Wait what!? fuel using algae?

Some of the photos in that article looked pretty acience fictiony

You'd be surprised how some people behave towards our wildlife if their precious garden is 'disturbed' by our native animals. This is more so the case in the outer suburbs and regional areas. Another show of stupidity is cutting down mature trees and understorey native vegetation on their properties, leaving little shelter and food sources and so displacing and/or starving animals.

What sort of cooked article is this? Putting "common" pests to the test.. talks about fruit bats, spiders, possums.. how are these common pests? Perhaps snails, slugs, slaters, earwigs could be classified as slightly more common...

Australia looks better without a brazilian! 😜

Education, education, education and some compromise.

they need depth, shade, layers, the kind of bush you can actually disappear into.

Problem is, this is in direct opposition to the back burning practices of firefighters. For depth in bush, especially that depth in corridors through suburban or metropolitan areas, people need to know that this won't pose a higher fire danger. I'm not saying it will, thats the community perception that needs to be overcome. Back burning is considered an unalloyed 'good' by many.

The perceived 'messiness' of plant matter and 'insurance premium' and safety considerations of falling trees/branches are also factors that would need addressing for widespread community acceptance, let alone community support.

These qualms need answers. Because everybody says they want a lot of bush... just not in their backyard. Hmm

So what do you think we should do?

This is what the Climate Council think we need to do : https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CC-Report-Data-Centres.pdf

Datacentres just need regulations. 100% of power has to be solar , 100% of water use has to be a closed loop. The only reason why data centres waste so much is because we let them.

This sounds like personal experience. If it is, sorry to hear it. These stories have to come out though so that people are prepared to stand their ground or take some sort of action.

Australia is not at the stage of the US in terms of community action re the social license of data centres. At least, I haven't found such a community group. Imo we are more apathetic here unless we are being stoked up by fossil fuel interests. Anyway, aside from my narky opinion, thank you for your thoughtful response. I am no longer in the workforce so I am relieved to say this enormous issue does not affect me as it does those whose jobs may be on the line or who are obliged to work with AI whether they want to or not. But privacy and personal agency is at risk for all of us.

What I have found is a very recent report by the Climate Council, an independent Australian NGO. The report, CLOUDED FUTURE: MANAGING THE RISKS OF THE DATA CENTRE BOOM outlines clearly a lot of issues that governments need to consider and act on. You may be interested in looking at it in case it can provide any material that can help you in your own action: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CC-Report-Data-Centres.pdf

Any other actions I can take?

As with so many problems imposed by powerful groups, the effective actions we can take in response must also be group action.

Join Australian groups resisting the build of LLM data centres. Join groups pressuring Australian politicians to implement privacy laws (all LLM tech depends heavily on violating our privacy). Join groups in your professional field resisting LLMs in our workplaces. And so on.

Individual action is only a small effect, and tends to send no message (because you're effectively opting out of something, and to the extent you're successful, you're thereby not considered in any decision about you). Take positive action by joining groups that actively and loudly resist changes hostile to us.

Just hold off for a few years, keep it locked in committee. Likely the whole 'AI' bubble will pop, if not the tech will be less thirsty of power, and hence water by then. The IT industry cyclically tries to do the thin client / server thing (mainframes etc.), its never really stuck before.

Keep the BYO renewables stance and let them lose money (any potential profit will be from ignoring externalities, as usual), with luck local businesses will be able to pick up the stuff cents on the dollar.

The issue for many is that those that use AI will get work that comes out quick and, to the untrained eye, looks better. If you aren't using it then the girl that does gets the job/promotion before you do.

If they build their own solar for power and desal for water, then fine. Otherwise why would we want them and their associated problems.

Build them in some shit hole country like the USA where they dont care about people or the environment.

Another fun question to ask is what happens during dry periods when water restrictions are imposed? Who will go thirsty first, the oligarch's investment or the peasantry?

Totally agree. It really looks like people's values and our understanding of what's important to face the future have been dumped. It appears we want to destroy the natural world and many of us along with it. I am also so angry when I see what our children are already facing and what they'll have to deal with in the future.

in america, in the early 1900s a scientists found rare unusual plants that are usually endemic to tropical asia and south america, and its unheard of it in temperate america, but it went extinct(allegedly) when the habitat it was destroyed in chicago(calumut area). the closest relative apparently is temperate parts of japan.

This shit makes me so mad. My area is known for its leafy blocks and streets but because of proximity to CBD and prettiness it was voted up and now all the houses sold are being knocked down and mcmansions built. I'm not against the mcmansions if that what your heart wants but don't kill what few beautiful gums we have; there's a bunch of desert to the centre of the country, build them there.

I'd be quite happy with a koala habitat and no private school :)

Fuck private schools. They should be all banned or nationalised and turned into public schools. No private school deserves public funding. Fuck the rich.

We don't do second oder effects! Line must go up now!

But it does, if it keeps people healthy then they can better contribute to the economy.

This tree never contributes to GDP growth! Just another useless moocher!

Thanks to everyone. Great brains trust here and lots of experience. The overall understanding I've received is that container homes are not a great idea unless you have the right set of knowledge, skills and equipment (or people who can do the work for you professionally). And, the resulting space may not be great plus there can be additional structural problems down the track. So thank you again for all your comments. I've learnt a lot and the decision is clear for me now. A container home is not the ideal 'granny flat' for me.