Data Center developers like to tell us that developing data centers will boost Vermont's economy.
But is that really true?
Myth: Data centers introduce capital into struggling communities.
Fact: Data centers cause irreperable damage to communities through destruction of local water resources, rising energy costs and high levels of noise (up to 100 dB over a mile away from operation)1. This leads inevitably to locals leaving the community, and expansion of out-of-state companies and labor. In other words, we lose what makes our home our home.
Myth: Power infrastructure can scale with data centers, and benefit everyone.
Fact: Data Centers put far more stress on local power grids than they let on. Data centers can suddenly switch to on-site generator power, triggering huge unexpected surges of electricity to local communities2. These sudden bursts of electrical surge can lead to damage to appliances or even fires3.
Myth: Data centers increase the number of jobs in a region.
Fact: Even the largest data centers only create around 100 jobs4. Not only this, but the work is highly specialized, which invites out-of-state labor. Very few of us will be receiving these jobs, very little of this profit will return to Vermont.
Technology beyond the cloud.
San Francisco based corporations would like you to believe the only technology possible is through cloud computing - the kind of computing they own and control. But have you considered the possible ways that tech can exist in other ways?