Today, especially in the Mountain States and some of the Great Plains, there is massive alarm being broadcast by a wide range of people. One of the fears is that of mining: controversial for more than half a century: gold, rare earths, coal, even sand and gravel.
The other is much newer: a fear of data centers. Data centers are demanded, we are told, by the explosive growth of so-called AI. By the massive expansion of the internet.
Mining, we are told, destroys the land. It consumes massive amounts of water. millions of gallons of Diesel fuel are burned in the equipment. It destroys wildlife habitat, pollutes the waters of the US, drives away tourists, and more.
Data centers are equally bad. They consume gigawatts of electrical power, their demand driving up prices for electricity and even denying people adequate power for their homes. To produce that power requires mining and burning of coal, or drilling for and burning natural gas, all producing air pollution. They also consume millions of gallons of water for cooling. They occupy square miles of land.
There are many other evils associated with these operations. Thousands of postings, tens of thousands of words, are being written weekly in opposition to these things.
All of them, we are told, are the result of greedy corporations, lusting after the almighty (or not) dollar: they are the Robber Barons of the 19th Century, reborn and just as conniving, despicable, and corrupting. Virtually all of the postings also demand that government, and voters, do something to get rid of them: to prevent new ones and even close existing ones.
For the time being, let us set aside the pros and cons, and the validity of these claims about the evils of these two types of industry.
Rather, let us look briefly at what you and I, our friends and neighbors, our communities, can do about them.
It really is quite simple.
If you are concerned about limestone quarries, gypsum quarries, sand and gravel pits, you can take action immediately, together with your friends and neighbors.
1. Stop building new houses and new businesses.
2. Stop demanding cities and counties maintain streets and roads.
3. Stop these entities and private companies from constructing new streets, roads, utilities and buildings.
4. Stop businesses from expanding by refusing to purchase goods and services from them.
If you are concerned about data centers using water and electrical power and taking away farm and ranch land, you and your friends and neighbors can do this:
1. Stop using the internet, especially anything that uses AI, like search engines and social media.
2. Stop using your computer.
3. Demand that the businesses you do business with stop using internet, including email, online selling, and other ways of communicating except (maybe) US mail and telephone service. Refuse to do business with those that don’t meet your demands.
4. Tell your local government board to refuse to provide water taps to anyone – anyone at all – without an election to approve such things.
5. Tell your cooperative board (if you are served by an electric coop) to stop selling power to any business without a member’s vote at the annual meeting on each individual meter; if you are powered by Black Hills Energy, go buy at least one share on NYQ of Black Hills Corp ($76.07, last noted) and then tell the board of directors and management to do the same thing as the coop: refuse providing power to anyone – anyone at all – who wants to use the power for anything that is not approved individually by a majority of shares voted at the annual meeting.
6. Tell city councils, county commissions, and the legislature and PUC that you are hereby revoking any power they think they have to regulate power without a majority (or even better, unanimous) vote of approval for each individual, specific action and service.
See how simple it is? Just stop consuming the things that these evil enterprises are providing and supporting. “Just say no!”
Simple – not easy.
Remember when you call companies greedy, they are only doing what they identify as necessary to provide what their customers demand, and (they hope) make a living (including a profit) for their workers, managers, and owners – which includes paying all the federal, state, tribal, and local taxes.
Who are their customers? Why, look in the mirror, people!!!
Oh, and pray, pray, pray, that you do not succeed in your efforts to shut these things down.
The Price of Liberty 
Just say no?
Today, especially in the Mountain States and some of the Great Plains, there is massive alarm being broadcast by a wide range of people. One of the fears is that of mining: controversial for more than half a century: gold, rare earths, coal, even sand and gravel.
The other is much newer: a fear of data centers. Data centers are demanded, we are told, by the explosive growth of so-called AI. By the massive expansion of the internet.
Mining, we are told, destroys the land. It consumes massive amounts of water. millions of gallons of Diesel fuel are burned in the equipment. It destroys wildlife habitat, pollutes the waters of the US, drives away tourists, and more.
Data centers are equally bad. They consume gigawatts of electrical power, their demand driving up prices for electricity and even denying people adequate power for their homes. To produce that power requires mining and burning of coal, or drilling for and burning natural gas, all producing air pollution. They also consume millions of gallons of water for cooling. They occupy square miles of land.
There are many other evils associated with these operations. Thousands of postings, tens of thousands of words, are being written weekly in opposition to these things.
All of them, we are told, are the result of greedy corporations, lusting after the almighty (or not) dollar: they are the Robber Barons of the 19th Century, reborn and just as conniving, despicable, and corrupting. Virtually all of the postings also demand that government, and voters, do something to get rid of them: to prevent new ones and even close existing ones.
For the time being, let us set aside the pros and cons, and the validity of these claims about the evils of these two types of industry.
Rather, let us look briefly at what you and I, our friends and neighbors, our communities, can do about them.
It really is quite simple.
If you are concerned about limestone quarries, gypsum quarries, sand and gravel pits, you can take action immediately, together with your friends and neighbors.
1. Stop building new houses and new businesses.
2. Stop demanding cities and counties maintain streets and roads.
3. Stop these entities and private companies from constructing new streets, roads, utilities and buildings.
4. Stop businesses from expanding by refusing to purchase goods and services from them.
If you are concerned about data centers using water and electrical power and taking away farm and ranch land, you and your friends and neighbors can do this:
1. Stop using the internet, especially anything that uses AI, like search engines and social media.
2. Stop using your computer.
3. Demand that the businesses you do business with stop using internet, including email, online selling, and other ways of communicating except (maybe) US mail and telephone service. Refuse to do business with those that don’t meet your demands.
4. Tell your local government board to refuse to provide water taps to anyone – anyone at all – without an election to approve such things.
5. Tell your cooperative board (if you are served by an electric coop) to stop selling power to any business without a member’s vote at the annual meeting on each individual meter; if you are powered by Black Hills Energy, go buy at least one share on NYQ of Black Hills Corp ($76.07, last noted) and then tell the board of directors and management to do the same thing as the coop: refuse providing power to anyone – anyone at all – who wants to use the power for anything that is not approved individually by a majority of shares voted at the annual meeting.
6. Tell city councils, county commissions, and the legislature and PUC that you are hereby revoking any power they think they have to regulate power without a majority (or even better, unanimous) vote of approval for each individual, specific action and service.
See how simple it is? Just stop consuming the things that these evil enterprises are providing and supporting. “Just say no!”
Simple – not easy.
Remember when you call companies greedy, they are only doing what they identify as necessary to provide what their customers demand, and (they hope) make a living (including a profit) for their workers, managers, and owners – which includes paying all the federal, state, tribal, and local taxes.
Who are their customers? Why, look in the mirror, people!!!
Oh, and pray, pray, pray, that you do not succeed in your efforts to shut these things down.
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.