CONSERVATION

When you use AI — to do homework, generate art, play games, or chat — it feels invisible. Like it just exists in the cloud.

But here’s the truth: AI lives in the real world, and it uses real resources — electricity, water, and energy — on a massive scale.

Behind every AI answer is a huge building full of powerful computers, called a data center. And those buildings don’t just run on magic. They run on electricity, need water to stay cool, and often create carbon pollution.

Let’s break it down 👇

⚡ Energy: AI Is Always “On”

AI needs a lot of power.

• Data centers already use about 1–2% of all the electricity on Earth — that’s more than many entire countries.
  
  

• AI is the fastest-growing reason this number keeps climbing.
  
  

• By 2030, experts think data centers could use twice as much energy as they do today.
  
  

• Training one large AI model can use as much electricity as dozens of airplane flights.
  
  

👉 Imagine leaving millions of gaming PCs running 24/7. That’s closer to what AI energy use looks like.

💧 Water: The Problem Nobody Talks About

Here’s something most people don’t realize: AI is thirsty.

• AI computers get extremely hot, so data centers use water to cool them down.
  
  

• Training one big AI model can use hundreds of thousands of liters of freshwater.
  
  

• Altogether, AI data centers use billions of cubic meters of water every year.
  
  

This becomes a serious problem when data centers are built in places where water is already scarce — because then AI is competing with people, farms, and wildlife for water.

🌫️ Carbon: The Climate Impact

All that electricity usually comes from power plants — and many still burn fossil fuels.

• Some tech companies say they’re “net zero,” but their total pollution is still going up as AI grows.
  
  

• In just a few years, some companies’ emissions jumped by over 100% because of AI.
  
  

• If nothing changes, AI could produce tens or hundreds of millions of tons of CO₂ every year by the 2030s.
  
  

That’s a big deal in a world already dealing with climate change.

🌱 Are Any AI Companies Actually Helping?

Yes — some are doing real work (not just talking).

🌿 Google

• Carbon neutral since 2007.
  
  

• Trying to run on carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030.
  
  

• Making AI models that use less energy and less water per question.
  
  

• Investing in clean energy, including nuclear power.

🌿 Microsoft

• Wants to be carbon negative by 2030 (removing more pollution than it creates).
  
  

• Aims to be water positive, meaning it gives back more water than it uses.
  
  

• Its cloud systems power many AI tools — and they’re shifting to cleaner energy.

🌿 Amazon & Meta

• Investing heavily in renewable energy.
  
  

• But their total pollution is still increasing as AI expands.
  
  

• Transparency about AI’s exact impact is limited.

🌿 OpenAI

• Uses Microsoft’s cleaner cloud systems.
  
  

• Focuses on making AI software more efficient, so each request uses less energy.

🏆 Smaller Companies

• Some newer companies design AI systems that run only on clean energy, reuse heat, or use far less water — but they’re still small compared to tech giants.
  
  

🧠 What Can We Do?

You don’t have to stop using AI — but we can use it smarter.

👤 As Users

• Don’t use huge AI tools for tiny tasks.
  
  

• Avoid unnecessary requests.
  
  

• Support companies that care about sustainability.

🏢 As Companies

• Use smaller, efficient AI models when possible.
  
  

• Measure and share how much energy and carbon AI actually uses.
  
  

• Improve cooling systems and hardware to save water and power.

🏛️ As a Society

• Require companies to report AI emissions honestly.
  
  

• Encourage clean energy with laws and incentives.
  
  

• Make sure data centers don’t drain water from struggling communities.
  
  

🌍 The Big Picture

AI isn’t “good” or “bad” for the planet on its own.

It can:

• Help design cleaner energy systems
  
  

• Reduce waste
  
  

• Make cities and transportation more efficient
  
  

But it can also:

• Increase pollution
  
  

• Drain water
  
  

• Use massive amounts of electricity
  
  

👉 The difference comes down to choices — how AI is built, where it gets power, and how responsibly we use it.

Just like cars, electricity, or the internet, AI needs rules, smart design, and accountability.

The future of AI doesn’t have to hurt the planet — but it won’t save it automatically either. That’s up to people like you.

And yes — your generation will help decide how this story ends. 🌱✨

How We Use AI Without Hurting the Planet

My Green Planet’s Promise to You and the Earth

At My Green Planet, we care about protecting nature—not just in what we write about, but also in how we create and share our content. That means we try to be honest about the tools we use, like artificial intelligence (AI), and how they affect the environment.

How We Use AI

• Making Pictures with AI: We use a tool called Microsoft Designer to create pictures. It’s run by Microsoft, a company that works hard to be carbon neutral (which means they cancel out the pollution they create).
  
  

• Fixing and Formatting Our Writing: We also use ChatGPT to help us edit and organize our articles so they’re easy to read and understand.
  
  

What Kind of Impact Does That Have on the Planet?

As stated in the article above, even digital tools use energy and water and can create pollution. We’ve calculated how much our work affects the Earth:

📄 Making One Article Uses About:

• 132 watt-hours of electricity (that’s like leaving a small light bulb on for a few hours)
  
  

• 58 grams of CO₂ (a small puff of pollution)
  
  

• 18 liters of water (about 9 big soda bottles)

🌍 Our Entire Website Has Used About:

• 5,500 watt-hours of electricity (like washing and drying 2 loads of laundry)
  
  

• 2,400 grams of CO₂ (similar to driving a car 6 miles)
  
  

• 740 liters of water (enough to fill 2 kiddie pools)
  
  

How We Help the Planet in Return

To make sure our work doesn’t hurt the planet, we:

✅ Use tools like Microsoft Designer and Google Sites, which are designed to be eco-friendly and carbon-neutral

✅ Make personal lifestyle choices to reduce pollution—like driving less, saving water, and using energy-saving devices

✅ Support great causes that protect nature, including:

• Clean energy and climate action

• Water conservation

• Forest planting and carbon cleanup
  
  

Our Big Promise

We believe being honest about how we affect the planet helps everyone make better choices. That’s why we’ll always share what we learn about our environmental impact—and do our best to keep it as low as possible.

Together, we can make the internet greener and the Earth healthier.