The episode is all about how we use stuff and how much we use. From growing almonds to cooling data centres to our global probably unsustainable use of sand.

Just a few of the resources used to make this podcast.

Australian social media ban for under 16s

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/04/social-media-ban-instagram-facebook-accounts-shutting-down-closing-teen-under-16-australia

Almonds production. https://www.almonds.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/Water_footprint_plus_almonds.pdf

2012 PNAS. The water footprint of humanity Arjen Y. Hoekstra and Mesfin M. Mekonnen www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1109936109

Water and Data centres

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63-the-current/clip/16163527-can-deleting-eails-help-save-water-drought

Data Centres AI Power and Water Usage (Goodyear Data Centre). https://andthewest.stanford.edu/2025/thirsty-for-power-and-water-ai-crunching-data-centers-sprout-across-the-west/

Really excellent explanation.https://theconversation.com/data-centers-consume-massive-amounts-of-water-companies-rarely-tell-the-public-exactly-how-much-262901#

MIT Technology Review - We did the math on AI's energy footprint. Here's the story you haven't heard.

ABC – Globally Sand is a problem. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-25/sand-mining-impacts-vietnam-bridges/104511578\

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/latenightlive/sand-shortage-daniel-franks/105918556

The intro and outro music is 'fantasy orchestra' available at https://freesound.org/