I really dislike this framing.
> Most of the newest data centres use recycled water to keep their computers cool, in “closed loop” systems. And many have their own dedicated power plants rather than putting a strain on local utilities.
What do those “dedicated power plants” use to make the massive power that the data centers need? They burn non-renewable fossil fuels that contribute to climate change and pollute the neighbourhoods where the data centres live.
The heat from these closed loop systems is substantial. And it goes somewhere. Where does it go? The local climate. Areas around data centres get meaningfully hotter, interfering with local ecosystems.
It’s one thing to argue that something else is more important. Whatever. But these are bad arguments for deprioritising the climate impact because they’re uninformed.
Paco Hope
npub18m…edgg0
2026-07-10 04:25:59 UTC
in reply to nevent1q…h0nf
Author Public Key
npub18mdv65n7xqd0dhu0895tw6xkkxmhereksgqs60087ng855cmeqkqmedgg0Published at
2026-07-10 04:25:59 UTCEvent JSON
{
"id": "fc99b419b5ba0be7c0811d08767147c8d295d50ac748cdfefbc1ecd4417e84a6",
"pubkey": "3edacd527e301af6df8f3968b768d6b1b77c8f3682010d3de7f4d07a531bc82c",
"created_at": 1783657559,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"p",
"23b851e2b9b5e7dfea8e6d9238a77d11e01d64c1021201c8de626f8781fa5e7a"
],
[
"e",
"5fa7d0409c6fc97f9a91b51b473f6501019910eb5586a5f91b11b7a3258cfd81",
"",
"root",
"23b851e2b9b5e7dfea8e6d9238a77d11e01d64c1021201c8de626f8781fa5e7a"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://infosec.exchange/@paco/116893781809403680",
"web"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://infosec.exchange/users/paco/statuses/116893781809403680",
"activitypub"
],
[
"L",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"l",
"pink.momostr.activitypub:https://infosec.exchange/users/paco/statuses/116893781809403680",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"-"
]
],
"content": "I really dislike this framing. \n\n\u003e Most of the newest data centres use recycled water to keep their computers cool, in “closed loop” systems. And many have their own dedicated power plants rather than putting a strain on local utilities.\n\nWhat do those “dedicated power plants” use to make the massive power that the data centers need? They burn non-renewable fossil fuels that contribute to climate change and pollute the neighbourhoods where the data centres live.\n\nThe heat from these closed loop systems is substantial. And it goes somewhere. Where does it go? The local climate. Areas around data centres get meaningfully hotter, interfering with local ecosystems.\n\nIt’s one thing to argue that something else is more important. Whatever. But these are bad arguments for deprioritising the climate impact because they’re uninformed.",
"sig": "7073236d4b49040a485a9e3d53f735d0af3499c02a2f26dbec76dd8a28e9cac8f7203263c8007ed3b99b59bd3a4a76273440e736a6d97d4a1337192929ee5171"
}