Best of Sustainability — 2025

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    Article
    Avatar of thevergeThe Verge·50w

    Sam Altman claims an average ChatGPT query uses ‘roughly one fifteenth of a teaspoon’ of water

    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claims that an average ChatGPT query consumes approximately 0.34 watt-hours of energy and 0.000085 gallons of water (roughly one-fifteenth of a teaspoon). These unsourced statistics were shared in a blog post about AI's future impact. The claims come amid growing scrutiny over AI's environmental costs, with researchers predicting AI could consume more power than Bitcoin mining by year-end. Previous studies have shown significant variation in AI energy consumption depending on data center location and specific use cases.

  2. 2
    Article
    Avatar of danielhaxxsedaniel.haxx.se·40w

    car brands running curl

    Curl now runs in cars from 47 major automotive brands including Tesla, BMW, Toyota, and Mercedes, representing several hundred million vehicles. Despite this widespread adoption in the automotive industry, none of these companies sponsor or financially support the curl project, highlighting challenges in open source sustainability where critical infrastructure is used freely without contributing back to its development.

  3. 3
    Article
    Avatar of mitMIT News·34w

    Concrete “battery” developed at MIT now packs 10 times the power

    MIT researchers have developed an improved concrete-based supercapacitor (ec³) that stores 10 times more energy than previous versions by optimizing electrolytes and manufacturing processes. The material combines cement, water, carbon black nanoparticles, and electrolytes to create a conductive network within concrete structures. A cubic meter can now store over 2 kilowatt-hours of energy, reducing the volume needed for household daily energy needs from 45 to 5 cubic meters. The technology could enable buildings, roads, and infrastructure to function as energy storage systems, supporting renewable energy adoption and potentially charging electric vehicles or powering off-grid homes.

  4. 4
    Article
    Avatar of shippingbytesshipping bytes·1y

    Stanford CS229 I Machine Learning I Building Large Language Models (LLMs)

    The post discusses the importance of learning about large language models (LLMs) and their impact on the environment. It highlights a Stanford CS229 presentation on YouTube that covers specialized training, transformation, and data quality in generative AI. The author emphasizes the ongoing effort to make these technologies more efficient and sustainable.

  5. 5
    Video
    Avatar of nickchapsasNick Chapsas·26w

    Another .NET Open-Source Project is Gone

    Nuke, a popular .NET CI/CD build automation tool with 3,500 GitHub stars and 26 million downloads, faced potential abandonment due to open-source sustainability issues. Creator Matias experienced burnout from maintaining the project without adequate community support or financial compensation. After community outcry and expressions of support, Matias released version 10.0 with critical updates including SLNX support and dependency updates. The situation highlights ongoing challenges in open-source sustainability, with suggestions that commercialization might be a viable path forward for maintaining such projects.

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    Article
    Avatar of thevergeThe Verge·1y

    Philips will let you fix your trimmer with 3D printable parts and accessories

    Philips has launched an initiative named 'Philips Fixables' which allows consumers to 3D print replacement parts for their personal health products, starting with an adjustable comb for the OneBlade trimmer. The initiative aims to encourage sustainability by enabling users to fix rather than replace their devices. The project is in collaboration with Prusa Research, ensuring quality and safety in the printed parts. Philips plans to expand the range of available 3D files but has only released one so far. Customers can also request specific parts though there are no guarantees or timelines provided.

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    Article
    Avatar of hnHacker News·1y

    Using ChatGPT is not bad for the environment

    The post argues that concerns about ChatGPT's environmental impact are exaggerated and distract from more significant climate issues. It states that while some claims about AI's emissions and water use are true, they represent a small fraction of overall internet-related activities. The author emphasizes focusing on systemic changes rather than individual actions and provides context by comparing AI usage to other activities like streaming services and driving. They also highlight the practical benefits of using large language models (LLMs) and caution against unnecessary alarm over their energy consumption.

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