Data Centers Sap the Environment

Despite having an image of being environmentally friendly, many tech companies waste large amounts of power and routinely violate clean-air regulations, according to a yearlong investigation by The New York Times. Digital warehouses that hold servers for online companies use more than 30 billion watts of electricity, and in some cases these centers waste up to 90 percent of the electricity they purchase. The Times also found that many of these companies use backup generators that rely on diesel fuel in case there is a power outage and are on California’s list of top diesel polluters.