City flora, yard art are not the antidote to data centers | Ammi Midstokke

In a reflective essay, Ammi Midstokke argues that decorative “city flora” and yard art don’t address the underlying pressure that data centers place on power and infrastructure. Writing after visiting a Midwest city and attending an outdoor-focused group, she describes navigating bike paths and seeing lakeshore trails that didn’t truly align with the lake. Along the way, she notes extensive yard signage—ranging from bird and water messages to one explicitly warning “water is for drinking - not cooling your data.” The piece contrasts curated greenery and community aesthetics with larger environmental concerns.