#prairies — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #prairies, aggregated by home.social.
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We had a visitor in the back yard early this evening. This is a young white-tailed jackrabbit (which is a species of hare, not a true rabbit) probably from this spring's first batch, so he's probably about 3 months old. The proportions are different from an adult. This species is also known as prairie hare or "white jack", or just "jack" hereabouts.
This one was sitting in the long grass and then sat up when I came into view. He wasn't scared, but kept a wary eye on me. Pardon the lousy picture quality; I didn't get out the Big Lens so this is a tiny crop out of the middle of the frame. I have a little video I might post later.
Of course, he immediately started being cute(r), having a bath, after I put the camera away.
Pardon the weeds; it's been too hot and humid to mow lately, and I went chemical-free a few years ago.
#wildlife #UrbanWildlife #jackrabbit #hare #WhiteTailedJackrabbit #PrairieHare #jack #SK #YQR #prairies #Canada #RabbitsOfMastodon
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We had a visitor in the back yard early this evening. This is a young white-tailed jackrabbit (which is a species of hare, not a true rabbit) probably from this spring's first batch, so he's probably about 3 months old. The proportions are different from an adult. This species is also known as prairie hare or "white jack", or just "jack" hereabouts.
This one was sitting in the long grass and then sat up when I came into view. He wasn't scared, but kept a wary eye on me. Pardon the lousy picture quality; I didn't get out the Big Lens so this is a tiny crop out of the middle of the frame. I have a little video I might post later.
Of course, he immediately started being cute(r), having a bath, after I put the camera away.
Pardon the weeds; it's been too hot and humid to mow lately, and I went chemical-free a few years ago.
#wildlife #UrbanWildlife #jackrabbit #hare #WhiteTailedJackrabbit #PrairieHare #jack #SK #YQR #prairies #Canada #RabbitsOfMastodon
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Reconnecting the Wild #Midwest
Explore how #TNC is rebuilding connections between habitats to help #MidwestWildlife—and people—thrive in a changing climate
Published March 02, 2026
"Wildlife needs room to roam, and the Midwest is full of amazing habitats—such as forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers—that aren’t connected, leaving wildlife stuck and struggling. That's why TNC is linking forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers across the Midwest so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive.
"What Is a Wildlife Corridor? Why Are They Important?
"#Habitat Crridors can be interconnected land-based environments, such as #forests and #prairies, as well as #rivers and other freshwater passages that allow aquatic species to move freely. These healthy, #biodiverse areas are beneficial for people too, as they can help reduce flood risk to communities and provide more recreational opportunities in nature.
"However, the Midwest region is highly fragmented. #Habitats are subdivided across different landowners, and many are highly degraded.
"To address this, TNC serves as our own type of corridor, coordinating protection and #stewardship efforts across properties owned by many different partners. Through these collaborations, we help secure funding to connect science with #conservation on the ground and in the water.
"Our work includes large-scale #HabitatRestoration projects that create and improve pathways, like our #CoastalRepair efforts in #SanduskyBay, #DamRemoval efforts in Southern #Indiana and our prescribed fire work in Southern #Illinois."
Learn more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/wildlife-corridors/#SolarPunkSunday #ConnectedHabitats
#Wildlife #WildlifeHighways #WildlifeCorridors #MidwesternUS #TheNatureConservancy #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation -
Reconnecting the Wild #Midwest
Explore how #TNC is rebuilding connections between habitats to help #MidwestWildlife—and people—thrive in a changing climate
Published March 02, 2026
"Wildlife needs room to roam, and the Midwest is full of amazing habitats—such as forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers—that aren’t connected, leaving wildlife stuck and struggling. That's why TNC is linking forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers across the Midwest so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive.
"What Is a Wildlife Corridor? Why Are They Important?
"#Habitat Crridors can be interconnected land-based environments, such as #forests and #prairies, as well as #rivers and other freshwater passages that allow aquatic species to move freely. These healthy, #biodiverse areas are beneficial for people too, as they can help reduce flood risk to communities and provide more recreational opportunities in nature.
"However, the Midwest region is highly fragmented. #Habitats are subdivided across different landowners, and many are highly degraded.
"To address this, TNC serves as our own type of corridor, coordinating protection and #stewardship efforts across properties owned by many different partners. Through these collaborations, we help secure funding to connect science with #conservation on the ground and in the water.
"Our work includes large-scale #HabitatRestoration projects that create and improve pathways, like our #CoastalRepair efforts in #SanduskyBay, #DamRemoval efforts in Southern #Indiana and our prescribed fire work in Southern #Illinois."
Learn more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/wildlife-corridors/#SolarPunkSunday #ConnectedHabitats
#Wildlife #WildlifeHighways #WildlifeCorridors #MidwesternUS #TheNatureConservancy #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation -
Reconnecting the Wild #Midwest
Explore how #TNC is rebuilding connections between habitats to help #MidwestWildlife—and people—thrive in a changing climate
Published March 02, 2026
"Wildlife needs room to roam, and the Midwest is full of amazing habitats—such as forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers—that aren’t connected, leaving wildlife stuck and struggling. That's why TNC is linking forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers across the Midwest so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive.
"What Is a Wildlife Corridor? Why Are They Important?
"#Habitat Crridors can be interconnected land-based environments, such as #forests and #prairies, as well as #rivers and other freshwater passages that allow aquatic species to move freely. These healthy, #biodiverse areas are beneficial for people too, as they can help reduce flood risk to communities and provide more recreational opportunities in nature.
"However, the Midwest region is highly fragmented. #Habitats are subdivided across different landowners, and many are highly degraded.
"To address this, TNC serves as our own type of corridor, coordinating protection and #stewardship efforts across properties owned by many different partners. Through these collaborations, we help secure funding to connect science with #conservation on the ground and in the water.
"Our work includes large-scale #HabitatRestoration projects that create and improve pathways, like our #CoastalRepair efforts in #SanduskyBay, #DamRemoval efforts in Southern #Indiana and our prescribed fire work in Southern #Illinois."
Learn more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/wildlife-corridors/#SolarPunkSunday #ConnectedHabitats
#Wildlife #WildlifeHighways #WildlifeCorridors #MidwesternUS #TheNatureConservancy #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation -
Reconnecting the Wild #Midwest
Explore how #TNC is rebuilding connections between habitats to help #MidwestWildlife—and people—thrive in a changing climate
Published March 02, 2026
"Wildlife needs room to roam, and the Midwest is full of amazing habitats—such as forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers—that aren’t connected, leaving wildlife stuck and struggling. That's why TNC is linking forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers across the Midwest so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive.
"What Is a Wildlife Corridor? Why Are They Important?
"#Habitat Crridors can be interconnected land-based environments, such as #forests and #prairies, as well as #rivers and other freshwater passages that allow aquatic species to move freely. These healthy, #biodiverse areas are beneficial for people too, as they can help reduce flood risk to communities and provide more recreational opportunities in nature.
"However, the Midwest region is highly fragmented. #Habitats are subdivided across different landowners, and many are highly degraded.
"To address this, TNC serves as our own type of corridor, coordinating protection and #stewardship efforts across properties owned by many different partners. Through these collaborations, we help secure funding to connect science with #conservation on the ground and in the water.
"Our work includes large-scale #HabitatRestoration projects that create and improve pathways, like our #CoastalRepair efforts in #SanduskyBay, #DamRemoval efforts in Southern #Indiana and our prescribed fire work in Southern #Illinois."
Learn more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/wildlife-corridors/#SolarPunkSunday #ConnectedHabitats
#Wildlife #WildlifeHighways #WildlifeCorridors #MidwesternUS #TheNatureConservancy #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation -
Reconnecting the Wild #Midwest
Explore how #TNC is rebuilding connections between habitats to help #MidwestWildlife—and people—thrive in a changing climate
Published March 02, 2026
"Wildlife needs room to roam, and the Midwest is full of amazing habitats—such as forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers—that aren’t connected, leaving wildlife stuck and struggling. That's why TNC is linking forests, prairies, wetlands and rivers across the Midwest so wildlife can move, adapt and thrive.
"What Is a Wildlife Corridor? Why Are They Important?
"#Habitat Crridors can be interconnected land-based environments, such as #forests and #prairies, as well as #rivers and other freshwater passages that allow aquatic species to move freely. These healthy, #biodiverse areas are beneficial for people too, as they can help reduce flood risk to communities and provide more recreational opportunities in nature.
"However, the Midwest region is highly fragmented. #Habitats are subdivided across different landowners, and many are highly degraded.
"To address this, TNC serves as our own type of corridor, coordinating protection and #stewardship efforts across properties owned by many different partners. Through these collaborations, we help secure funding to connect science with #conservation on the ground and in the water.
"Our work includes large-scale #HabitatRestoration projects that create and improve pathways, like our #CoastalRepair efforts in #SanduskyBay, #DamRemoval efforts in Southern #Indiana and our prescribed fire work in Southern #Illinois."
Learn more:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/priority-landscapes/midwest/stories-in-the-midwest/wildlife-corridors/#SolarPunkSunday #ConnectedHabitats
#Wildlife #WildlifeHighways #WildlifeCorridors #MidwesternUS #TheNatureConservancy #Biodiversity #WildlifeConservation -
Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy
Funding will help bolster the strategy’s loan fund, ecosystem fund, and knowledge hub.
Canada is investing another…
#NewsBeep #News #Entrepreneurship #alberta #aprilhicke #bdc #Briefs #Business #CA #Canada #Funding #GovernmentofCanada #isabellehudon #LETHBRIDGE #prairies #toast #womenentrepreneurshipstrategy
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/767463/ -
Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy
Funding will help bolster the strategy’s loan fund, ecosystem fund, and knowledge hub.
Canada is investing another…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Entrepreneurship #alberta #aprilhicke #bdc #briefs #Business #Funding #governmentofCanada #isabellehudon #lethbridge #Prairies #toast #womenentrepreneurshipstrategy
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/726917/ -
Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy
Funding will help bolster the strategy’s loan fund, ecosystem fund, and knowledge hub.
Canada is investing another…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Entrepreneurship #alberta #aprilhicke #bdc #briefs #Business #Funding #governmentofCanada #isabellehudon #lethbridge #Prairies #toast #womenentrepreneurshipstrategy
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/726917/ -
Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy
Funding will help bolster the strategy’s loan fund, ecosystem fund, and knowledge hub.
Canada is investing another…
#NewsBeep #News #Entrepreneurship #alberta #aprilhicke #bdc #briefs #Business #Funding #governmentofcanada #isabellehudon #lethbridge #prairies #toast #UK #UnitedKingdom #womenentrepreneurshipstrategy
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/659059/ -
https://www.europesays.com/ie/554955/ Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy #alberta #AprilHicke #bdc #briefs #Business #Éire #Entrepreneurship #funding #GovernmentOfCanada #IE #Ireland #IsabelleHudon #lethbridge #prairies #Toast #WomenEntrepreneurshipStrategy
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https://www.europesays.com/uk/1050505/ Feds announce $173 million for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy #alberta #AprilHicke #bdc #briefs #Business #Entrepreneurship #Funding #GovernmentOfCanada #IsabelleHudon #Lethbridge #prairies #toast #UK #UnitedKingdom #WomenEntrepreneurshipStrategy
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💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🍄🌍 Scientists mapped arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi – the #underground fungal threads that connect #plant roots.
Analyzing over 16,000 #soil cores from 322 studies, they found the network stretches 110 quadrillion(!) km in the topsoil, long enough to reach the #Sun nearly a billion times. #Grasslands and #prairies hold the densest networks, while #farming reduces fungal density by nearly half.
👉 https://www.sciencealert.com/hidden-web-of-fungus-inside-earth-could-reach-the-sun-a-billion-times
#science #ecology #plants #carbon #map #nature #biology #climate #microscopy #research #study
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💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🍄🌍 Scientists mapped arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi – the #underground fungal threads that connect #plant roots.
Analyzing over 16,000 #soil cores from 322 studies, they found the network stretches 110 quadrillion(!) km in the topsoil, long enough to reach the #Sun nearly a billion times. #Grasslands and #prairies hold the densest networks, while #farming reduces fungal density by nearly half.
👉 https://www.sciencealert.com/hidden-web-of-fungus-inside-earth-could-reach-the-sun-a-billion-times
#science #ecology #plants #carbon #map #nature #biology #climate #microscopy #research #study
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💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🍄🌍 Scientists mapped arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi – the #underground fungal threads that connect #plant roots.
Analyzing over 16,000 #soil cores from 322 studies, they found the network stretches 110 quadrillion(!) km in the topsoil, long enough to reach the #Sun nearly a billion times. #Grasslands and #prairies hold the densest networks, while #farming reduces fungal density by nearly half.
👉 https://www.sciencealert.com/hidden-web-of-fungus-inside-earth-could-reach-the-sun-a-billion-times
#science #ecology #plants #carbon #map #nature #biology #climate #microscopy #research #study
-
💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🍄🌍 Scientists mapped arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi – the #underground fungal threads that connect #plant roots.
Analyzing over 16,000 #soil cores from 322 studies, they found the network stretches 110 quadrillion(!) km in the topsoil, long enough to reach the #Sun nearly a billion times. #Grasslands and #prairies hold the densest networks, while #farming reduces fungal density by nearly half.
👉 https://www.sciencealert.com/hidden-web-of-fungus-inside-earth-could-reach-the-sun-a-billion-times
#science #ecology #plants #carbon #map #nature #biology #climate #microscopy #research #study
-
💁🏻♀️ TIL: 🍄🌍 Scientists mapped arbuscular #mycorrhizal #fungi – the #underground fungal threads that connect #plant roots.
Analyzing over 16,000 #soil cores from 322 studies, they found the network stretches 110 quadrillion(!) km in the topsoil, long enough to reach the #Sun nearly a billion times. #Grasslands and #prairies hold the densest networks, while #farming reduces fungal density by nearly half.
👉 https://www.sciencealert.com/hidden-web-of-fungus-inside-earth-could-reach-the-sun-a-billion-times
#science #ecology #plants #carbon #map #nature #biology #climate #microscopy #research #study
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#Doubs #Valoreille
#biodiversité #agroécologie #prairiesMardi 9 juin 2026, cinq agriculteurs du Doubs ont présenté leurs prairies au concours des pratiques agroécologiques, qui valorise les exploitations les plus respectueuses de l'environnement. Les parcelles participantes sont notées pour leur équilibre écologique, leur richesse en biodiversité et le bien-être animal.
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#Doubs #Valoreille
#biodiversité #agroécologie #prairiesMardi 9 juin 2026, cinq agriculteurs du Doubs ont présenté leurs prairies au concours des pratiques agroécologiques, qui valorise les exploitations les plus respectueuses de l'environnement. Les parcelles participantes sont notées pour leur équilibre écologique, leur richesse en biodiversité et le bien-être animal.
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Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions
By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns
Date Published
3 Jun 2026Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect
"Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."
Read more:
https://unu.edu/inweh/news/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-use-carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence -
Press Release: Rising #Emissions, Depleting #Water and Vanishing #Land—UN Scientists: #AI Is Threatening #NaturalResources for Billions
By 2030, AI's water use will match the needs of 1.3 billion people while its power use triples that of 650 million, UN University investigation warns
Date Published
3 Jun 2026Excerpt: "Inference, efficiency, and the rebound effect
"Public discussion has largely focused on the energy required to train massive models. Training GPT-3 was estimated to require 1.3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, while estimates suggest GPT-4 consumed between 50 and 70 GWh. However, the report reveals this framing is outdated. Once a model is deployed, inference—the continuous running of models to answer everyday user prompts—becomes the dominant cost, accounting for 80 to 90 per cent of total #AI energy use. ChatGPT alone is estimated to process around 2.5 billion prompts per day, translating to roughly 383 GWh of electricity per year for a single product. Offsetting associated carbon emissions would require 2.6 million tree seedlings grown for 10 years, enough trees to cover a land area the size of Manhattan. The water footprint is equivalent to the minimum annual domestic water needs of roughly 500,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the land footprint is equal to over 800 football fields."
Read more:
https://unu.edu/inweh/news/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-use-carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums #ArtificialIntelligence -
The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints
#AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.
Date Published 3 Jun 2026
UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).
"This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health (#UNU-#INWEH) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.
"The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.
"Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."
Download PDF:
https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-Use-Carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums -
The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints
#AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.
Date Published 3 Jun 2026
UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).
"This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health (#UNU-#INWEH) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.
"The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.
"Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."
Download PDF:
https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-Use-Carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums -
The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints
#AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.
Date Published 3 Jun 2026
UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).
"This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health (#UNU-#INWEH) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.
"The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.
"Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."
Download PDF:
https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-Use-Carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums -
The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints
#AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.
Date Published 3 Jun 2026
UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).
"This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health (#UNU-#INWEH) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.
"The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.
"Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."
Download PDF:
https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-Use-Carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums -
The #EnvironmentalCost of #ArtificialIntelligence: #Carbon, #Water, and #LandFootprints
#AI’s rapid growth drives huge energy, water, and land use, raising environmental and equity challenges across its global infrastructure.
Date Published 3 Jun 2026
UNU-INWEH Report: Aczel, M., Chamanara, S., Matin, M., Farsi, A., Marwala, T., Madani, K. (2026).
"This report, Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, by the #UnitedNationsUniversity Institute for Water, Environment and Health (#UNU-#INWEH) on its 30th anniversary, examines one of the most underexplored consequences of AI’s rapid expansion: the environmental footprints of the energy required to power it. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in economies, public services, research, communication, and everyday life, it depends on a growing physical infrastructure of #datacenters, advanced #chips, #CoolingSystems, #ElectricityGrids, #WaterResources, land, and #CriticalMineral supply chains. The report shows that AI is not only a digital technology, but also a material system with measurable #EnvironmentalCosts.
"The report moves beyond a carbon-only lens by quantifying the carbon, water, and land footprints associated with the electricity used to train, deploy, and operate AI systems at scale. Its central finding is that AI’s environmental costs depend not only on how much electricity is used, but also on where that electricity is generated and which energy sources power it. Every kilowatt-hour used by AI carries carbon, water, and land implications, and these footprints do not always move in the same direction: low-carbon electricity is not automatically low-water or low-land. The report also shows that AI’s footprint is shaped by both major infrastructure trends, including the rapid growth of data centers, and everyday use patterns, including model choice, output length, modality, and the growing use of text, image, and video generation.
"Importantly, the report frames AI’s environmental footprint as a governance and justice challenge, not only a technical problem. The benefits of AI often flow across borders and sectors, while the environmental burdens of data center siting, electricity demand, water withdrawals, #LandUse, MineralExtraction, and #EWaste can be concentrated in specific communities and regions. To address these risks, the report calls for a responsible AI ecosystem grounded in transparency, efficiency by design, equity and #EnvironmentalJustice, lifecycle responsibility, global cooperation, and sustainable use. By making AI’s carbon, water, and land footprints visible and comparable, the report provides a practical basis for integrating AI into energy, climate, water, and land-use planning, ensuring that innovation advances without shifting environmental costs onto vulnerable communities."
Download PDF:
https://unu.edu/inweh/collection/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-Use-Carbon-water-and-land-footprints#AIBoom #Electricity #Hyperscale #BigTech #BigData #CarbonFootprint #EnvironmentalRacism #EnvironmentalDegradation #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #AIAgents #BotTraffic #GreenSpaces #Farmland #Prairies #Woodland #TechGiants #ProtectNature #NoDatacenters #EnergyConsumption #USPol #WorldPol #Datacentres
#DatacenterMoratoriums -
The #AI boom is gobbling up power faster than ever
By Hannah Beckler, June 7, 2026
Excerpt: "The data center boom is accelerating.
"A Business Insider analysis of US data center permits reveals a staggering escalation in data center power use. Data centers across the US are growing in number and in size. If all data centers permitted through 2025 come online, they will use between 224.3 terawatt-hours and 358.8 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, an increase of 50% over the previous year across the range, Business Insider's analysis found.
"At the midpoint, that's more than all the #electricity used by any one US state in 2024, except Texas.
"The vast majority of this power use is driven by #hyperscale data centers, mammoth facilities that use 40 megawatts or more each, Business Insider estimates.
"#TechGiants have an insatiable appetite for more computing power to fund their AI ambitions. In 2025, permits were issued for 176 new data centers across 34 states — the most new permits in one year since the first was issued in 1976, Business Insider found. Many of them are mammoth facilities destined for rural areas — enormous complexes blanketing #prairies, #GreenSpaces, and #farmland.
"#AmazonCorp's planned 14-building data center complex in #RidgelandMS, would transform nearly 800 acres of rural #woodland. In the village of #MountPleasantWI, Microsoft's nine data center buildings would command a collective footprint of over 5.2 million square feet built on a property nearly the size of New York City's Central Park, according to planning documents. And just outside #EagleMountainOT, #QTS — one of the nation's biggest data center operators — is building one that is expected to demand between 1.9 and 3 terawatt-hours a year once fully online, according to Business Insider's estimate. On average, that's the same amount of electricity used by 227,000 US homes.
"The race by tech companies to reach ever-greater AI ambitions has sparked a sweeping backlash from local residents and state and local officials wary of #Datacenter impacts on the #environment, economy, and #communities. And development-friendly lawmakers could face a reckoning in this year's #midterms, in which data centers are emerging as a key issue for many voters."
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-ai-data-center-power-electricity-use-consumption-2026-6
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/hJXeS#NoDatacenters #AIBoom #EnergyConsumption #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #USPol #USMidTerms #Elections2026 #Datacentres #DatacenterMoratoriums #BigData #BigTech
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The #AI boom is gobbling up power faster than ever
By Hannah Beckler, June 7, 2026
Excerpt: "The data center boom is accelerating.
"A Business Insider analysis of US data center permits reveals a staggering escalation in data center power use. Data centers across the US are growing in number and in size. If all data centers permitted through 2025 come online, they will use between 224.3 terawatt-hours and 358.8 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, an increase of 50% over the previous year across the range, Business Insider's analysis found.
"At the midpoint, that's more than all the #electricity used by any one US state in 2024, except Texas.
"The vast majority of this power use is driven by #hyperscale data centers, mammoth facilities that use 40 megawatts or more each, Business Insider estimates.
"#TechGiants have an insatiable appetite for more computing power to fund their AI ambitions. In 2025, permits were issued for 176 new data centers across 34 states — the most new permits in one year since the first was issued in 1976, Business Insider found. Many of them are mammoth facilities destined for rural areas — enormous complexes blanketing #prairies, #GreenSpaces, and #farmland.
"#AmazonCorp's planned 14-building data center complex in #RidgelandMS, would transform nearly 800 acres of rural #woodland. In the village of #MountPleasantWI, Microsoft's nine data center buildings would command a collective footprint of over 5.2 million square feet built on a property nearly the size of New York City's Central Park, according to planning documents. And just outside #EagleMountainOT, #QTS — one of the nation's biggest data center operators — is building one that is expected to demand between 1.9 and 3 terawatt-hours a year once fully online, according to Business Insider's estimate. On average, that's the same amount of electricity used by 227,000 US homes.
"The race by tech companies to reach ever-greater AI ambitions has sparked a sweeping backlash from local residents and state and local officials wary of #Datacenter impacts on the #environment, economy, and #communities. And development-friendly lawmakers could face a reckoning in this year's #midterms, in which data centers are emerging as a key issue for many voters."
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-ai-data-center-power-electricity-use-consumption-2026-6
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/hJXeS#NoDatacenters #AIBoom #EnergyConsumption #NoisePollution #LightPollution #WaterIsLife #USPol #USMidTerms #Elections2026 #Datacentres #DatacenterMoratoriums #BigData #BigTech
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Indeed! "Get what you wished for", etc, etc.
This is also a great illustration of the saying that "A North American thinks a hundred years is a long time, while a European thinks 100 kilometers is a long distance".
This shows Portugal is shorter than a trip I take to see family members regularly. And even the main body of Greece is only about that size. And I mean, each way, not in total.
I do that trip as a day trip most of the time 😆 No wonder a Brit thinks you're mad if you say you can drive 1200km in a day or whatever.
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Indeed! "Get what you wished for", etc, etc.
This is also a great illustration of the saying that "A North American thinks a hundred years is a long time, while a European thinks 100 kilometers is a long distance".
This shows Portugal is shorter than a trip I take to see family members regularly. And even the main body of Greece is only about that size. And I mean, each way, not in total.
I do that trip as a day trip most of the time 😆 No wonder a Brit thinks you're mad if you say you can drive 1200km in a day or whatever.
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Indeed! "Get what you wished for", etc, etc.
This is also a great illustration of the saying that "A North American thinks a hundred years is a long time, while a European thinks 100 kilometers is a long distance".
This shows Portugal is shorter than a trip I take to see family members regularly. And even the main body of Greece is only about that size. And I mean, each way, not in total.
I do that trip as a day trip most of the time 😆 No wonder a Brit thinks you're mad if you say you can drive 1200km in a day or whatever.
-
Indeed! "Get what you wished for", etc, etc.
This is also a great illustration of the saying that "A North American thinks a hundred years is a long time, while a European thinks 100 kilometers is a long distance".
This shows Portugal is shorter than a trip I take to see family members regularly. And even the main body of Greece is only about that size. And I mean, each way, not in total.
I do that trip as a day trip most of the time 😆 No wonder a Brit thinks you're mad if you say you can drive 1200km in a day or whatever.
-
Indeed! "Get what you wished for", etc, etc.
This is also a great illustration of the saying that "A North American thinks a hundred years is a long time, while a European thinks 100 kilometers is a long distance".
This shows Portugal is shorter than a trip I take to see family members regularly. And even the main body of Greece is only about that size. And I mean, each way, not in total.
I do that trip as a day trip most of the time 😆 No wonder a Brit thinks you're mad if you say you can drive 1200km in a day or whatever.
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Amendments to the #Forest and #Prairies #Protection Act provide the #province with the authority to assume #command and actively support #municipalities responding to a #wildfire. And amendments to the #Water Act provide #Cabinet authority to determine priority of water use under water #licenses, and allow ‘low risk’ transfers between major water basins for use during #emergencies like a prolonged #drought.
Concerns are best articulated by a ABLawg.ca report:
16/24
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The snow is almost all melted.
Again.
Again.
The weather on the prairies this fimbulwinter has been pretty bad. I blame the groundhog, who saw his shadow back in February, giving us the traditional "six more months of winter".
[Edit: typos. Jeez.]
#Canada #prairies #weather #SK #GroundhogDay #groundhog #fimbulwinter #winter
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The snow is almost all melted.
Again.
Again.
The weather on the prairies this fimbulwinter has been pretty bad. I blame the groundhog, who saw his shadow back in February, giving us the traditional "six more months of winter".
[Edit: typos. Jeez.]
#Canada #prairies #weather #SK #GroundhogDay #groundhog #fimbulwinter #winter
-
The snow is almost all melted.
Again.
Again.
The weather on the prairies this fimbulwinter has been pretty bad. I blame the groundhog, who saw his shadow back in February, giving us the traditional "six more months of winter".
[Edit: typos. Jeez.]
#Canada #prairies #weather #SK #GroundhogDay #groundhog #fimbulwinter #winter
-
The snow is almost all melted.
Again.
Again.
The weather on the prairies this fimbulwinter has been pretty bad. I blame the groundhog, who saw his shadow back in February, giving us the traditional "six more months of winter".
[Edit: typos. Jeez.]
#Canada #prairies #weather #SK #GroundhogDay #groundhog #fimbulwinter #winter
-
The snow is almost all melted.
Again.
Again.
The weather on the prairies this fimbulwinter has been pretty bad. I blame the groundhog, who saw his shadow back in February, giving us the traditional "six more months of winter".
[Edit: typos. Jeez.]
#Canada #prairies #weather #SK #GroundhogDay #groundhog #fimbulwinter #winter
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Oh, fantastic. The snow we're supposed to get tonight has been upgraded to a yellow warning:
> Snowfall with total amounts of 15 to 25 cm is expected.
That's 6-to-10 inches for the metrically-challenged. Also blizzard / white-out conditions. Whee!
I'm glad I didn't summerize my snowblower yet!
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Oh, fantastic. The snow we're supposed to get tonight has been upgraded to a yellow warning:
> Snowfall with total amounts of 15 to 25 cm is expected.
That's 6-to-10 inches for the metrically-challenged. Also blizzard / white-out conditions. Whee!
I'm glad I didn't summerize my snowblower yet!
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https://www.europesays.com/be-fr/69619/ Moins de viande ne suffit pas : repenser l’élevage pour une alimentation durable #AgricultureDurable #alimentation #AlimentationDurable #BE #BEFr #Belgique #Belgium #ConsommationDeViande #Élevage #élevageàL'herbe #Health #ImportationsDeSoja #prairies #ProduitsLaitiers #Santé #SeNourrir #Une
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https://www.europesays.com/ch-fr/83499/ Moins de viande ne suffit pas : repenser l’élevage pour une alimentation durable #AgricultureDurable #Alimentation #AlimentationDurable #ConsommationDeViande #Elevage #élevageàL'herbe #Health #ImportationsDeSoja #prairies #ProduitsLaitiers #Santé #SeNourrir #Suisse #Une
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Water flow in prairie watersheds is increasingly unpredictable — but AI could help
#ClimateChange #Prairies #Canada #WaterManagement #FloodRisk #AI #Hydrology #Agriculture #Environment #Wetlands #Innovation #Sustainability #RuralCommunities #WaterCrisis
https://the-14.com/water-flow-in-prairie-watersheds-is-increasingly-unpredictable-but-ai-could-help/
