Resource-hungry data centres are costing the planet

There is much ado about the wondrous future offered by artificial intelligence – a mixture of great promise and wishful thinking. Coupled with AI is the exponential growth of data centres, with the associated impact on two precious and limited resources, electricity and water (“Data centres could strain grid”, December 2). The “cloud” is crammed with records of millions of inconsequential photographic moments and other nonsense. Why is this all being preserved for eternity? The tech companies like it – they can charge “rent” for space and harvest the data for commercial purposes. But if people stopped uploading to the cloud, the demand for resources would drop. Fewer uploads would equal fewer data centres. Fewer data centres would equal more electricity and water for us. Our growing use of limited resources is a very pressing problem, and nothing seems to be done to regulate or limit uploading. Graham Cochrane, Balmain

Richard Arndell advocates the use of “actual intelligence” instead of artificial intelligence (Letters, December 2). However, it’s clear that actual intelligence is subject to bias, prejudice, ill-informed decisions, ignorance, fantasy and lies. It also energy and resource-hungry. And now it seems bent on human and ecological destruction. Perhaps we should unplug it. Richard Abram, Bexley

Deepfake scourge

Of all the disturbing articles in the Herald in recent years, Tuesday’s report about deepfake abuse mainly aimed at women and girls is the worst (“Coralie fought to prevent deepfake abuse. Then the trolls came for her”, December 2). The harms the internet is doing to us have accelerated so fast that now women are threatened in their own homes, and we are virtually helpless to stop it. Recognising that this is a war we must win is more easily said than done, especially when AI is promoted as the potential saviour of our economy. E-safety commissioner Julie Inman Grant and independent senator David Pocock, with his “My Face, My Rights” bill, are working hard, but we must make our politicians see that this is an existential threat. We have few weapons apart from writing to them. Gary Barnes, Mosman

E-bike changes

I hear the NSW government is reducing the capacity of motorised bikes from 500 watts to 250 watts, limiting their speed to 30km/h (“E-bike rider killed in Sydney’s CBD”, December 2). This doesn’t address the problem of these vehicles on the footpath, where 30km/h is too fast. Applying for a car driver’s licence is a long process, taking years before attaining a full licence. These motorised bikes are being driven, often by children, by delivery drivers, often without helmets, on the footpaths and roads and without any driver training. I would like to know when the drivers or their parents will be made responsible and accountable for their actions. There needs to be registration, driver training, an age limit and insurance for these motor vehicles. Will the new regulations apply not only to the sale of these bikes, but to also to those already owned and being driven? Wendy Jarratt, Maroubra

Misguided youth

It is frightening to think that about one-third of Australian boys admire the self-professed misogynist influencer Andrew Tate, with his neo-Nazi connections (“Violence, racism and antisemitism – it all starts with women”, December 2). One has to wonder why young men are so easily influenced. While a non-believer myself, it occurs to me that the Christian message to “love thy neighbour as yourself”, as well as similar instructions in other religions, is not being replaced by any comparable non-religious philosophy.
Gillian Baldwin, Windradyne

Climate smokescreen

In responding to Peter Phizacklea’s scepticism about global warming (Letters, December 2), I was spoiled for choice when searching scientific websites to reference. Here is part of NASA’s entry: “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, composed of scientific experts from all over the world, concluded it is unequivocal that the increase of CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere over the industrial era is the result of human activities, and that human influence is the principal driver of many changes observed across the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere”. What Mr Phizacklea derides as “consensus-based modelling” is, in fact, painstaking, independent, highly skilled measurement, global observation and data analysis conducted over time. Lest you think these scientists are meddlesome or easily influenced, fossil fuel insiders themselves agreed with them half a century ago. Researchers at Harvard reported that in the late 1970s, ExxonMobil projected with great accuracy the impact of fossil fuels on climate – and the fossil fuel giants have been sowing doubts about the crisis ever since. Fiona Colin, Malvern East (Vic)

Tony Abbott famously called global warming “crap” in 2009. Since then, the likes of Matt Canavan, Barnaby Joyce, David Littleproud and Donald Trump have echoed that same line, relying on often unnamed “experts” who dispute the science of global warming. So, to avoid joining that fold, Peter Phizacklea may choose to identify just five “highly credible, peer-reviewed scientists who hold differing views”. Also, he needs to cite their peer-reviewed work upon which he makes his assumptions. Howard Charles, Glebe

Early learning

Lisa Valentin makes a good argument for encouraging the study of North Asian languages at university (“How do we compete with Beijing when so few of us can speak Chinese?” December 2), but I would go further and say that we should push languages in high school as well. The number of secondary school language students has been falling for decades. If you want more people to be fluent in a second language, make it compulsory for all year 7, 8, and 9 students. Many will continue until year 12 and will arrive at university already speaking their new language fairly well. Even if they drop it for Year 10, they’ll be able to pick it up later much more easily. The success of a multitude of apps shows that there is a genuine desire to learn new languages – we just need to tap into that desire and get people to move from phones to classrooms. Fraser Rew, Ashfield

Homes before subs

The first job for the new Defence Delivery Agency (“Government to scrap multiple Defence agencies to fight massive blowouts”, December 2) should be cancelling the nonsensical AUKUS deal and recommending that the project’s $368 billion cost be reallocated to the construction of public housing. That could deliver more than a million new dwellings. Modest rent paid by the occupants would then be treated as instalments towards eventual purchase. It defies rational thought that any government can ignore the immediate social benefits of such a scheme in favour of acquiring and maintaining a few submarines over the next 30 years. David Salter, Hunter’s Hill

Get smart on sharks

As Caitlin Fitzsimmons points out, the catch and tag data from the 305 SMART drumlines in NSW, available on the SharkSmart website, provide important information (“State’s $21m push to monitor sharks”, December 2). They show a remarkable reduction in the catch of target sharks off netted beaches between Wollongong and Newcastle. In 2023-24, just 28 of 284 white sharks caught on SMART drumlines were caught off netted beaches, despite 45 per cent of drumlines being set off netted beaches. For example, none were caught at Manly and one at Bondi, but 46 were caught off Forster, 51 off Yamba and 17 off Merimbula in a year. By using nets, we have simply moved the threat north and south of Sydney, as the fatality statistics confirm. Graeme Stewart, Avalon Beach

Can scientists explain in layman’s language why the three dangerous types of sharks are so important around here that they can’t be culled? If the earth is 70 per cent water, which is nearly all ocean, there’s plenty of space elsewhere for them to be apex predators rather than near our coast. The same is true of crocodiles up north. They’ve been allowed to proliferate to ridiculous levels. Why are crocs so important? One used to be able to swim in beautiful rivers and lagoons without a care for the most part. These shark and croc stories must surely have a negative effect on tourism. Tim Egan, Mosman

Might and spite

Letter writers’ warnings about a possible US invasion of Venezuela are right (Letters, December 2). At a cabinet meeting during Trump 1.0, during a discussion on Venezuela, Donald Trump suggested to senior advisers that America launch an invasion. Amid gulps from those present, a military aide came forward from the back row to discreetly tell Trump that he would be breaking international laws as it would be unprovoked, and other reasons. Trump went quiet on the topic, but he never forgets such things. Until now. He still thinks the Venezuelan government contributed to his election loss in 2020 by electronic means. With an aircraft carrier and other warships parked off the South American coast, as well as satellite and electronic surveillance overhead, the US seems primed for an invasion based on any excuse. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath

Quite apart from concerns about a “second strike” (“Trump, Congress scrutinise Hegseth over ‘narco-terrorist’ double strike”, December 2), under orders from President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the US military is killing crew members on boats in international waters for allegations of offences that have not been tested in court and which do not in any case invite the death penalty even in the USA. If the administration wants to protect the health and welfare of the American people, it would be better off focusing on trucks from Mexico and ships bringing sugar from Brazil. Brian Byrne, Armidale

Tariff-ying

As always, an astute analysis of the US economy by Stephen Bartholomeusz (“Trump’s magic pudding is an overbaked awful recipe”, December 2). Donald Trump’s tariff revenue is a small fraction of the interest bill on the ever-increasing, out-of-control US government debt. Never mind further tax cuts for the wealthy and promising “tariff dividends” to the gullible working class – Trump is destroying the part of the world’s financial system that’s based on the US dollar. Graeme Troy, Wagstaffe

DIY sewerage

Brad Elliott’s letter about his electricity bills got me thinking about my last water bill (Letters, December 2). Of the five itemised entries on the invoice, actual water usage, including sewer, was 30 per cent of the total. The vast majority of the account is for “services”. So, as with energy bills, lowering my water usage will make little difference to the total bill. While technology is relentlessly taking us onwards and upwards, is it back to water tanks and septic tanks in our backyards, alongside the solar panels? Helen Lewin, Tumbi Umbi

Across the seas

Don Mills’ tribute to the positive role migrants play in Australia strikes a personal chord (Letters, December 2). My three wonderful grandsons represent a microcosm of the migration history of Australia, being eighth generation Australian from Irish convict background, third generation from Finnish background and first generation from Chinese background. Their forebears contributed widely to our present society as pioneering farmers, Gallipoli veterans, business owners, teachers, doctors and medical researchers. I wonder about the consequences if migration had been halted at any stage in my grandsons’ history. Stephen Kirk, Blackbutt

Propensity for density

We need to beware of simplistic “one solution everywhere” policies when tackling the housing shortage. The proposals to allow unlimited and unplanned medium density or dual occupancy developments come with significant problems. The recent Grattan Report suggesting that property owners be freely allowed to build three-storey townhouses and apartments is one, as are suggestions to allow owners to subdivide (“How one New Zealand city could fix Australia’s house price crisis”, December 2). Increased population in areas that already have inadequate transport and infrastructure will only compound these problems. More buildings and their associated hard surfaces reduce tree cover and gardens, worsening the urban heat effect. Navigating our way through the maze of development challenges requires careful, nuanced strategies, not simplistic “one size fits all” ideas. Dick Clarke, Woolloomolloo

Oils ain’t oils

Alison Stewart’s letter about the disappearance of customer service (Letters, December 2) reminded me of the old days at petrol stations, where “Stanley” the driveway assistant would wipe our windscreen clean as a slate, check the water level, the battery and oil levels, plus pump up all our tyres. How times have changed. Tom Duley, Bronte

Soldiers in limbo

The Queensland Labor Party passed a resolution at its Brisbane conference to “ensure investigations and prosecutions (of Australian IDF members) are mandatory” if they were judged to have taken part in war crimes. Yet the Labor government is dragging its feet on the same subject. In 2020, the Brereton Report dealt with 39 allegations of war crimes committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan as far back as 2005. This has only led to one charge, as yet to be prosecuted. Some of the soldiers implicated will no doubt be found not guilty, or not be charged at all. Having these accusations hanging over the heads of the soldiers we sent to fight a “dirty” war, and their families, is unpardonably cruel. Tiit Tonuri, Cowra

Weeping, not for joy

“And unto us a child is born.” This week, Palestinian woman Tahani Abu Sahan gave birth in a notorious Israeli prison without medical help for herself or her baby. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of a different child in Palestine, perhaps it’s worth reflecting that if He were born today, would we all sit and watch Him starve to death? Shayne Chester, Waterloo

Say it again

On the topic of twisted English (Letters, December 2), let’s consider the word “ceremony”. At a recent event that I attended, not one of the speakers pronounced it correctly, preferring to say “ceremoany”? What’s next? Matrimoany? Judith Maynard, McMahon’s Point

I loved Peter Lino’s ledder. It nearly made me choke on my duna sammich. Denis Hannigan, Toowoon Bay

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