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Comment by thesausageking | Hacker News Reader

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thesausageking·

The whole Bitcoin networks uses less energy than clothes dryers in the US. And about 1/5th of what video gaming uses.

If Bitcoin has a "horrendous environmental impact" than there's no excuse to play video games or use a dryer.

edit: downvotes? Check the math yourself:

https://www.casebitcoin.com/critiques/bitcoin-wastes-energy

https://hbr.org/2021/05/how-much-energy-does-bitcoin-actuall...

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I've no idea if their self-declared 'back of the envelope' calculations are realistic, but it doesn't really matter. The comparison is plain dumb because unlike Bitcoin, clothes driers actually do something useful with their energy.

No its not a dumb comparison. Most of the folks who peddle this bitcoin is bad for the environment narrative don't understand what exactly bitcoin mining is.

The mining process is what makes bitcoin valuable, the energy is what's used to secure btc, there is "USE" to the energy used.

How can you send thousands of dollars across the globe faster with less fees?

Given blockchain transaction fees, pretty much any way up to and including just buying flights, taking cash and bribing everyone along the way.

I think you are referring to ethereum fees. Bitcoin is much better, and many others are even better. So, no, there isn't anything better than crypto for the purpose of efficiently transferring value across the globe.

It’s costs roughly $5 to send $1m in Bitcoin. And you can it from your phone, in minutes, any time day or night, and to anyone in the world with a phone.

Dryers and video games are useful.

Too true, wondering when this absurdly off target talking point is going to be discarded

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