This AI Revelation Will Surprise You!
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The Eco ExperimentNewsletter by The Eco Loop Hey Reader, Are we unknowingly trading our planet’s future for the convenience of AI? Most of us have no idea that our daily AI interactions are silently draining precious resources. We’re caught in a dilemma: AI is becoming essential for staying relevant, but its environmental footprint is growing at an alarming rate. The solution? Learning to use AI responsibly and efficiently while leveraging its incredible potential to actually help save our planet. By the end of this newsletter, you’ll have: My personal pledge that you can adapt to using AI guilt-free! Also, some Recent applications of how AI is helping fight climate change Learning More in my 40s Than Ever BeforeI’m having the time of my life learning new things in my mid-40s! There’s something so freeing about learning just because I want to, not because I have to. Right now, AI is the one thing keeping all of us busy trying to keep up. New tools and features seem to be released every single day! I’ve been using AI to make my work faster and easier, and recently enrolled in an amazing advanced course that could help even more. But then something made me pause…I put on my research hat and… Here’s What I Discovered About AI That Shocked MeI started digging into how much energy and water AI actually uses. The numbers are mind-blowing! Here are some shocking facts that made me pause and rethink:
Researchers believe that each string of prompts uses roughly 16 ounces of water at data centers – that’s like drinking a bottle of water to ask AI a question!
Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, said something that completely shocked me. He mentioned that when people say “thank you” to ChatGPT, it’s costing them millions of dollars! Why? Because even processing the reply to that simple “thank you” uses tons of energy and water. ​ The Cool AI Stuff That Helps Our PlanetJust a few days ago, I watched the Google I/O keynote for 2025, and honestly, my mind was blown! But what excited me most wasn’t just the fancy new features. It was seeing AI being used to fight climate disasters! They’re putting Fire SATS in space – basically satellites that can spot the tiniest fire spark in forests so they can put it out before it becomes a massive wildfire! As someone who cares deeply about our environment, this gave me so much hope. But that’s just more progress! Here are some amazing ways AI is already helping our planet: Tracking melting icebergs 10,000 times faster than humans can! Scientists can now monitor climate change in real-time instead of waiting months for data. Making wind power way better – Google’s AI can predict wind patterns 36 hours ahead, making wind energy 20% more valuable! Sorting our trash like a superhero – One AI startup tracked 32 billion pieces of waste and found 86 tonnes of recyclable material per facility that would’ve gone to landfills! Capturing carbon more efficiently – New AI systems grab 16% more CO2 from the air while using 36% less energy. That’s incredible! Smart buildings that think – AI is making buildings use 10-40% less energy by learning when people are there and adjusting heating and cooling automatically. Helping farmers grow food smarter – AI robots can tell exactly when crops are ready, reducing waste and using fewer chemicals. Watching our forests from space – AI can spot illegal logging happening across 30 countries and over 1 million hectares of land! Predicting disasters before they hit – Communities in vulnerable areas can now prepare better for floods, droughts, and storms. The possibilities really are endless, and we’re just getting started! That’s when it hit me – we can’t just stop using AI, but we definitely need to be smarter about it. ​ What I’ve Decided to Do (And Maybe You Will Too!)So here’s my big question: How much AI should I use without going overboard on the environmental impact? After thinking about it a lot, here’s my plan: First and foremost, I am Learning to write better prompts so I get what I need in fewer tries. Also, I will select the AI models from companies that have pledged to transition to renewable energy entirely. I’m going to use AI for:
I’m NOT going to use AI for:
Frankly speaking, if we start relying on AI for everything, we will lose our brains completely :))
Here’s What This All MeansAI has amazing benefits, but it’s really up to each of us to use it wisely. Every time we type a prompt or ask a question, it adds up. The cool thing is, we get to be part of the solution! We can use this incredible technology AND protect our planet at the same time. What do you think? How are you planning to use AI more responsibly? I’d love to hear your thoughts! The Eco Sheroes PodcastI am so excited to announce that the brand new season 3 will be out soon :) We have some great episodes coming soon! To know more, you can watch the intro episode on YouTube here. If you prefer only the audio version, you can listen to it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts :) If you watch or listen to this or any of the episodes and find it impactful, please like, comment, and subscribe :) I will be very grateful to you for doing this, as you are helping these essential messages reach a wider audience! Thank you so much for your continued support in spreading the word about sustainability.
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