UK Government Advises Deleting Old Emails and Pictures to Save Water Amid National Drought
The UK is currently facing severe drought conditions, prompting the government to declare a "nationally significant incident." Alongside practical water-saving measures, the government has issued advice that has raised eyebrows: citizens are encouraged to delete old emails and pictures because data centres require large amounts of water for cooling.
Questionable Advice on Data Deletion
On the surface, it may sound reasonable—data centres do consume a lot of water—but the suggested action of deleting personal data like emails and images is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on water consumption. Data storage itself doesn’t use much water. Instead, the water is mostly used in cooling systems, particularly evaporative cooling, which is more affected by computing intensity rather than sheer data volume.
Activities such as running complex AI models or heavy computations demand more cooling, hence more water. Simply deleting a few photos or emails won’t reduce this demand and may even cause more water usage if the deletion process triggers additional computing activity.
Furthermore, there’s no guarantee that the data is stored in UK-based data centres. It could be housed overseas, meaning any water savings or waste would affect other countries, not the UK.
Shifting Responsibility to Individuals
This advice fits a familiar pattern seen in many environmental campaigns—placing the burden on individuals while overlooking larger systemic factors. It echoes past experiences with recycling, where citizens were encouraged to separate waste carefully, yet much of it still ended up in landfills due to lack of processing infrastructure. Meanwhile, large-scale contributors to environmental degradation often receive less scrutiny.
In the case of data centres, the real water consumption issue lies with the technology infrastructure and operational choices, not the amount of stored data per se.
More Practical Water-Saving Tips
Thankfully, the UK government’s website also offers sensible advice for saving water. Drawing from experience in areas with water restrictions, practical steps include:
- Using rainwater for non-potable needs
- Fixing leaks promptly
- Reusing grey water where possible
- Being mindful of how taps are used daily
- Taking shorter showers
These actions have a direct and measurable effect on reducing water consumption and are more effective for citizens to focus on.
Balancing AI Ambitions with Resource Awareness
It’s worth noting the irony that the UK government is promoting AI technologies—many of which are intensive in both energy and water usage—while suggesting individuals delete data to save water. For government professionals involved in technology policy or infrastructure, this highlights the need for clear communication and balanced strategies that consider both technological advancement and environmental impact.
For those interested in deepening their understanding of AI technology in a practical, job-focused way, resources like Complete AI Training’s courses by job role offer targeted learning paths.
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