Discussion
Not sure it could be more brutal, the direct erasure of the natural world for the proprietary and digital. Not to mention done by a corporation in service to a foreign superpower.
Apparently another 150,000 more trees were felled at their Otanmäki site. Both for AI data-centers.
The wood from neither site can be sold, as they were cut down illegally, and to rub it in, Google stripped the top soil of both sites. Totally denuded the land.
this is just faux outrage
far as I can tell, Finnish Industry cuts down 30 million trees a year, mostly for lumber
however, the topsoil removal might be bad, dunno
@JulianOliver These bloody things are just environmental vandalism writ large.
@JulianOliver
That's why they put 'don't be evil' aside.
They like to be evil
@JulianOliver Have a court sell the wood at auction and donate the proceeds to charity or something? No sense letting it go to waste.
We traditionally associate mining with such ecocidal environmental erasure, metals and minerals. And yet this is very much the site of a modern mine, one whose minerals are human culture, knowledge, creativity and desire.
@JulianOliver This is what happens when you put a few civil servants from a small municipality (Muhos has a population of about 9,000 people) up against a global multinational. They didn’t stand a chance against the pressure from both politicians and Google. The latest news about the case was that the Prime Minister’s Office tried to hide correspondence between Finnish Prime Minister Orpo and Google. It all reeks of corruption.
@JulianOliver but business as usual for #bigtech. First pull the trigger, if caught just say "oh no! We didn't know that, we're very sorry!"
There will be no legislation against these guys.
@JulianOliver tropical countries face environmental problems due to resource extraction, specifically mining. on the other hand, cold countries, such as the nordic and scandinavian nations, experience issues arising from data center construction
@JulianOliver fucking falls short of everything that's called for. Bury them under the wood they chopped and set it on fire.
I'm so out of touch on this one... Didn't Google _literally_ break the _law_?
@401matthall @JulianOliver What is this thing "law” you speak of?
I know, I know. Corruption is problem _everywhere_ but... I kinda thought the Finns had it together on this kind of stuff.
Like... Slap Google with the equivalent of eminent domain. Take the land back, fine the ever loving shit out of them and if they drag their feat or dissemble start seizing existing property to hold as a bond against the unpaid fine.
Like... Slap 'em.
...
Does this stuff not work? Am I a child?
@401matthall @moelassus I fear that what will likely eventuate is a run through the high court and a fine that, proportional to their net worth, will be the equivalent of a speeding ticket. I've little doubt they've already readied the cash, and lawyers.
To go on, devouring.
@401matthall @moelassus I fear that will likely happen is a run through the high court and a fine that, proportional to their net worth, will be the equivalent of a speeding ticket. I've little doubt they've already readied the cash, and lawyers.
To go on, devouring.
@JulianOliver wow, that makes me very angry with Google.
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@JulianOliver
But.
When they sold the ground to Google what did they think Google would do there? Plant flowers?
No, they knew Google builds datacenters and many trees have to be chopped down. They just thought they could regulate that a bit.
Well, it seems Google has calculated that it can shorten the process at an acceptable cost.