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halcyoncmdr

@ halcyoncmdr @lemmy.world

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3 yr. ago

  • AWS data centers' water use tied to spike in cancer and miscarriages in Oregon

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  • If only people actually read the ORIGINAL Rolling Stone article instead of just regurgitated secondary headlines for clicks.

    Because despite their own headline being similar, the actual article contents indicates that the cause is mostly from agriculture and drought. Measurements from the water leaving the datacenter are even lower than the measurements from some local wells a decade ago.

    Technically the headline is right, it's not a lie, there is a link between the datacenter and adverse health effects... but the context surrounding it is dramatically different than what they want you to assume.

  • AWS data centers' water use tied to spike in cancer and miscarriages in Oregon

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  • Cool, agreed. They don't pay nearly their fair share.

    Yet here they're being blamed for something that seems isn't their fault. They're not actively working to fix the issue, but considering they're a tiny fraction (looks like only ~0.1% impact in the overall area according to some articles) of the cause, the articles attacking them seen a bit ridiculous. Amazon needs to pay for the things they do. Blaming them for shit that isn't their fault just means losing credibility.

    The Amazon datacenter is concentrating the nitrates more in the water that they use, yes, that is the nature of how the water usage works and evaporates. But the nitrate concentration was already above Oregon state limits in 1992, and some wells in 2015 had ~20% higher readings than the water coming out of the datacenter now a decade after that. That certainly doesn't seem to correspond to the datacenter being the major contributor. And the original article says as much, saying it's primarily from agriculture and drought.

  • AWS data centers' water use tied to spike in cancer and miscarriages in Oregon

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  • I just want to point out... From the original Rolling Stone article:

    In 1992, DEQ measured an average nitrate concentration of 9.2 ppm across a cluster of wells pulling from the basin. By 2015, that average had risen 46 percent, to 15.3 ppm. For some wells, DEQ found nitrate levels nearly** as high as 73 ppm**, more than 10 times the state limit of 7 ppm.

    When that tainted water moves through the data centers to absorb heat from the server systems, some of the water is evaporated, but the nitrates remain, increasing the concentration. That means that when the polluted water has moved through the data centers and back into the wastewater system, it’s even more contaminated, sometimes averaging as high as 56 ppm, eight times Oregon’s safety limit.

    So the average back in 1992 was already above Oregon's safety limit, but barely below the national limit. The water coming out of the datacenter now is lower than some of the base levels detected in some wells back in 2015.

    Not saying Amazon isn't a part of it. But it certainly seems like they're not actually nearly as big a part as the article wants to make you believe. The Rolling Stone article is 90% about agriculture and drought adding to the increase in nitrate concentration, but that doesn't get clicks.

  • AWS data centers' water use tied to spike in cancer and miscarriages in Oregon

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  • Another related article said the Amazon portion is approximately 0.1% of the total nitrate increase.

    Theyre doing fuck all to make the issue worse. But they're the big bad datacenter, so they get the blame. Facts are inconvenient, make Amazon pay for the issue because Amazon bad.

  • AWS data centers' water use tied to spike in cancer and miscarriages in Oregon

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  • As the comments at the provided link point out... this is disingenuous... at best.

    The original Rolling Stone article this is based on... says the vast majority of the increase in nitrate levels is from expanding agriculture in the area.

    The massive inputs of fertilizer to grow crops and feed for the animals came at a price: the contamination of the Lower Umatilla Basin. In 1992, DEQ measured an average nitrate concentration of 9.2 ppm across a cluster of wells pulling from the basin. By 2015, that average had risen 46 percent, to 15.3 ppm. For some wells, DEQ found nitrate levels nearly as high as 73 ppm, more than 10 times the state limit of 7 ppm.

    And...

    As the underground aquifer became tainted with more nitrates, even the ostensibly clean water that the Port pulled from the aquifer’s deepest wells — which it used to service its large industrial customers like Amazon — became polluted. Soon, Amazon was using water to cool its data warehouses with nitrates as high as 13 ppm — above the federal and state limits.

    When that tainted water moves through the data centers to absorb heat from the server systems, some of the water is evaporated, but the nitrates remain, increasing the concentration. That means that when the polluted water has moved through the data centers and back into the wastewater system, it’s even more contaminated, sometimes averaging as high as 56 ppm, eight times Oregon’s safety limit.

    So Amazon isn't directly adding anything, the nitrates are more concentrated over time due to basic evaporation as the water is recycled through for a while before it is replaced.

    Amazon isn't the source of the contaminants.

    So yes, it is "tied" to the spike, because they are using already contaminated water from the area and evaporation exists. Everyone's water use is increasing this issue unless they're actively filtering nitrates, which no one does. Normally that would be handled at a municipal level, but these are mostly local wells where that's not part of the system. Amazon is just a big company, and uses a lot of water so it's footprint is larger. But a fraction of the water use overall, and definitely compared to the agriculture adding the nitrates in the first place.

  • i wonder if when AI bubble bursts the serverhalls will shut down and the financial dependency on fossil fuels will go past a tipping point

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  • Depends on what bursts the bubble. If it's the users realizing it isn't actually useful, and demand plummets, those datacenters will be a fire sale from companies collapsing, but operating the sites may not be anywhere near profitable anymore.

    Every one of these companies knows that LLMs aren't actually capable of what they're marketing and are hoping they can keep riding the edge until they either can do what they claim, or they can abandon ship. They're banking on company executives being idiots and prioritizing the possible cost savings of firing staff (a very safe bet) and end users not realizing the grift because of a lack of accurate info (also a pretty safe bet nowadays).

  • Russia accidentally destroys its only way of sending astronauts to space

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  • Russia has been pretty reliable for ISS transit ever since they launched the first module for it back in 1998. Despite political bluster, they've followed through when needed. Including after we unilaterally decided to decommission to Shuttle with no replacement, leaving Soyuz as the only crew transit option available at all.

  • France’s far-right leader hit by egg, days after flour attack

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  • Give it time. Its a slow recipe, but I trust the French to follow through if its a protest.

  • Americans no longer see four-year college degrees as worth the cost

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  • They're not. The cost skyrocketed as soon as student loans and grants meant a nearly nun limited supply of funds for Administration to legally grift.

  • Why do some Americans "feel ashamed" for being American even when it's not their fault?

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  • Oh look a Canadian that can't see their own descent into the far right fascist rabbit hole on the horizon. Somehow even watching the US, you seem to still be headed that direction as if it couldn't possibly happen in Canada. Because... reasons?

  • Why do some Americans "feel ashamed" for being American even when it's not their fault?

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  • We look like fucking morons on the world stage.

    The only sort of solace to this, is that many other countries are clearly following the same path, so its not something inherent to just the US. Idiots are everywhere, and they vote.

    Everyone is pointing to the US, but the same initial precursors are happening under their own nose.

  • This stupid system that everyone hates has been like this for decades

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  • But the concept itself? They're all for it

    Its exactly the same if you ask most conservatives about Obamacare versus the Affordable Care Act.

  • Stranger Things be damned! (I'll get to it, I swear)

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  • Unless it went viral at ANY point, then they'll milk it until it's emaciated. See: Stranger Things.

  • Air travel disrupted over Airbus A320 software switch

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  • Yeah, they already did that like they always do, when the solar storm was at its peak weeks ago.

    The normal mitigation for those events was not enough this time apparently. A plane was affected and had an in flight issue after the solar maximum was done and there shouldn't be issues from it.

    That's why this is such a big deal. This hasn't happened before on this scale. They're making sure that every plane that might have been affected by storm damage has known good software loaded now. That's why its not every A320, just the ones they've determined were potentially vulnerable. Most likely those actually flying around during the maximum time, with the Earth's magnetic field 30k feet less thick above them.

  • Air travel disrupted over Airbus A320 software switch

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  • None of the articles specify... my guess is yes. Because of how serious the issue is, and relatively easy it is to fix. Its only the remote areas that will take longer, and that's a small number of planes in the grand scheme.

  • NY City Council considers $100K annual pay hike for Mamdani

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  • To be fair... that's just Mamdani's... it's a lot less for the regular council members. Not sure how exactly it's structured since Mamdani's increase would definitely be more than 16%.

    A proposal filed this week by Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, a Queens Democrat, would boost council members’ annual pay by 16% from $148,500 to $172,500, the New York Post reported.If approved, the proposed pay hike would also apply to the new mayor, public advocate, comptroller and borough presidents. It would raise Mamdani's pay to nearly $350,000 from the current $258,000 with benefits.

    It looks to me a bit more like establishment Dems trying to lay a trap for a Democratic Socialist taking office. He approves it and seemingly immediately does the opposite of part of his election platform, improving affordability for average New Yorkers. Or he doesn't and there's immediate friction with basically every member of the council board that he needs to actually accomplish anything.

  • Air travel disrupted over Airbus A320 software switch

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  • That's exactly what they mean. The planes cant fly until the software ia reloaded onto them. For many, they are located at hubs and technicians can go through them overnight.

    But some of the planes are not located at hubs with full maintenance crews. Those planes will need more time to get taken care of.

  • NY City Council considers $100K annual pay hike for Mamdani

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  • I'm sure they think so. Its not just an increase for Mamdani, it is for all of City Council. Their last pay increase was 2016 according to the article.

    This of course is not a vacuum though, and I'm sure the rest of New York's average workers have gotten the hard end of a stick for the last decade as well.

  • US military carried out second strike killing survivors on a suspected drug boat that had already been attacked, sources say

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  • He's got a ways to go to catch Canada. I'm pretty sure half the things in there are because of the Canadians.

  • Trump Announces Pardon for Honduran Ex-President Convicted in Drug Case

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  • Of course, he was a head of state. He shouldn't have even been charged. Duh.

    I hope this strips off more MAGAts from the group.