Capitalist System's Imperative for Moral Shopping
In a thought-provoking opinion piece by Spencer Caron '20, the author delves into the complexities of ethical consumption and the environmental consequences of frequent AI usage, using ChatGPT as a prime example.
The article highlights the significant carbon footprint, energy consumption, water usage, and electronic waste generated by AI systems. Each interaction with these tools produces a substantial amount of carbon emissions, and the collective impact of millions of daily interactions is concerning. The data centers supporting AI services consume vast amounts of energy, often powered by non-renewable sources, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
The environmental footprint of AI is further expanded by the water resources required for cooling systems and the potential electronic waste generated when hardware becomes obsolete. The initial training of large language models also requires enormous computational resources, resulting in emissions comparable to the lifetime of multiple cars.
However, the author acknowledges that the responsibility for ethical consumption should not solely be placed on the consumer. While consumers should strive to make more sustainable choices, they should not be absolved of blame either. The topic of equity muddies the argument, as areas with limited access to more sustainable options and lower prices may necessitate certain consumption habits.
The author encourages readers to adopt sustainable practices, such as using reusable items, thrifting instead of purchasing from fast-fashion retailers like Shein, and limiting the use of AI for ordinary tasks. The author also acknowledges their own unethical consumption habits, such as using a straw and purchasing items from Amazon, emphasizing that everyone has room for improvement.
Meanwhile, Holy Cross's Alternate College Theatre (ACT) is preparing to put on a show titled "At The Wedding" next week. The week of February 10-14, 2025, is Sexual Respect Week at the school, organised by the SGA Director of Sexual Respect and Awareness, Maggie Baum '25. This week celebrates healthy sexuality and its related topics, in partnership with the Office of Title IX & Equal Opportunity and the Relationship Peer Educators.
As for the increasing popularity of veganism, evidence abounds. The ubiquitous nature of products like almond milk and tofu is a testament to this shift. Newer and more experimental vegan foods are also gaining traction, signalling a change in consumer preferences.
Despite feelings of individual actions not making a difference in larger systemic issues, many people still participate in community service. This active engagement demonstrates that small, collective actions can lead to significant change.
[1] Strubell, E., & McCallum, A. (2019). Energy and Policy Considerations for Deep Learning in NLP. arXiv preprint arXiv:1909.05335. [2] Schwartz, J. (2021). The Carbon Footprint of AI. MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/04/15/1022811/the-carbon-footprint-of-ai/
- Spencer Caron '20's opinion piece emphasizes the environmental consequences of frequent AI usage, using ChatGPT as a prime example, providing insights from scholarly works such as [Strubell & McCallum, 2019] and [Schwartz, 2021].
- The environmental impact of AI is multifaceted, encompassing carbon footprint, energy consumption, water usage, and electronic waste, shedding light on the substantial carbon emissions produced by each interaction with AI tools.
- The author persuasively argues that the data centers supporting AI services devour massive amounts of energy, often relying on non-renewable sources, thus contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
- The constant water resources required for cooling systems in AI infrastructure and the potential electronic waste accumulation when hardware becomes outdated further expand the environmental footprint of AI.
- The significant emissions produced during the initial training of large language models, equating to the lifetime emissions of multiple cars, underscores the environmental impact of AI.
- While the author emphasizes the importance of sustainable practices, such as reducing AI usage for ordinary tasks, thrifting, and adopting a vegan lifestyle, they acknowledge that responsibility for ethical consumption is not solely the consumer's burden.
- In an effort to promote healthy sexuality and related topics, Holy Cross's Alternate College Theatre (ACT) is preparing to stage "At The Wedding," coinciding with Sexual Respect Week, organized by Maggie Baum '25.
- The increasing popularity of veganism, as evidenced by the widespread availability of plant-based alternatives like almond milk and tofu, suggests a shift in consumer preferences towards sustainable practices, aligning with personal growth and education-and-self-development goals.
