AI & The Planet: Understanding AI's Energy Footprint

A free 30-minute online session for K-12 educators on the energy and water behind everyday AI, and how to bring that conversation into your classroom.
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October 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET, online

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Who this session is for

  • K-12 educators teaching environmental science, STEM, AI ethics, or digital citizenship
  • Teachers bringing sustainability and digital literacy into their curriculum
  • School and board leaders shaping AI policies or environmental programs
  • Computer science educators who want to address the environmental impact of computing

Save your spot

Portrait of Indra Kubicek, CEO of Digital Moment

Date: Monday, October 26, 2026

Time: 12:00 to 12:30 PM ET

Location: Online. The link will be shared after you register.

Register

What we'll cover

Spotting Invisible AI

A quick look at where AI is at work in everyday life, from traffic management to music recommendations.

Which Uses More?

Compare the energy and water footprint of streaming video, web searches, and generating AI text and video.

AI for Sustainability

See how AI is being applied to climate solutions, from smart agriculture to energy grid management.

What you'll walk away with

You'll be able to:

  • Identify where AI shows up in everyday digital tools and public infrastructure
  • Compare the energy and water use of common AI and digital tasks
  • Use the “What Uses More”? activity to start a conversation about digital sustainability with your students

You'll also receive:

  • The session slides
  • Access to the “What Uses More”? tool
  • Information on bringing the Digital2030 Challenge to your students

Why it matters? The hidden costs, and real potential, of everyday AI

Students search, stream, and generate AI content every day, often without knowing what it takes to power it. This 30-minute session takes a quick, honest look at how AI systems use energy and water, from a simple web search to a generated video. It also looks at where AI can support more sustainable solutions in areas like agriculture, energy grids, and transportation.

Inspired by the Digital2030 Challenge and led by Jérémy Martineau, Digital Moment's Education Facilitator and Community Developer, the session fits into your lunch break and leaves you with an activity you can bring straight into your classroom. Digital Moment is a national charity that has engaged young people across Canada over 1 million times through digital and AI literacy programs.

This session is delivered in English.

Event details

Portrait of Indra Kubicek, CEO of Digital Moment

Date: Monday, October 26, 2026

Time: 12:00 to 12:30 PM ET

Location: Online. The link will be shared after you register.

Register

Can't make it?

Book a one-on-one session with our Program and Training Manager, German Arcila at garcila@digitalmoment.org.

Take it further with the Digital2030 Challenge

This year's Challenge invites youth to tackle a real global issue with digital skills. It's free, bilingual, and works in class or at home.

Discover the Challenge