The environment has been one of the more tumultuous topics within politics under the second Trump administration. The encroachment of generative AI technologies within businesses and data centers in towns and cities across the country has left many worried about their impact on the environment and the health of citizens. For states like New Jersey, which is surrounded by water and a resource that data centers need, these issues could potentially change the quality of life for decades to come.
While most wouldn’t think of New Jersey when talking about environmentally rich ecosystems, New Jersey has its fair share of natural wonders. Most of its coast line are beaches, not to mention the Pine Barrens, which are the largest surviving forest on the Eastern Seaboard, according to the Pinelands Alliance. New Jersey is also home to many farmlands down south, hence it is often referred to as the Garden State.
Allowing data centers to take up shop within the state will not only skyrocket the prices of electricity bills, but also cause further pollution to the air, drinking water, and strain on infrastructure. The cost far outweighs any benefits these technologies bring to people, but oftentimes, people don’t realize the true danger of something until it’s already too late.
That is why people need to go out and see the nature that already exists within their home state for themselves. It will help build better connections to the land that you live in and make people more willing and eager to step up and protect it.
