[pshin45]

Re: Bitcoin's electricity consumption, I wasn't satisfied with how one-sided or incomplete a lot of the articles written about this topic are, so I tried writing my own* that (hopefully) more fully and objectively encapsulates the data and facts of the matter.

TL;DR – We all need to stop ignoring Bitcoin's rapidly-growing electricity consumption and making flawed "What about _____?"† arguments. The Bitcoin community (myself included) needs to start facing reality and be able to demonstrate four things:

1) Bitcoin’s energy usage is actually reasonable, when viewed in proper context

2) All that electricity is actually serving a useful purpose

3) Bitcoin’s growing energy needs can be brought under control

4) Over time, the electricity for Bitcoin will increasingly come from renewable sources

I personally believe that #1 and #4 are already true and will continue to trend in the right direction over time. As for #2 and #3, those can become true in the near future, but right now it's all hypothetical and Bitcoin needs to start delivering on its (unfulfilled) potential soon.

* https://medium.com/@petershin45/bitcoin-is-killing-the-plane...

† https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism