e.g., coal, natural gas, renewable energy), any available data on their electricity and water consumption, and whether their operations contribute to temperature fluctuations in the surrounding community.
- Mapping and Analysis: Create a map that shows where these data centers are located. On the map, annotate the centers with brief notes on their environmental impact, including their energy consumption and the local climate effects, such as water usage in drought-prone areas.
- Reflection: Write a short reflection (one or two paragraphs) on how the location of these data centers might affect local communities and ecosystems, and steps that could be taken to reduce their environmental impact.
Deliverables
- A map of the U.S. showing the locations of major data centers with annotations.
- A brief written reflection on the findings.
Questions to Consider While Researching
- How do the locations of major data centers influence their environmental impact, particularly in terms of energy and water use?
- What are the primary energy sources for these data centers, and how do they affect local communities and ecosystems?
- What steps can be taken to reduce the environmental impact of data centers while supporting the growth of AI technologies?
Lesson Plans on Climate Change
Explore more resources for educators to find a wide-range of relevant preK-12 lessons on climate change or supporting young people as they continue to lead the conversation around the climate change crisis.
Andy Kratochvil is an SML team member who loves hiking, video games, scary books, Mexican food, and finding great content for the Share My Lesson community. He studied political science and French at California State University, Fullerton and received his Master’s in International Affairs from... See More
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