Everyone who seems to matter decries fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas. nuclear), but not a lot of mention is made of what is used to generate the electricity that powers those clean electric cars, and that powers those data centers.

It's estimated that, if a certain data center emits 8 grams of carbon dioxide per "active" user per day, that might mean that a tech titan emits 8 billion grams of carbon dioxide every day.

That --allegedly-- is 9,000 tonnes per day, or well over 3 million tonnes per year of excess carbon dioxide.

https://thetrichordist.com/2019/01/18/guest-post-mtp-podcast-why-artists-should-care-about-data-center-lobbying/
 
A "normal" internet user is defined as someone who watches sixty minutes worth per day of user-generated content (aka often pirated) on a certain tubey site, carries out twenty-five searches per day, and uses a proprietary email account.

https://musictechpolicy.com/2018/12/18/carbon-clouds-should-artists-ask-why-arent-google-amazon-and-facebook-in-the-green-new-deal/
 
Greenpeace has information about the dirty cloud.
 https://www.greenpeace.org/archive-international/Global/international/publications/climate/2011/Cool%20IT/dirty-data-report-greenpeace.pdf

Facebook and Twitter appear to be the dirtiest   (see page 7 of 38); Greenpeace awards Twitter straight Fs.

According to an article published on IP lawfirm Dilworth's site, sea levels have risen 8 inches over the last hundred years, and carbon dioxide levels have risen from approximately 300 ppm in 1950 to approximately 400 ppm in late 2018.
https://www.dilworthip.com/rising-carbon-dioxide-capture-patent-trends/
 
Data centers allegedly use 140 billion kilowatt hours per year, and are powered by 51 coal plants.

Maybe, "information" isn't "free" after all.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry