Environment Variables The Week in Green Software: Thirsty AI
Dec 4, 2025
Valeria Salis, a software engineer and sustainability consultant, co-founded Green Software Italia to promote responsible tech and community climate action. She discusses the surprising water demands of AI and how data centers can impact local resources. Valeria shares insights on innovative solutions like underwater data centers and the importance of transparency in water use. Emphasizing the need for inclusivity in sustainability, she encourages wider engagement in greener technology practices to address the environmental challenges posed by the tech industry.
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Founding A Local Green Tech Community
- Valeria co-founded Green Software Italia after organizing Cloud Native Sustainability Week meetups and wanted year-round engagement.
- The community combines sustainability with inclusion and accessibility to broaden impact.
Ocean Data Centers Pose Hidden Risks
- Underwater, wind-powered data centers raise trade-offs between energy innovation and ocean ecosystem risk.
- Valeria warns we must evaluate long-term ecological consequences, not just novelty.
Water Is The Missing Metric In AI Growth
- Water usage is an underreported sustainability metric compared with carbon and energy.
- Valeria stresses limited freshwater supplies mean AI infrastructure can directly compete with residential and agricultural needs.