Watts the Impact? A Panel Discussion on Data Centers
- Yvonne Malone
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Data centers are dominating our news headlines as AI use grows and communities across the country grapple with the potential impact to the local environment, energy demand and water use.
In a panel discussion co-hosted by local environmental advocacy groups Greener Grove, Go Green Glen Ellyn, and Go Green Villa Park, we learned more about data centers and what they are used for, the associated environmental impacts, how city planners and lawmakers are balancing demand with environmental impacts, and what residents should know.
Greener Grove member Chloe Pooler moderated the discussion and the Q&A that followed. Panelists included:
Maria Jose Iturbide-Chang, PhD, Director of Water Resources, Policy & Research, Alliance for the Great Lakes
Mohammadreza Heidari, PhD, Research Assistant Professor at Northwestern University’s Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy
Zoe Huspen, Carbon Free Buildings Coordinator, Citizens Utility Board (CUB)
Key Takeaways
Data centers are here to stay and their numbers are increasing as AI expands across industry sectors. We are also in a learning phase: the impacts on communities and the environment are still emerging and will likely evolve for years to come, and the technologies used in data centers are complex and also evolving.
• With the growth of data centers - both in the number and the sheer size - the message from environmental organizations, community members and others is shifting away from one of “don’t build it here” to, if we have to build it here, let’s build it responsibly. This theme was echoed by panelists in their responses throughout the evening.
• Getting educated about the issues, options, and impacts surrounding data centers by attending events like Watts the Impact, reading, etc. is important when a data center(s) is proposed for a community or surrounding area. In March, Maria mentioned, the Alliance for the Great Lakes will be releasing their Regional Playbook that will help communities ask the right questions and explain how to get organized prior to a data center coming to town.
• Community engagement is key, especially on a proactive basis. The expansion of data centers is happening so rapidly, local governments may not have resources readily available to thoroughly assess the impacts of their decision making. Community members may not have the answers but they can raise questions. For example, Mohammad provided an example of if a proposed data center claims to have 95% water recyclability, what is happening with the other 5%.
• Transparency around decision making and details about the specifics of a data center that is planned/under construction is also critical for residents to weigh in and not be caught off guard. For example, being clear about water consumption, energy usage and energy sources. This is especially critical when it comes to hyperscale data centers. Once built, requesting an annual report (or even more frequently) of resource consumption along with a table comparing consumption to comparable data centers.
• On a state and federal level, advocating for legislation that takes the burden of energy demand and rising electrical costs off the consumer and shifts it to the data centers. Under “Take Action” below, see the links about the Illinois POWER Act and the Federal Power for the People Act that Zoe mentioned during the discussion.
Watch the Video Recording
You can watch the entire panel discussion, including the Q&A on YouTube:
To focus on specific topics, please reference the video timestamp chart at the bottom of this article.
Take Action
As the panelists emphasized, deepening your knowledge about data centers, engaging in community discussions, and asking questions is key, especially as demand grows and new information about the environmental and health impacts emerges.
Immediate actions you can take, include:
• Help pass the Illinois POWER Act (Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers from Data Center Impacts). Zoe spoke about this act during the panel discussion (see 43:43 in the YouTube video).
•Learn more here.
•Urge your state legislators to pass the POWER Act via CUB’s Action Center page and clicking on the “Rein in Data Centers: Pass the Illinois POWER Act” box.
• Help pass the Power the Federal Power for the People Act. Zoe also spoke about this act (see 45:13 in the YouTube video).
•Urge your Federal representatives to pass the Federal Power for the People Act via CUB’s Action Center page and clicking on the “Rein in Data Centers: Pass the Federal Power for the People Act” box.
• Consider attending the Climate Lobby Day on April 8, 2026, in Springfield. This is an opportunity for activists to talk to their legislators about why you support pending legislation. Learn more and sign up to receive notifications of future lobby dates on the Illinois Environmental Council website.
• Visit the Alliance for the Great Lakes website and follow this organization on social media to stay informed and obtain the Regional Playbook slated to be available in March.
Follow these guidelines from Go Green Villa Park:
• Reduce digital clutter Delete unused files, photos, and emails, and unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read. Stored data requires energy around the clock.
• Stream more efficiently Lower video resolution when high definition isn’t necessary, and download frequently watched content instead of streaming repeatedly.
• Use AI tools thoughtfully AI queries require significantly more computing power than traditional searches, so using them intentionally can help reduce unnecessary energy demand.
• Support responsible practices Stay informed about local development and the environmental effects of data centers and encourage sustainable practices like renewable energy use and water conservation.
About the Program Co-Hosts
Go Green Glen Ellyn, Greener Grove, and Go Green Villa Park co-hosted this event. We all share a commitment to making our communities more sustainable, healthy, and beautiful, beginning with the actions and choices we take in our everyday lives. We accomplish this through advocacy, action, connection, and education, like co-hosting the Watts the Impact panel discussion!
As with most grassroots organizations, we are eager to roll up our sleeves and get things done to create a greener future in our communities. And, we are getting things done! Visit our websites to learn more about what we’ve accomplished, how to get involved, and subscribe to our e-newsletters (focused on education, action, and upcoming events):
Go Green Glen Ellyn - Founded in 2021, Go Green Glen Ellyn is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization dedicated to helping our village become greener and its citizens live more sustainably.
Go Green Villa Park - Founded in 2025, Go Green Villa Park’s mission is to make our hometown healthier and more sustainable, one small change and one shared project at a time.
Greener Grove - Founded in 2023 and a Go Green Illinois member, Greener Grove’s mission is to inspire and move the Downers Grove community toward a more environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly future through action, education and advocacy.
If you live further away, you can find a directory of other community-based environmental groups on the Go Green Illinois website.
Learn More - Additional Resources
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a non-partisan non-profit organization focused on protecting the Great Lakes.
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB), is a non-partisan advocate for utility customers in Illinois, provides a wealth of information on its website to help people better understand energy costs, converting to electric, and other topics. Several recent blog articles on data centers include:
CUB also publishes fact sheets on a variety of topics, including:
The Conservation Foundation recently published several resources on data centers:
•Sustainability Considerations for Proposed Data Centers, a framework to help individuals and local governments better understand their options to “lessen the environmental impact of data centers” and assess whether a data center makes sense for a particular community.
Video Timestamps
When watching the Watts the Impact panel discussion on YouTube, please use these video timestamps if you are short on time or want to focus on certain topics:
