The leap in emissions is largely due to energy-guzzling data centers and supply chain emissions necessary to power artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The report estimated that in 2023, Google’s data centers alone account for up to 10% of global data center electricity consumption. Their data center electricity and water consumption both increased 17% between 2022 and 2023.

Google released 14.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide just last year, 13% higher than the year before.

Climate scientists have shown concerns as Big Tech giants such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft continue to invest billons of dollars into AI.

  • _sideffect@lemmy.worldEnglish
    676·
    4 months ago

    But by all means, everyone don’t use plastic straws! You’re killing the environment!

    • evolvor@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      51·
      4 months ago

      Plastic straws are harmful to sea turtles. That is why their use has been reduced.

      Do you like turtles?

      • Couldbealeotard@lemmy.worldEnglish
        41·
        4 months ago

        I know this is true, but I find it bizarre that there’s this fixation on straws and not the hundred other things we are likely doing that also kills turtles.

        It’s like someone saw that viral video of the turtle with a straw up it’s nose and decided that’s the only thing to focus on.

        • JasonDJ@lemmy.zipEnglish
          2·
          4 months ago

          I bought this like, prepared meal thing. It was like curry or something. Packaged, shelf stable. It harked on eco-friendly packaging. I figured, I’ve gotten curry before that was in a foil bag which I assume is easily recyclable. Probably something like that, right?

          Every component was individually plastic wrapped. Even the bowl. Except for the bamboo “spoon”. That was wrapped in paper. I put “spoon” in quotes because it was vaguely spoon shaped and functioned more like an oat from a rowboat.

          Like, was this just a piss poor attempt at green washing?

        • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          4 months ago

          Detractors have that fixation on straws, for the EU legislature it was just another regulation among many.

          Also the plastic straw fixation is now kinda fading in favour of attached bottle caps. People will literally lose 50 IQ points and stub their nose to spite Berlaymont instead of rotating the bottle 90 degrees.