09/23/2026
The rapid expansion of data centers is bringing new attention to how digital infrastructure uses physical resources. Large facilities require land and enormous amounts of electricity, while some cooling systems can also consume significant quantities of water.
Those impacts vary considerably by location, technology, energy source, and cooling design. But communities have good reason to ask where facilities are built, how much water and power they will require, and what habitats or other land uses could be affected.
Technology may feel invisible when it reaches us through a screen, but its infrastructure exists somewhere on the land. Progress should include serious consideration for water, wildlife, communities, and the generations who will inherit what remains. 🌎
