...wasting renewable energy power that could be replacing non-renewable energy for actually useful stuff, instead of wasting it doing "proof of work" calculatio

...wasting renewable energy power that could be replacing non-renewable energy for actually useful stuff, instead of wasting it doing "proof of work" calculations designed to perpetually increase in complexity. see "Niagara falls communities see factories paying more per kw/h due to crypto miners using up all the cheap electricity" types stories over the last 3-4 years. as a former afficionado, I can't see an ecological upside to crypto-currencies. (yet another coffin nail for us...)