Hint: Probably Not the Companies Profiting From It

This is also an equity issue. A Virginia legislative analysis estimated that ratepayers in the state could be paying an additional $37.50 per month in electricity costs tied to nearby data center energy demand. The communities hosting this infrastructure are absorbing real financial costs while the economic gains go to tech companies and their shareholders.

According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey of over 5,000 U.S. adults, most people have no idea this is happening. When companies don't disclose their environmental impact, users can't make informed choices. You can't opt out of something you don't know you're funding.