Wait, is My ChatGPT Prompt Causing Asthma and Low Income Displacement?

 

In the age of AI in our everyday digital life, it’s very tempting to use AI from everyday tasks, revise your emails to check grammar, and be a companion to the most menial tasks like remembering to get laundry detergent.

Have you wondered every time you enter your prompt in Claude or ChatGPT, you’re increasing not only data center construction growth, but also the energy demand, resource impacts like water and soil, and displacement of rural low income communities to migrate to other places.

They’re better alternatives that can still be beneficial to the environment, help low income communities living near data centers not be displaced while still having the benefits of learning through AI.


The New Socioeconomic Segregation

According to the University of Alabama’s UAB Institute, often data center operators choose rural areas for establishing data centers, causing health issues and pushing low income families to relocate. For example, in rural towns like Bessemer, Alabama is primarily an African American community which already suffers the highest mortality rate from air pollution from the coal mining industry. Now their health is more at risk from the diesel backup generators toxic fumes data centers produce. Diesel generators can release 200 to 600 more nitrous oxides than a natural plant creating these low income communities to suffer from asthma and other respiratory issues.

This is not considering the energy impacts which according to the UAB Institute, the pressure on data centers on our local energy grids cause long lasting energy blackouts, and cost added resident’s energy bills which low income families can’t afford.


Limit Your Digital Footprint

Seriously, it’s really hard but it can be done! Before I get vilified for asking you to not use AI photo editing filters to post your latest family member’s birthday on Instagram, or not look for book recommendations online, remember the disfranchised communities that are being displaced every day, and the public health impact of these communities.

Physical connections such as joining a knitting or sports social group, going to the library to look for book recommendations or simply putting a timer at work on how much technical research is done, and also relying on books about the subject can go a long way.


Demand Data Center Companies to Use Renewable Energy and Data Center Stipend for Low Income Communities

Even with data centers' moratoriums across the country, the AI market is not leaving anytime soon.
Pressuring data center companies to use renewable sources of energies can perhaps alleviate public health issues such as toxic fumes, dirty water and other environmental concerns. Also, the displacement of low income communities can be reduced for data center companies paying the communities a monthly or yearly fee to all citizens of the data center community, or investing in their communities public school. A monthly or yearly stipend can help low income families affected by the emergence of a data center in their communities to not be displaced.

 
My challenge to you: Whenever you’re tempted to post something on social media or looking for
non-essential recommendations online, use your local library resources instead.
Although it might seem counterintuitive or more time consuming physically driving, or walking there, your local library has many resources that you may not find online and even join community cooking workshops where you can build new connections. Also in the process, you’re helping rural disfranchised communities not get removed from their communities and protecting the healthcare of those communities.

Sources & Learn More

If you’re interested in learning more about data center’s environmental impact, renewable tools for data centers and how to reduce your AI digital footprint, check these articles below.

UAB Institute/ University of Alabama- Construction and Consequences: The Human Impacts of
Artificial Data Centers
David Suzuki Foundation - How to Reduce Your Digital Carbon Footprint
The Tech Policy Press- -What to Do About the Glut of Data Centers
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences- A Sustainable Future for Data Centers
International Energy Agency- Energy Supply for AI

                                               

What Happens to Our Old Sneakers?

Think about how many pairs of sneakers you have owned over the years. Maybe you outgrew them, wore them until they fell apart, or replaced them because a newer pair caught your attention. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to those shoes after you get rid of them?

For many people, throwing away old shoes is the easiest option. However, footwear waste is an issue worth paying more attention to, and there are better alternatives we can consider.

The Problem With Throwing Shoes Away

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 13 million tons of clothing and footwear entered the U.S. municipal waste stream in 2018. Of that amount, roughly 9.07 million tons ended up in landfills. These figures include both clothing and footwear, showing just how much material we discard instead of recovering.

Shoes can be especially challenging to recycle because they may combine rubber, foam, fabric, leather, and different types of plastic. These materials are often difficult to separate, which means recycling an old pair of sneakers is not as simple as putting a cardboard box in a recycling bin.

The good news is that throwing shoes away does not have to be our only option.

Give Your Old Sneakers Another Chance

Before throwing away your next pair of sneakers, consider whether someone else could use them or whether a recycling program accepts them.

If your shoes are still wearable, donating them can help extend their useful life. If they are too worn to donate, certain footwear recycling programs may be able to recover materials for other uses.

For example, Nike offers recycling and donation options at participating stores. Eligible athletic shoes may be donated through nonprofit partners or directed toward recycling, depending on their condition. You can learn more through Nike's Recycling + Donation page.

Not every store accepts every type of shoe, so check the program's requirements before making a trip.

Make Your Next Pair Count

We do not have to be perfect to make more responsible choices. We can start by taking better care of the shoes we already own, donating wearable pairs, and researching appropriate recycling options when our shoes reach the end of their useful lives.

The next time you clean out your closet, do not automatically throw your old sneakers in the trash. Take a moment to look for another option.

My challenge to you: Before you get rid of your next pair of sneakers, find a donation or recycling program that accepts them. Start by exploring Nike's recycling and donation options and see whether a participating location near you can help.

A small change in what we do with our old shoes can be a step toward reducing waste.

Sources & Learn More

Want to learn more about footwear waste and what you can do with your old sneakers? Check out these resources to explore the issue, learn about sustainability efforts, and find ways to give your shoes another life.

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Clothing and Footwear Waste Data — Explore data on clothing and footwear waste, recycling, and landfilling in the United States.

• GotSneakers: Individual Sneaker Recycling Program — Find out how to participate in sneaker recycling and review the program's eligibility and payment requirements.

• Nike: Sustainability — Learn about Nike's sustainability priorities and efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
• Adidas: Sustainability - Learn about the Adidas sustainability priorities and efforts to reduce its environmental impact. 
• Under Armour : Sustainability - Learn about the Under Armour sustainability priorities and efforts to reduce its environmental impact.
• ON - Sustainability - Learn about the ON sustainability priorities and efforts to reduce its environmental impact.

• Nike: How to Get Rid of Old Shoes Sustainably — Learn how to reuse, donate, and recycle old shoes, including how to check whether a participating Nike store near you offers shoe recycling.

Security That Prioritizes Community

 

Are you a Portland business that has supportive ties to the neighborhood? What if I were to tell you that you can protect your assets while offering a service to the public at the same time? Well, look no further. Echelon Security Inc. is the partner you are looking for. 

Our houseless population is very much part of our society, and everyone in it deserves a humble and respectful interaction. Echelon does just that; they have a major relationship to the vulnerable individuals around in Portland. They get to know them by name, and for a good reason. 

Echelon delivers an unparalleled experience in preparation for the necessary duties, offering an understanding and reasonable strategy for our local area, and making respectful de-escalation practice a standard. Echelon brings back humanity to compassionate methods for those on the street, simply surviving. They employ a boots-on-the-ground tactic, establishing relationships and helping those struggling transition to programs that address their requirements: food, clothing, shelter, resources, assistance programs, and any other aspect they require help with. They facilitate connections to support systems that will help them obtain what is necessary, all the way up to getting back into housing and the workforce to repair their lives. 

They go above and beyond the standard expectation of safety services, and one step further, they rewrite the book on what it means to ensure protection for their fellow citizens. Echelon proudly displays how it is not just a win for the clients, but the public, the security firm, and anyone they interact with. For them, the job isn't done until their neighbors are served. If you need to entrust a protective service company that will provide an unparalleled experience and community standards that lift people up, click here for more information  

WALK WITH A PORTLAND SECURITY GUARD: DOWNTOWN POV

They’ve Got the Power!

 

In a houseless community, one of the biggest and most prominent concerns is not what you may think. Imagine not only hitting a point where you are unable to financially hold yourself, but also being unable to communicate to anyone: cannot get a hold of loved ones, cannot receive phone calls, texts, or emails on work opportunities, assistance programs, or medical evaluations. This is the new concern with our generation in a technology boom, everything going digital, and no means to keep a phone simply charged for such avenues that can potentially turn your life around.


This is the reality surrounding most of the houseless community. Stuck in an ocean without a life preserver, in today’s day and age, digital communication is of utmost importance. So what can we do to offset this growing concern? Luckily, there are a couple of resources that will help with this and our community, while we wait for more permanent solutions.


Meet the Power Bank Project. They can accept donations and help the Portland Metro area stay connected during difficult times. They take donations to purchase power banks that then get distributed to the area. The power banks they supply are specific to iPhone or Android models, as they have a fixed cable attached to them.

Secondly, enter Pear Mentor. Pear Mentor is a location on 6th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. They take a large variety of things for those needing assistance, such as clothing, gift cards, toiletries, and in the large list, are also power banks to stay connected. This place will take donations in the physical form, and they have an approved list of items to donate that is a bit more exhaustive.

Looking to help your community? Below are the links for the mentioned groups.

For information on the Power Bank Project, click here. 

For information on Pear Mentor, click here.

Your very livelihood depends on it!

 

When You Don't Have an ID, You Don't Exist

Most of us carry an ID every day without really thinking about it. It is just something in our wallet that we rarely question. But for people experiencing homelessness, losing an ID can create serious problems that most of us never have to deal with. 

A photo ID is needed for many basic things in life. It is required to apply for jobs, open a back account, get housing, accessing healthcare and support services, and even using some food pantries. In some cases, it is also needed to buy certain over-the-counter medicines when some is sick and just trying to take care of their health. Without an ID, even basic needs and opportunities become harder to access. For example, someone might finally get a job interview, but can not finish the hiring process because they don't have identification. 

The problem is that people experiencing homelessness are more likely to lose their ID. When someone is moving around often, carrying all their belongings, or dealing with unsafe situations, important documents can easily get lost, stolen, or damaged. Even if they try to replace it, it is not easy. It can cost money, take time, and require other documents they may not have like SSN, address, etc. This makes it hard to start over.

Another issue is that many systems assume everyone already has an ID and stable housing.When someone doesn't, it can feel like they are being left out or ignored by the system just because they are HOMELESS. It is not just a card, it is something that affects access to opportunities and basic support. 

The next time you use your ID, think about how much it allows you to do without you even noticing. For someone experiencing homelessness, not having one can mean missing out on work, housing, food, healthcare, and even simple things like medicine. Something so small can have a big impact on someone's life.

Resources that can be helpful: the barriers people face when getting identification.

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105435

https://homelesslaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Photo-ID-Barriers-Faced-by-Homeless-Persons-2004.pdf

The Simplicity of a Free Ride

 

Getting from point A to point B is made simply by one thing. The fact that we all have a reliable mode of transportation. I know I would be lost without my car; how does a bus schedule even work, where do we even pay? I don’t even know where the closest bus stop to my house is. We are all much closer to being without a car than we think. Either we forget the car payment and get it repoed, or we get in an accident or need to perform an expensive repair. Not only does not having a car cut into our social lives but it makes it harder for us to go to work, doctors’ appointments, and just important things we have to do in a day. Losing the ability to get around in a timely manner is tuff.

                One of the first questions a job asks is, “do you have a reliable form of transportation”. Relying on someone else to get you around is never reliable, you can miss the bus, or it could be late, there might be a surcharge on the ride share apps making it unreasonable to book a ride. What I am proposing is to have companies or some sort of public funding for people who make minimum wage or less to have a free bus fare or ride share plan in play. I know cities already have a type of discounted faire on buses but sometimes it takes people hours just to take a bus from point A to point B. That is where the ride share comes in. companies should budget for a van to pick up all their carless employees to make sure they get to their shift at a timely manner.

                We have made it almost impossible to get around these cities without a car. With freeways, and unkept sidewalks getting in the way from walking or biking. This has made having a car less of a luxury and more of a necessity. There should be some kind of car insurance discount, and maintenance reimbursement for people who are under a certain tax bracket. A reliable form of transportation is the lifeline to a successful career and a steady flow of income. I have attached 2 websites that may help someone with their car issues.

 

https://freecharitycars.org/

https://www.portland.gov/transportation/wallet/access-all