4 ms·

Even if it 75% is renewable, it's not enough - the numbers to run the Bitcoin block chain vary from "a few big nuclear power plants" to "a small to medium-sized

Even if it 75% is renewable, it's not enough - the numbers to run the Bitcoin block chain vary from "a few big nuclear power plants" to "a small to medium-sized country", but regardless, the hit is massive. If we have to burn our resources and cause the resulting pollution, at least let it be as a result of something productive.

trident5000 6y ago
Ill never stop laughing at the virtue signaling. Stop rendering videos if you want to save the planet.
- PascLeRasc 6y ago
  Many of us are already taking steps to reduce our energy use like driving as little as possible, eating less meat, consuming less. It’s not a joke.
  - trident5000 6y ago
    Sounds pretty dumb. The answer is make a lot more energy through sustainable methods rather than band aid solutions. The global population is declining aside from a few undeveloped countries. You can calm down.
    - arghwhat 6y ago
      Your attitude, specifically, is a huge reason of why we're as screwed as we are. You can waste energy after we have renewable energy. That we will have renewable energy later doesn't change that we don't have it now. There's a difference between putting on a bandaid and actively pouring acid in the wound. This is the latter.
rektide 6y ago
Also, building & maintaining power generation is not free. Building solar panels, dams, wind has environmental impact, sizable material & energy inputs. And these generation systems only have a finite lifetime. Renewables are not free power. Further, building a bunch of mining/blockchain machines has environmental impact. Things aren't quite as bad as they were - I hope - but Silicon Valley's contaminated groundwater, Google being built atop a superfund site - strong, close-to-home for many evidence that the processes are materially & energy intensive[1] and quite toxic. Building data-centers of mining machines has impact. And like the energy use question, we must ask: what else could we being doing with this capacity? The 'it's mostly renewables' thing keeps getting raised & it's really frustrating/exhausting. It feels like a dismissal or denial. Ultimately that is potential that could be allocated elsewhere, and even with renewables, there is an impact to this planet. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21045573 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21045573

trident5000 6y ago

Ill never stop laughing at the virtue signaling. Stop rendering videos if you want to save the planet.

PascLeRasc 6y ago
Many of us are already taking steps to reduce our energy use like driving as little as possible, eating less meat, consuming less. It’s not a joke.
- trident5000 6y ago
  Sounds pretty dumb. The answer is make a lot more energy through sustainable methods rather than band aid solutions. The global population is declining aside from a few undeveloped countries. You can calm down.
  - arghwhat 6y ago
    Your attitude, specifically, is a huge reason of why we're as screwed as we are. You can waste energy after we have renewable energy. That we will have renewable energy later doesn't change that we don't have it now. There's a difference between putting on a bandaid and actively pouring acid in the wound. This is the latter.

rektide 6y ago

Also, building & maintaining power generation is not free. Building solar panels, dams, wind has environmental impact, sizable material & energy inputs. And these generation systems only have a finite lifetime. Renewables are not free power. Further, building a bunch of mining/blockchain machines has environmental impact. Things aren't quite as bad as they were - I hope - but Silicon Valley's contaminated groundwater, Google being built atop a superfund site - strong, close-to-home for many evidence that the processes are materially & energy intensive[1] and quite toxic. Building data-centers of mining machines has impact. And like the energy use question, we must ask: what else could we being doing with this capacity? The 'it's mostly renewables' thing keeps getting raised & it's really frustrating/exhausting. It feels like a dismissal or denial. Ultimately that is potential that could be allocated elsewhere, and even with renewables, there is an impact to this planet. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21045573 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21045573