No AI Was Used To Write This Article
Each year, the 117 lowest-consumption countries each consume less electricity than ChatGPT. Just take a moment to let that set in.
There’s been a lot of chatter around AI, from fear of the bubble bursting to the risk of brain rot setting in from a constant stream of AI slop and sycophantic chat bot conversations. These are each very important discussions, but what scares me most, is how little focus has been given to the impact of ai usage on our existing climate emergency.
Did you know that globally, ChatGPT uses around 39.16 million gallons daily, that’s the equivalent of everyone in Taiwan flushing their toilet at once. Or over a year, that’s enough to fill Central Park Reservoir seven times. Asking ChatGPT to write a 100 word email, is equal to powering 14 LED light bulbs for an hour.
A conversation I had this week about ethical use of AI got me thinking - what could an eco-ethical usage framework look like? I’m not a sustainability expert but here’s my starter for 10 on how individuals and businesses can use AI through eco-conscious ways of working.
MY ECO-CONSCIOUS AI FRAMEWORK
1. Keep it Productive:
Restrict AI usage to productive tasks with clear business outcomes > reducing trivial usage
Cap the number of AI prompts any one user can make a day > encouraging efficient prompt engineering habits
Evaluate whether AI is really needed to expedite or enhance the work task, could the task be completed successfully and in a timely manner without AI?
2. Educated use:
Ensure all staff understand the environmental impact of AI usage in real terms
Provide effective ‘prompt engineering’ training - ensuring all staff have access to a framework outlining how to write effective and efficient AI prompts
3. Sustainable accountability:
Include AI usage within your broader business carbon footprint calculations
Commit to counteractions that may have a positive effect on the environment to offset your carbon footprint
To read more impact visualisation examples of ai usage, check out this article published by Business Energy UK on September 4th 2025. The impact facts in this blog are taken from this source, which used data from a research report originally published by The Washington Post.
