Can Bitcoiners and Environmentalists Learn to Work Together?
Almost no debate is black and white — bitcoin’s energy consumption is no different
The recent hot debate over bitcoin is its energy consumption. In this case, the debate is between the environmentalists and bitcoiners (i.e., those who own and believe strongly in bitcoin as an important technological innovation).
And as is the case in many debates, either side is largely refusing to hear the other out and be open-minded towards the other's concerns.
As both an environmentalist and bitcoiner myself, I believe it’s important to parse through the nuance of this debate rather than simply present a black and white view of it. Both sides have compelling arguments that are important to consider as this nascent technology moves further into adoption.
My goal with this article is to lay out the environmentalist argument and counterarguments from bitcoiners with my own counterpoints weaved throughout and come to a conclusion on how best to proceed.
The Environmentalist Argument
The environmentalist argument against bitcoin is best summed up by this video from Our Changing Climate.
