Prominent American activist Erin Brockovich has joined the global resistance to the proliferation of data centers, launching an online platform that tracks the planning and construction of new facilities across the United States. The Brockovich Data Center marks locations on an interactive map, aiming to inform citizens about the rapid expansion.
The 65-year-old environmentalist, famously portrayed by Julia Roberts in a Hollywood film, says she has received thousands of tips since the platform launched in April. "This map captures the real-world footprint of that race — revealing patterns of growth, conflict and uncertainty," Brockovich writes, emphasizing that "the public should not be the last to know."
Critics highlight the massive energy and water consumption of data centers. According to AlgorithmWatch, a single data center can consume as much energy as a small town. In India, residents near a data center reported having water for only a few hours a day. The centers also generate huge amounts of electronic waste and noise pollution.
Data centers offer little economic benefit to host regions, creating only a few dozen jobs despite billions in investment. The US currently has about 5,400 data centers, the most of any country, followed by Germany, the UK, China, and others. Thousands more are planned globally, especially in East Asia and the Middle East.
Brockovich's platform also records moratoriums — temporary pauses to study project impacts. Moratoriums exist in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Texas, and Maine, but are not always successful. In Maine, Governor Janet Mills vetoed a moratorium on a data center requiring over 20 megawatts.
Opposition is growing worldwide, including in Ireland, the Netherlands, Chile, and Brazil. In Germany, Edgeconnex abandoned plans for a gas power plant to power a data center after local opposition. AlgorithmWatch notes that many communities are not consulted, learning about projects only from local press. Brockovich's map aims to prevent this in the US.
Source: www.dw.com