The Internet’s Hot Take: Cooling Data, Boiling Water

Some nights, I lay awake haunted by a question: Do most people know the internet contributes to warming our waters? And if they did, would they pause before clicking “play” one more time, delete that old file, or skip that extra data upload? 

I ask because, as someone deeply driven by love for animals and the environment, this hidden ripple effect on our planet keeps tugging at my conscience. In today’s world, the internet feels invisible - something that exists in the “cloud” above us. But behind every Google search, every TikTok video, every AI prompt, there are massive physical infrastructures running 24/7 to make it all possible. These are called data centers, and they are water-thirsty giants. And because of them, our water, the very lifeline of life on Earth, is getting warmer.

How Does the Internet Warm Our Water?

To understand the issue, we first need to uncover what lies behind our seemingly limitless digital world. Every click, upload, or download requires computation, and computation requires cooling. Servers inside data centers generate immense heat, and to prevent breakdowns, they must be cooled constantly.

Here’s the alarming part: many of these centers rely on freshwater for cooling. Not seawater, not recycled wastewater, but freshwater - the same water humans, animals, and communities rely on it for survival. Based on an article published under the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, large data centers can consume up to five million gallons of freshwater a day, roughly equal to what a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people would need.

Think about that for a moment.

Each time we scroll aimlessly online or binge-watch shows, somewhere in the world, freshwater resources are being drained to keep data centers running. This is not just a resource issue. When the water used for cooling is released back into rivers, lakes, or even the ocean, it returns much warmer than before. This process is known as thermal pollution, and it carries devastating consequences for marine biodiversity and human life.

Who and What Are Harmed by Warming Waters?

Marine Biodiversity

The ocean may seem endless, but it is not immune. Many species - fish, corals, shellfish, plankton, live within delicate temperature thresholds. Even slight increases can cause thermal stress, leading to mass die-offs or forced species migration. One of the clearest indicators is coral bleaching. Corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with algae, which provide them with nutrients and vibrant colors. But when water becomes too warm, corals expel the algae. What remains is a ghostly white coral, fragile and starving. If the stress continues, corals die. The tragedy here is not just the loss of beauty but the collapse of entire reef ecosystems, home to a

quarter of all marine species.

Warmer water also means less oxygen. Oxygen dissolves less readily in higher temperatures, making it harder for fish and other marine organisms to breathe. Combined with the risk of harmful algal blooms which thrive in warm conditions, releasing toxins and blocking sunlight, marine ecosystems become fragile and unstable. The very foundation of the food web can unravel, starting with plankton and small fish, and rippling up to marine mammals and apex predators.

Humans

When the sea suffers, so do we. Fisheries are directly affected by fish migration, reduced breeding, and sudden die-offs. For communities dependent on fishing, this means lost livelihoods and heightened food insecurity. Seafood, a critical protein source for billions of people, becomes less reliable. Health risks also grow. Warmer waters encourage toxic algal blooms, such as red tide, which can contaminate seafood and lead to mass food poisoning. In some regions, bacteria like Vibrio linked to cholera-like illnesses, become more prevalent

as water temperatures rise.

The impacts extend further into coastal economies. Coral bleaching destroys tourism industries built around snorkelling, diving, and marine beauty. Coastal communities, already vulnerable to rising seas, face added risks from climate feedback loops. Warmer oceans fuel stronger storms and accelerate melting ice, amplifying the threats of flooding and displacement. In short: the rising temperature of water, partly driven by our digital habits, threatens both marine life and human well-being.

What Can We Do to Overcome This Matter?

It is easy to feel powerless in the face of such a global issue. After all, how can an individual’s internet habits possibly stand against the might of global data centers? Yet through my experience in the INCO Green Digital program, I realized that small, intentional steps can make a real difference. The program opened my eyes to the hidden environmental costs of our digital lives - how streaming in high definition, storing unnecessary files, or overusing cloud services all contribute to greater energy and water consumption. Learning practical tips, such as lowering video quality when not needed or cleaning up digital storage, gave me not only the awareness but also the confidence that individual actions matter. Each time we reduce unnecessary data demand, we ease the burden on servers, lowering the electricity needed and the freshwater drawn for cooling.

This awareness is not meant to stay personal. It is something that can ripple outward into our communities. As consumers, we have the power to push industries toward change by supporting companies that invest in renewable-powered data centers, closed-loop cooling systems, or water-positive operations. When more of us align our habits and choices with sustainability, the message becomes harder for industries to ignore. Just as I learned and began applying greener internet practices through the INCO program, others too can take part in similar initiatives or even start by sharing these insights with friends and family. It’s about turning awareness into collective action, where small digital choices, multiplied across communities, can lessen the strain on our planet’s waters and ecosystems.

A Personal Reflection

When I think of the internet, I often imagine how invisible it feels and how effortless it is to tap into a world of endless knowledge and entertainment. But behind that invisibility is a very real chain of impacts, stretching from freshwater sources to coral reefs, from fish populations to human health.

As someone who cares deeply about animals and the environment, it frightens me to know that something as routine as checking emails or using AI can be connected to the suffering of marine life. Yet, this is also why I feel the need to share this knowledge. Awareness is the first step toward change. We cannot deny that the internet is here to stay. It is a powerful tool that connects, educates, and inspires. But like all tools, it must be used with care. Just as we learned to recycle plastics or save electricity at home, we now need to learn digital responsibility -because it is cool to take care of the environment.

By, Nur Athirah Izzaty Binti Zulkefli