What’s on my mind? Rebuilding and doing better together

The ground shook. I grabbed hold of the wall. My eyes were wide open with fear.?

What was happening??

From the office window high above the street, I looked out to see another 30-storey building swaying back and forth, just like a Jenga build that had a cube pulled from its foundation. It was a 5.8-magnitude earthquake.?

I knew I needed to get away from the windows, but the view was so surreal that it was hard to look away. My manager pulled me to cover.?

That was the biggest earthquake I experienced during my time living in LA. It was while I was at the LA Times office working as an engineering consultant for Lucent Technologies. I was part of a team that had been tasked with architecting and building the Times' ATM and IP network which spanned the company's headquarters and local branch sites. I experienced quite a few earthquakes in the city, sometimes feeling tremors as I slept. It was a constant reminder that Mother Nature was with us.?

Despite these reminders, I loved my time in LA. I lived in Burbank, just outside the Warner Brothers Studios and would often see actors in the local grocery store. Weekends were brimming with activity, whether it was seeing the famous Tar Pits, visiting the Getty Museum or taking our bikes down to Venice Beach. I have especially fond memories of walking down Sunset Boulevard and watching some of the most beautiful sunsets as we ventured for dinner at one of the local restaurants.?

Even beyond Hollywood, LA was a magical place.?

Today, as I watch the news I am saddened to see the apocalyptic scene that shrouds the city. Earthquake or fire, disaster can leave many speechless. My heart goes out to the people that are affected, displaced and just at a loss as to what to do next.?

Having lived in LA, I know the city is resilient. The community has it in their power to rebuild. The character of the landscape, like the characters in the many incredible movies made there, will undoubtedly change, but the magic of LA will live on. It lies in the people that live there, and I know with time, they will see the sun set on Sunset Boulevard once again.?

It doesn't matter whether you see this event to have been the result of climate change; there is no denying that the world is heating up. We reached an alarming 1.8-degree increase for the first time over this last year. Scientists are warning that if we don't act now to get this under control, we will see more environmental instability which will manifest as extreme weather events.?

As AI continues to demand massive volumes of power, we have a responsibility to consider the cost of emerging technologies for not just our Profit & Loss (P&L), but for our planet. As an industry, we need to push further together. We can push our supply chains to operate more efficiently, we can use less code, we can look for ways to drive more compute with less power and space. As individuals, we can also be "extraordinary" in our everyday by making those small but impactful changes - removing paper towels, using reusable cups, detecting greenwashing and only engaging with businesses and programmes that really help to reduce carbon emissions and make the world a better place.?

Over the past five years, we have been committed to being extraordinary when it comes to helping protect our planet. We have changed our processes, removed tonnes of legacy equipment, and continue to drive our suppliers to make the changes that matter.?

As the political direction changes around the world, we will hold strong to our beliefs on diversity, equity and inclusion and the critical thought DE&I brings, as well as our commitment to climate.?

We have worked incredibly hard and made huge efforts to drive a more sustainable business, and as we watch the fires in LA, we are reminded of our ‘why’ - to ensure a sustainable future by bringing stability back to our planet.?