Is AI Killing the Environment?

Andy Jordan is President of Roffensian Consulting S.A., a Roatan, Honduras-based management consulting firm with a comprehensive project management practice. Andy always appreciates feedback and discussion on the issues raised in his articles and can be reached at [email protected]. Andy's new book Risk Management for Project Driven Organizations is now available.

  Artificial Intelligence   Sustainability  

In recent years, the idea of sustainability has become a much bigger part of most of our personal lives. For many of us, recycling is just a natural part of life—sorting different materials into different categories and making sure that nothing goes into the garbage that doesn’t have to be there. For some, that now extends to composting for the garden, to buying products that contain recycled materials, and maybe even to driving hybrid or electric vehicles.

Part of that increased awareness around sustainability comes down to a greater understanding of the need to protect the future of the planet. But a lot of it comes down to the fact that sustainability is no longer a compromise. We’re not asked to accept lower quality—and/or more expensive—products when we seek out sustainable items. It’s no longer a significant effort to recycle items at home. The economic and practical considerations of electric versus gasoline vehicles are closer to a balance point than they were a few years ago. The list goes on. We are consciously trying to be environmentally aware.

But at a corporate level, that same level of commitment has always been rather inconsistent. Some organizations are committed to developing environmentally sensitive products using as low-impact methods as possible. Some encourage employees to embrace sustainable practices and to …

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