AI

May 7 2026

Project Teaser on CircuLogic – AI-Powered Environmental Auditing with Nitya Hapani

Nitya Hapani presents CircuLogic, an AI-driven platform designed to help businesses identify inefficiencies and transition toward more sustainable, circular processes. By modeling operations through an intuitive, block-based interface, the system analyzes waste, recommends improvements, and aligns solutions with local regulations. This approach addresses common barriers such as complexity, cost concerns, and outdated audits. Nitya Hapani’s work offers a practical, scalable tool that may interest leaders exploring sustainability and operational efficiency.

Watch the Project Teaser recording: https://youtu.be/NibL64k9zJE

March 9 2026

35 Years of Preserve Planet Earth with Al Skykes

Long before environmental action became a global Rotary priority, one club in Pennsylvania began with a simple recycling game. Thirty-five years later, their efforts have transformed parks, waterways, and city streets—one project at a time.

Introduction

In the late 1980s, recycling was still a new idea for many American communities. When Pennsylvania introduced a recycling mandate in 1988, residents were unsure what belonged in a recycling bin and what didn’t. Instead of waiting for answers, the Rotary Club of York stepped in.

What began as a small “Recycling Committee” soon grew into something much larger. Over the next three and a half decades, the club launched projects ranging from storm-drain protection and illegal dump cleanups to large-scale urban tree planting and lake restoration. The initiative eventually adopted the name Preserve Planet Earth, aligning with a broader environmental push across Rotary.

For longtime Rotarian Al Sykes, who has been part of the club for more than 40 years, the experience shows what sustained local action can accomplish. “When I sat down to put it on paper,” he recalled, “it was like—wow, we did a bunch of stuff.”

Today, the story of Preserve Planet Earth in York offers a powerful lesson: meaningful environmental change often begins with small, community-driven steps.

From Recycling Game to Community Movement Tumpa Mostafa

The club’s environmental work started with education.

When recycling laws took effect in Pennsylvania, many residents didn’t understand what could be recycled. Rotary volunteers created a hands-on activity called the “recycling game.” At community events and schools, children sorted items into two barrels—recyclable and non-recyclable—while learning the basics of waste management.

The effort quickly built awareness across York.

Soon after, Rotary International introduced the Preserve Planet Earth initiative in 1990. The York club adopted the name and expanded its ambitions. What started as recycling education became a long-term environmental program involving dozens of volunteers and multiple partners.

The early lesson was simple: education can spark lasting action.

Key Takeaways

York Rotary’s environmental work began with a simple recycling education program in 1988.
Volunteers installed pollution warnings on nearly 800 storm drains across the city.
The club has planted almost 1,000 trees to rebuild York’s urban tree canopy.
Community partnerships helped restore a damaged lake and revitalize public spaces.
Long-term environmental impact grows from consistent local action.

Protecting Waterways, One Storm Drain at a Time

One of the committee’s most visible early projects focused on protecting local waterways.

York sits just 10 miles from the Susquehanna River, and streams flowing through the city eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To help prevent pollution, Rotarians installed “No Dumping — Drains to River” markers on every storm drain in the city—nearly 800 in total.

The message reminded residents that anything entering those drains ultimately reaches the river.

The group also tackled illegal dump sites within city limits, organizing cleanups that restored neglected spaces. Some areas required repeated efforts, but over time the cleanups helped change behavior and prevent further dumping.

Small reminders—like a simple message on a storm drain—can make a big difference in public awareness.

Rebuilding the Urban Tree Canopy Tumpa Mostafa

Tree planting has become the centerpiece of the club’s environmental work.

York’s urban tree canopy had declined over time as aging trees died and were not replaced. The Rotary committee launched a project called “Restoring the Canopy in York City.”

The goal was straightforward: replant missing trees wherever possible.

Volunteers replaced dead trees, ground out stumps in empty sidewalk wells, and planted new trees throughout downtown neighborhoods. To date, the project has planted nearly 1,000 trees across the city.

Sykes believes tree planting is one of the most accessible environmental actions communities can take.

“I don’t think there are many things we as individuals—or as one club—can do that have a greater environmental impact than planting trees,” he said.

Beyond cooling streets and improving air quality, the trees also help restore neighborhood pride and create greener public spaces.

Restoring a Lake and Reviving a Community Space Tumpa Mostafa

Not all projects were small.

One of the committee’s largest efforts focused on Kiwanis Lake, a 100-acre lake in central York. Over time, the lake had deteriorated due to sediment buildup, water flow problems, and large populations of geese.

The situation worsened when a damaged dam caused flooding upstream during heavy rains.

Rotary volunteers partnered with engineers and community organizations to restore the site. The project included repairing the dam, dredging sediment from the lake bottom, and installing multiple aeration fountains to improve water quality.

The result transformed the lake back into a community destination. Families now fish there, and the surrounding park has become a place for recreation and environmental education.

It’s an example of how service clubs can step in when public resources are limited.

Innovating with Plastic and Battery Recycling

The committee has also explored emerging environmental solutions.

One initiative helped introduce a program that recycles all types of plastic, including bags and foam, which are often difficult to process. The plastics are melted down and converted into a durable additive used in concrete production.

The innovation replaces river sand—a resource increasingly in short supply—and keeps plastics out of landfills.

The club is also exploring lithium-ion battery recycling, working with partners and local waste authorities to establish safer collection systems.

Recent fires linked to improperly stored batteries have highlighted the importance of responsible recycling infrastructure. By coordinating with waste management agencies, the Rotary club hopes to help create safer disposal pathways.

About This Earth Talk

Speaker: Al Sykes
Al Sykes is a 40-year Rotarian and Past President of the Rotary Club of York, Pennsylvania. He chaired the club’s Preserve Planet Earth Committee for a decade and spent 30 years as an Area Manager at Packaging Corporation of America. He holds an MBA from York College and is an alumnus of Franklin & Marshall College.

Date Presented: March 5, 2026

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February 26 2026

AI and the Ethics of the Earth with Tumpa Mostafa

As artificial intelligence reshapes climate decision-making, the values embedded in its code may determine the future of our planet.

From wildfire prediction to flood mapping, AI is becoming a powerful climate tool. But if it is programmed only to protect profits and human convenience, it may deepen the ecological crisis it aims to solve.

Introduction

In 2026, the phrase “climate change” can feel almost too small. In Canada, temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average. Wildfires are no longer isolated events—they’re a season. Water insecurity affects the prairies and northern communities. Flood risks are increasing. These crises are interconnected, touching health, biodiversity, culture, and economic stability.

In response, governments and industries are turning to artificial intelligence (AI)—the most powerful analytical tool humanity has ever built. But writer and environmental advocate Tumpa Mostafa argues, before we hand over the keys to our planet, we must ask: What values are driving these systems?

AI doesn’t have values. It reflects the values we embed in it. Tumpa Mostafa

Her answer is both philosophical and practical: the future of AI must be ecocentric—grounded in the ethics of the Earth itself.

AI in a Warming Canada

Canada has emerged as a global AI leader, with research hubs in Montreal, Toronto, and Edmonton. AI systems are already:

Predicting wildfire ignition zones
Mapping flood risks
Tracking habitat loss
Optimizing power grids
Forecasting crop yields

These tools enable faster emergency responses and smarter planning. In many cases, they save lives.

Yet there is a paradox.

“We’re using a high-carbon tool to solve a carbon problem,” Mostafa explains. Training large AI models can consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. Data centers require constant cooling. The environmental footprint is real—and often hidden.

Key Takeaways

AI increasingly guides climate decisions, from wildfires to water monitoring.
Most AI systems prioritize human profit over ecological health.
Ecocentric ethics value ecosystems for their intrinsic worth.
AI reflects the values humans program into it.
A mindset shift can align technology with planetary boundaries.

Meanwhile, Canada’s proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act focuses primarily on economic growth and human safety. Those are important priorities, Mostafa acknowledges. But something is missing.

“The Earth is not a stakeholder in our AI policy,” she says. “That’s the glaring hole.”

The Anthropocentric Trap

Most AI systems today are built on an anthropocentric worldview—one that places human needs at the center.

Anthropocentrism sees nature primarily as a resource to manage for human benefit. In AI systems, this often translates into optimization for:

Efficiency
Profit
Cost reduction
Human comfort

If an AI is asked to maximize timber production, it may recommend clearing forests with ruthless efficiency. It will not automatically account for fungal networks in the soil or the migration of caribou—because those ecological relationships don’t show up on a financial balance sheet.

“We have taught this machine to see the world exactly as we have seen it in the past,” Mostafa says. “As something to be used.”

The danger? We risk reinforcing the same patterns that helped create the climate crisis in the first place.

The Ecocentric Flip

Ecocentrism offers a different lens.

Unlike anthropocentrism, ecocentrism recognizes that ecosystems—soil, water, forests, species, atmosphere—have intrinsic value. That means they matter not only because they serve human needs, but because they exist as part of a living whole.

We’re using a high-carbon tool to solve a carbon problem. Tumpa Mostafa

“A river is valuable not because it gives us electricity,” Mostafa says, “but because it is a river.”

Under an ecocentric framework, the question shifts from What’s good for people? to What’s good for the whole system?

Applied to AI, this shift could be transformative.

AI systems do not possess values. They reflect the values we embed in them. If we program them to prioritize ecological integrity—biodiversity, soil health, carbon sequestration—they will optimize accordingly.

“We are responsible for what values we embed in our AI systems,” Mostafa emphasizes.

What Would Ecocentric AI Look Like?

Imagine an AI system that measures success not just in dollars saved, but in biodiversity restored.

An AI that alerts a corporation not only when profits decline—but when the health of a local watershed drops by 1%.

An algorithm that must pass an ecological audit before being deployed by the government.

Mostafa proposes practical steps:

Mandate ecological metrics.
AI systems should report ecological return on investment, not just financial return.
Require transparency.
Companies should disclose the energy and water footprints of AI operations.
Embrace “slow AI.”
Rather than racing for market dominance, prioritize deliberate, ethical, sustainable development.

“Ecocentric AI is not about rejecting technology,” Mostafa says. “It’s about a mindset shift.”

Indigenous Knowledge as Guardrails

Ecocentrism is not new. Many Indigenous worldviews have long recognized humans as part of—not separate from—the Earth.

In Canada and globally, Indigenous communities have practiced forms of ecological stewardship for millennia. Traditional ecological knowledge emphasizes interdependence, reciprocity, and long-term balance.

The Earth must become a stakeholder in our AI systems. Tumpa Mostafa

Mostafa argues that this knowledge should serve as a guardrail for AI development.

“It’s long overdue for Indigenous communities to be meaningfully involved in climate planning,” she says. “It would only benefit the whole ecosystem.”

Bringing Indigenous perspectives into AI governance is not symbolic—it’s practical. These knowledge systems offer tested frameworks for living within ecological limits.

Two Possible Futures

Mostafa describes two diverging paths.

Path One: Anthropocentric AI

We use AI to squeeze more efficiency from an already stressed planet. Disaster prediction improves, but disasters intensify because root causes remain unaddressed.

Path Two: Ecocentric AI

We treat the Earth as the ultimate stakeholder. AI becomes a digital witness and partner in regeneration. It helps us live within planetary boundaries instead of engineering our way around them.

The choice is not technological—it is ethical.

And it is urgent.

Practical Takeaways & Implications

For Rotarians, nonprofit leaders, and professionals worldwide, the implications are tangible.

Ask value-based questions. When adopting AI tools, inquire about environmental footprint and design principles.
Support transparency initiatives. Advocate for disclosure of energy and water use.
Vote and lead thoughtfully. Encourage policymakers to integrate ecological metrics into AI regulation.
Choose aligned platforms. Seek technology providers committed to renewable energy and sustainability.
Keep humans in the loop. AI is powerful—but not infallible. Critical thinking remains essential.

Mostafa does not call for abandoning AI. She acknowledges it is already woven into daily life—from search engines to logistics systems.

Instead, she calls for collective responsibility.

“As Rotarians, we understand that service isn’t just a slogan,” she says. “It’s a commitment to the future.”

AI may be the most powerful tool humanity has created. The question is whether we will code it only for ourselves—or for the Earth.

About This Earth Talk

Speaker: Tumpa Mostafa
Writer and environmental advocate with a master’s degree in philosophy. She works at the International Institute for Sustainable Development and is active with ESRAG.

Date Presented: February 26, 2026

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