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Sounds like you should get more informed about the environmental impact of cotton and plastic? Cotton: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/18/t

Sounds like you should get more informed about the environmental impact of cotton and plastic? Cotton: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/18/the-darling-will-die-scientists-say-mass-fish-kill-due-to-over-extraction-and-drought https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/18/the-d... Plastic: do you really need a link for this one?

runarberg 5y ago
I think the environmental impact calculations are way more complicated then this. Paper money can be used for many more transactions then crypto so even if the environmental impact of every minted dollar is greater then that of bitcoin (which I’m not sure it is) then the dollar might still be more environmental by the nature if it being reusable for more transactions.
- mastazi 5y ago
  True and my personal preference is for paper money made of actual paper. I prefer that over crypto too.
FabHK 5y ago
At any rate, the ecological problems caused by making banknotes are obviously minuscule compared to those caused by fashion, crypto mining, and many other industries.
- mastazi 5y ago
  That's true, still, we can find a more sustainable way of making banknotes I'm sure.
  - mastazi 5y ago
    Edit: actually I'm not sure if that's true, are there reliable sources that we could rely on? Obviously I stand by the rest of my statement (even if X is better than Y, that doesn't mean that we should oppose proposals to improve X)
- kragen 5y ago
  Why are they obviously minuscule compared to crypto mining? I'm unpersuaded that the ecological problems caused by crypto mining net above zero, but in any case they are obviously minuscule.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
DonHopkins 5y ago
And what about the environmental impact of all those GPUs full of precious metals and rare earth elements getting dumped in landfills thanks to cryptocurrencies?
- mastazi 5y ago
  oh I'm not a crypto proponent to be honest with you, GPUs should be in gaming PCs where they rightfully belong. What I'm saying is: why replacing a bad solution with a slightly less bad solution when you could instead adopt a good solution[1]? Reminds me of those power plants being converted from coal to natural gas "because gas is clean". [1] e.g. an electronic currency not based on proof of work or, you know, just print on paper, a renewable resource that is not as resource intensive as cotton and certainly better than petroleum based plastics. Hell, I'll even bring compostable bioplastics in the mix of possible solutions. These are all better than cotton and plastic. Edit: made the comment slightly less snarky in tone. Forgive me it's been a long morning.
onion2k 5y ago
Sounds like you should get more informed about the environmental impact of cotton and plastic? I posted to point out that money isn't made out of paper. That's not really the same as condoning the impact of the cotton and oil industries.
- mastazi 5y ago
  OK, I see what you mean now, sorry I misinterpreted your comment.
- boogies 5y ago
  > I posted to point out that money isn't made out of paper. 100% rag content paper is still paper.
  - shagie 5y ago
    This gets into an interesting debate/discussion that I've had in the past. Where do you draw the line between paper and fabric? Is there a meaningful line to draw? Is cotton rag paper? Is spun rayon paper? Rice paper? How about yarn made out of spun recycled paper ( https://spinoffmagazine.com/how-to-paper-chase-spinning-paper-yarns/ https://spinoffmagazine.com/how-to-paper-chase-spinning-pape... ) or paper made out of non-wood based sources ( https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/69880 https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/69880 )? How about paper made out of calcium carbonate ( https://www.stone-paper.com/en/why-stone-paper/ https://www.stone-paper.com/en/why-stone-paper/ )?

runarberg 5y ago

I think the environmental impact calculations are way more complicated then this. Paper money can be used for many more transactions then crypto so even if the environmental impact of every minted dollar is greater then that of bitcoin (which I’m not sure it is) then the dollar might still be more environmental by the nature if it being reusable for more transactions.

mastazi 5y ago
True and my personal preference is for paper money made of actual paper. I prefer that over crypto too.

FabHK 5y ago

At any rate, the ecological problems caused by making banknotes are obviously minuscule compared to those caused by fashion, crypto mining, and many other industries.

mastazi 5y ago
That's true, still, we can find a more sustainable way of making banknotes I'm sure.
- mastazi 5y ago
  Edit: actually I'm not sure if that's true, are there reliable sources that we could rely on? Obviously I stand by the rest of my statement (even if X is better than Y, that doesn't mean that we should oppose proposals to improve X)
kragen 5y ago
Why are they obviously minuscule compared to crypto mining? I'm unpersuaded that the ecological problems caused by crypto mining net above zero, but in any case they are obviously minuscule.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

DonHopkins 5y ago

And what about the environmental impact of all those GPUs full of precious metals and rare earth elements getting dumped in landfills thanks to cryptocurrencies?

mastazi 5y ago
oh I'm not a crypto proponent to be honest with you, GPUs should be in gaming PCs where they rightfully belong. What I'm saying is: why replacing a bad solution with a slightly less bad solution when you could instead adopt a good solution[1]? Reminds me of those power plants being converted from coal to natural gas "because gas is clean". [1] e.g. an electronic currency not based on proof of work or, you know, just print on paper, a renewable resource that is not as resource intensive as cotton and certainly better than petroleum based plastics. Hell, I'll even bring compostable bioplastics in the mix of possible solutions. These are all better than cotton and plastic. Edit: made the comment slightly less snarky in tone. Forgive me it's been a long morning.

onion2k 5y ago

Sounds like you should get more informed about the environmental impact of cotton and plastic? I posted to point out that money isn't made out of paper. That's not really the same as condoning the impact of the cotton and oil industries.

mastazi 5y ago
OK, I see what you mean now, sorry I misinterpreted your comment.
boogies 5y ago
> I posted to point out that money isn't made out of paper. 100% rag content paper is still paper.
- shagie 5y ago
  This gets into an interesting debate/discussion that I've had in the past. Where do you draw the line between paper and fabric? Is there a meaningful line to draw? Is cotton rag paper? Is spun rayon paper? Rice paper? How about yarn made out of spun recycled paper ( https://spinoffmagazine.com/how-to-paper-chase-spinning-paper-yarns/ https://spinoffmagazine.com/how-to-paper-chase-spinning-pape... ) or paper made out of non-wood based sources ( https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/69880 https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/69880 )? How about paper made out of calcium carbonate ( https://www.stone-paper.com/en/why-stone-paper/ https://www.stone-paper.com/en/why-stone-paper/ )?