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Feb 2026: AI, tech, and its climate implications

Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.​

This week's module: CONNECT

• 🎯 CONNECT | Dream about a future where AI doesn't eat all our resources and actually we use technology for our purposes
• LEARN | What are some challenges and impacts of AI we need to get ahead of?
• ACT | How can we create an AI resilient future?
• REFLECT | Art, poetry, and commitments

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Here's what we'll learn today Reader

There are a million and one reasons to have a tenuous grip on reality, and I am STRUGGLING. I'm struggling with 🧊 raids in the United States, I'm struggling with continued g3nocidal occupation unfolding on social media that's being funded by my taxes, and I'm struggling with the small things like remembering to move my body every day.

On top of all that, I'm struggling with (and sick of hearing about!!) AI. Unfortunately, I'm not an "ignore the problem" type of person.

My reality feels intensely split by the "AI is the best thing ever!!!!" camp and the "AI sucks!" camp. And listen. I love camp! HOWEVER.

I don't think it's as simple as saying AI sucks (like maaaaany climate activists have said, including me lol) or AI rules.

Nuance is hard, but we must engage in it. Our future selves deserve it. So as much as I've been anxious and kind of a hater about AI, it's time for me to rise to the occasion, and I hope you will join me in:

• keeping an open mind and being honest about where we stand
• looking at facts vs. incendiary stats and memes designed to keep us doomscrolling
• taking action towards resilience and the "right" types of resistance (who knows what that means yet, but maybe we'll make some progress on figuring it out this month)

In our CONNECT module today, I'm encouraging each of us to have conversations with people around us to calibrate and gain collective clarity.

Next week, we will LEARN about some facts--some you may know and some that are likely new to you--about the threats of AI (yep that one's specifically focused on threats).

For our ACT week, we'll also be taking more of a resistance/reimagination lens, with the goal of orienting towards systems change on the root causes of the issues we're facing with AI (water shortages, literacy crises, mental health degradation, etc.)

For our REFLECT week, we'll think about what it means to be human and of this world.

It's a 🥵spicy 🌶️ topic this month. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts, agreements, and disagreements, and I'll try my best to respond. But also please be nice to me because I'm trying my best to figure this out alongside you thanks!!

Onward to our CONNECT questions ➡️ and thanks for being here with me Reader 💕

And just for fun, here are some pics from Soapbox Portland and Soapbox Seattle, including a cow.

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Your bite-sized action plan Reader

✅ CONNECT with these conversation prompts to reimagine a solarpunk world where technology works with us, for us, and towards a thriving planet

Every CONNECT module, you’ll get up to four prompts to connect with yourself, others, spirit, and systems.

Your mission is to take what’s in these Changeletters and bring it into one of those dimensions. Remember to talk about these so they don't die dead in your inbox or else they will be very sad.

There are a lot of reasons to be concerned about AI from a climate standpoint, from the water use of data centers to the way pollution from building technology has historically impacted communities of color. There are also a lot of reasons to be hopeful, and it can be difficult to gain clarity on this situation when we're being deluged by clickbait.

The goal of today's CONNECT module is to breathe in, breathe out, and take some time to get your mind right (along with others!!) and talk. Be open to new ideas; be open to sharing your fears. That's where change begins. My personal reflections are at the end!

• Connect with self and systems: What even is technology? Is it a social construct or can we pin it down? How does YOUR relationship with technology, whatever you consider that to be, shape your behavior? How has this changed over your lifetime?​
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• Connect with self: What is top of mind for you as you think about the way AI is integrating (infiltrating?) into our lives? What are your hopes, fears, and questions?
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• Connect with systems and others: What are the choices we need to make to build the solarpunk future and not the dystopian one, when it comes to AI? What are the things we can still stop? What kinds of resilience must we build within each other?​
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• Connect with spirit: What is your role as a human who is part of the natural world, in shaping our future? How does this impact the way you think about technology?
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Personally, I am HELLA anxious about AI. I feel like none of this matters if we don't have water, and if we keep letting technofascists control our built environment + reality. Yesterday's conversation at Soapbox Portland helped me sit with my fears: our musical artist shared how, as a Black woman, AI has been an opportunity equalizer for her in ways that no other technology has, and she sees it as a tool for justice. I'm feeling more hopeful than I was a few days ago, and I'm also curious to talk to fellow values-aligned people on how we can reclaim technology as a tool, vs. as a ruler of our lives. So talk to humans! I hope you have good conversations. Next week, we'll get more into the facts of climate impacts of AI, including the emissions we don't see.

Team earth forever,

Nivi

Upcoming Soapbox events

We have WEEKLY events in Seattle AND in Portland! Both are on Tuesday evenings, same time, same place.
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​Our entire events calendar for ALL locations + virtual can be found here.