A student research team at the University of Mary Washington wanted to find out whether these agreements exist and if so, how prevalent they are. “We had become aware of how data center developers have been using NDAs in Prince William County and so we wanted to learn how broadly or whether or not they are being used here in our region as well,” said Eric Bonds, professor of sociology and anthropology at UMW, who advised the research team.

Eric Bonds, a sociology professor at the University of Mary Washington, and his students Viktor Newby and Victoria Gallaway noticed localities in the state approving data centers, which are the warehouses storing the internet’s processors proliferating with skyrocketing energy and water needs.

Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds penned a recent opinion piece titled “Fredericksburg Can Find Another Way on Data Centers,” published in the FXBG Advance. In the piece, Bonds discusses the concept of climate denialism and Fredericksburg City Council’s entertainment of a proposal to use $200,000 of city funds to conduct a preliminary study in order to attract climate-harming data centers to our community. Read the column.

Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds co-wrote an opinion piece for the FXBG Advance titled “Fredericksburg’s Climate Commitment Is Too Important to Miss.” The article begins: In 2019, the City of Fredericksburg made a pledge to its residents that it would power all municipal operations—city works, parks and recreation, schools, and (where possible) police and emergency response—with 100% renewable energy by 2035. Read more.

Associate Professor of Sociology Eric Bonds contributed to an article titled “Can ‘Blue Zones’ be a solution to environmental injustice?” in Environmental Health News.“When we say environmental racism people think about Hurricane Katrina or Cancer Alley in Louisiana,” Bonds told EHN. “However, environmental injustice and racism is all around us.” Read more.