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‘Pure arrogance’: anger in Finland as Google illegally fells 250,000 trees for datacentre
The Guardian ^ | Oct 22, 2026 | Miranda Bryant

Posted on 10/23/2026 10:00:48 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com

Behind a wire fence lies a vast gaping wound of earth. Before Google’s arrival a few months ago, an estimated quarter of a million trees occupied the 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest near the town of Muhos in rural northern Finland. Now they are all gone.

After the tech company illegally stripped the entire area to build a datacentre – taking even the top soil with it – all that remains is a vast expanse of mud indented with the trail marks of machinery, puddles and mounds of earth, roots and branches. Residents say that brown water flowing off the site is going into a stream that feeds the Oulujoki River.

“It doesn’t end. It goes on and on,” says Mari Annala, an ecologist from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation(SLL), [SEE VIDEO BELOW]

With 145 new datacentres at various stages of planning, Finland has found itself at the forefront of the tech companies’ latest push. As well as its relative geopolitical and geological stability and abundance of land, the cool climate makes it especially attractive for saving on energy costs.

Earlier this month, Google was ordered by the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) to temporarily STOP work after it failed to complete the necessary environmental impact assessments before clearcutting the land. The news has prompted widespread outcry and a national reckoning over what role, if any, the country should play in the global rush to build datacentres to keep up with rapid AI development.

“Really, for Finland, there are no benefits,” he said. “They are international companies serving international customers. Very little corporate taxes go to Finland. Datacentres ultimately have very little benefit for others except the datacentre operator.”

With legislation still playing catchup, there is a rush to get projects under way as fast as possible.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: finland; liberaltruth

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VIDEO https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/10/16/Finnish_forest_cleared_for_data_centre_development--1c3e7792-e894-46ac-98a2-2a1fdd46e51e-2.0_720h_q8.mp4#t=0.001
1 posted on 10/23/2026 10:00:48 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
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To: All

VIDEO

https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/10/16/Finnish_forest_cleared_for_data_centre_development—1c3e7792-e894-46ac-98a2-2a1fdd46e51e-2.0_720h_q8.mp4#t=0.001


2 posted on 10/23/2026 10:01:56 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com (Please pray for God 's intervention to stop Putin's invasion of Ukraine 🇺🇸 )
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To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

That’s the answer to the question about why are the data centers annoyingly placed right next to family neighborhoods and schools instead of wilderness.

By the way, few mention in the cliche clips: residents complain about the increased water and the higher cost and the brownouts of power-—and the noise. The “noise” includes the low frequency sounds which are not being measured currently in the controversies.

These low frequency sounds cause physical and psychological problems and insomnia. Sometimes perceived by some humans more than others.

High pitched sounds bother the ears, cause irritability and
may be linked to various physical ailments. Before sound deadening ear protection was common, some factory and other workers were exposed to it. Now AI data centers produced these.


3 posted on 10/23/2026 10:07:31 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

Ok, Google, lecture us more about the environment.


4 posted on 10/23/2026 10:11:09 PM PDT by ArcadeQuarters (You can't remove RINOs by voting for them!)
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To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

Photo....

Courtesy of Ancient Aliens, a UFO image sent by space aliens.
“Our work is progressing nicely. First we clear the forests then we clear the land of humans.” 🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸


5 posted on 10/23/2026 10:11:26 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: ArcadeQuarters

The subtext is ——

now you did it, data centers, you’ve angered Greta.


6 posted on 10/23/2026 10:12:36 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

I think it is a valid criticism to ask why data centres are not being environmentally self-sufficient.

However, all this anger is going to lead to China having all the data centres and all of the information and they will track everyone of us.

At least, if we have them, we can control them.


7 posted on 10/23/2026 10:16:42 PM PDT by Jonty30 (Male simping and female promiscuity is the same thing. Resources without reciprocation.)
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To: ArcadeQuarters

Google is evil. Worst of the worst mega-data gathering whores.


8 posted on 10/23/2026 10:18:43 PM PDT by John Milner (Marching for Peace is like breathing for food.)
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To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

I hope that they’re going to at least mill the lumber.


9 posted on 10/23/2026 10:23:34 PM PDT by Nachoman (Proudly oppressing people of color since 1957.)
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To: Nachoman
> I hope that they’re going to at least mill the lumber.

Probably can't, because it was "cut illegally".

10 posted on 10/23/2026 10:36:18 PM PDT by dayglored (This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24)
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To: Jonty30
> ...all this anger is going to lead to China having all the data centres and all of the information and they will track everyone of us.

I'm in general pro-datacenter, for that among other reasons. If we want to continue to have an internet, there's no other choice. Destroy the single most important communication system on Earth at the same time you're being overrun by barbarians? Doesn't sound like a good plan. "Do you want the collapse of Western Civilization? Because that's how you get the collapse of Western Civilization."

> At least, if we have them, we can control them.

Insofar as anyone can control them.

11 posted on 10/23/2026 10:41:12 PM PDT by dayglored (This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24)
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To: John Milner
> Google is evil. Worst of the worst mega-data gathering whores.

Oh, I suspect China is doing more than Google. And Facebook/Meta is right up there too.

But in this case, Google really stepped in a big pile of poo.

12 posted on 10/23/2026 10:43:41 PM PDT by dayglored (This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24)
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