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Cheap plastic disposable goods shipped from China on polluting cargo ships are a huge source of environmental damage. This is a direct result of consumerism. Wh

Cheap plastic disposable goods shipped from China on polluting cargo ships are a huge source of environmental damage. This is a direct result of consumerism. Where is the plan to deal with that? Bitcoin energy use is just a stick used to beat it, it is not a genuine concern. Why? Because most people who raise the issue are not green environmentalists, they are just bitcoin detractors. They don't highlight the issues with energy use in other sectors, they don't worry about the emissions from concrete production and building etc. Why? Because complaining about them does not further their goal.

simonw 5y ago
> Because most people who raise the issue are not green environmentalists, they are just bitcoin detractors. Why would someone be a Bitcoin detractor if not for environmental reasons?
- celticninja 5y ago
  I agree, literally the only negative is it's current energy use, but even that has been blown out of proportion and has not been fairly compared with the energy use of other sectors and technologies.
- didroe 5y ago
  Aside from the environmental issue, I think Bitcoin is a poorly designed currency that ignores economic history/principles. I have a really low expectation of it being able to provide price stability.
sofixa 5y ago
Bad whataboutism is bad. > Cheap plastic disposable goods shipped from China on polluting cargo ships are a huge source of environmental damage New regulations are here about polluting ships. Single use plastics are (progressively) being banned - in the EU they're heavily taxed and will be absolutely banned since ~2022.
- celticninja 5y ago
  The use and release of CFCs was banned worldwide in 2000. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/ozone-layer-recovery-back-on-track-after-china-slows-cfc-11-production/a-56540342 https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/ozone-layer-recov... You think China will care? they will keep producing whatever makes money until they are caught, and not just Chinese companies, plenty in the developing world will circumvent legislation. And in the US they just don't bother with regulations to disregard. The Mississippi River carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into the Gulf of Mexico each year, creating a “dead zone” in the Gulf each summer about the size of New Jersey. This happens because there are no regulations to prevent the dumping of untreated waste into the Mississippi

simonw 5y ago

> Because most people who raise the issue are not green environmentalists, they are just bitcoin detractors. Why would someone be a Bitcoin detractor if not for environmental reasons?

celticninja 5y ago
I agree, literally the only negative is it's current energy use, but even that has been blown out of proportion and has not been fairly compared with the energy use of other sectors and technologies.
didroe 5y ago
Aside from the environmental issue, I think Bitcoin is a poorly designed currency that ignores economic history/principles. I have a really low expectation of it being able to provide price stability.

sofixa 5y ago

Bad whataboutism is bad. > Cheap plastic disposable goods shipped from China on polluting cargo ships are a huge source of environmental damage New regulations are here about polluting ships. Single use plastics are (progressively) being banned - in the EU they're heavily taxed and will be absolutely banned since ~2022.

celticninja 5y ago
The use and release of CFCs was banned worldwide in 2000. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/ozone-layer-recovery-back-on-track-after-china-slows-cfc-11-production/a-56540342 https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.com/en/ozone-layer-recov... You think China will care? they will keep producing whatever makes money until they are caught, and not just Chinese companies, plenty in the developing world will circumvent legislation. And in the US they just don't bother with regulations to disregard. The Mississippi River carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into the Gulf of Mexico each year, creating a “dead zone” in the Gulf each summer about the size of New Jersey. This happens because there are no regulations to prevent the dumping of untreated waste into the Mississippi