EcoPrompt: A New Chrome Extension Measures the Environmental Cost of AI Queries

Developer ib2m has released EcoPrompt, a privacy-focused Chrome extension designed to make the physical and environmental impact of AI interactions visible. As developers increasingly rely on LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, the thermodynamic and compute costs—such as carbon emissions, water consumption for cooling, and energy usage—often remain hidden. EcoPrompt operates entirely client-side, ensuring zero telemetry and privacy by purging prompt data immediately after calculation. The extension provides real-time feedback on the environmental footprint and financial cost of each query through unobtrusive notifications. Built with vanilla JavaScript and under 150 KB, it includes features like custom daily budgets to encourage mindful prompt engineering. By quantifying the invisible resource consumption of generative AI, the tool aims to help developers balance their reliance on LLMs with environmental awareness. The extension is currently available for installation via the Chrome Web Store.