Re: Bitcoin is Bad for the environment, taking the worlds energy - yes?
Yes it is consuming a lot of electricity. 
Now the thing is, that fiat currency (debt based money, exponentially growing due to compound interest) forces every economy on the planet to grow continuously.
This growth is required in order to offset the growth of the monetary base.
In other words, if the total value of goods and services in an economy grows slower than the monetary base, price increase (falsely named inflation) will destroy the peoples buying power and savings. Hyperinflation and (civil) war is the end result. Current example is Venezuela. Older examples are the World Wars.
The electricity consumption of Bitcoin is nothing compared to the insane forced economic growth that results in much more ecologic destruction.
Birth control and a different money system will save the planet.
Cheers
Leo
Now the thing is, that fiat currency (debt based money, exponentially growing due to compound interest) forces every economy on the planet to grow continuously.
This growth is required in order to offset the growth of the monetary base.
In other words, if the total value of goods and services in an economy grows slower than the monetary base, price increase (falsely named inflation) will destroy the peoples buying power and savings. Hyperinflation and (civil) war is the end result. Current example is Venezuela. Older examples are the World Wars.
The electricity consumption of Bitcoin is nothing compared to the insane forced economic growth that results in much more ecologic destruction.
Birth control and a different money system will save the planet.
Cheers
Leo
(I think this should go in mining)
There has been a lot of talk on this. Quite a few good papers
https://karlodwyer.github.io/publications/pdf/bitcoin_KJOD_2014.pdf
From this paper: "Bitcoin mining is comparable to Irelands electricity consumption".
As bitcoin grows the amount of energy on the planet is not increasing. Anyone who understands the article, it seems very legitimate to me, discuss, Yes, I realize the miner wants to reduce cost & cut waste. Therefore they may seek alternative forms or desire to do so. Yes, I read about the Hydrofarmer on this very forum. It is just not the norm with all the major miners around the planet. Proof of work is expensive. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Proof_of_work
**Title was sarcastic. But it is still something to think about?
There has been a lot of talk on this. Quite a few good papers
https://karlodwyer.github.io/publications/pdf/bitcoin_KJOD_2014.pdf
From this paper: "Bitcoin mining is comparable to Irelands electricity consumption".
As bitcoin grows the amount of energy on the planet is not increasing. Anyone who understands the article, it seems very legitimate to me, discuss, Yes, I realize the miner wants to reduce cost & cut waste. Therefore they may seek alternative forms or desire to do so. Yes, I read about the Hydrofarmer on this very forum. It is just not the norm with all the major miners around the planet. Proof of work is expensive. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Proof_of_work
**Title was sarcastic. But it is still something to think about?