[ExI] Data Centers need a lot of resources

[BillK]

Spike mentioned that there appears to be much spare land in the US,
where data centers could be built.
But they need much more than just land.
A new report has investigated the requirements.
BillK

<https://unu.edu/inweh/news/environmental-cost-of-AIs-Enrgy-use-carbon-water-and-land-footprints>
Quotes:
Rising Emissions, Depleting Water and Vanishing Land—
UN Scientists: AI Is Threatening Natural Resources 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 2026

Yet every kilowatt-hour of electricity used to train or run an AI
system also carries a water footprint, from cooling and power
generation, and a land footprint, from energy infrastructure and
supply chains. These three footprints do not move in the same
direction. Switching from coal to bioenergy, for example, can on
average cut the carbon footprint of electricity by 70 per cent, while
increasing its water footprint more than thirty-fold and its land
footprint a hundred-fold.
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