[_coldfire]

Bitcoin mining has congregated around cheap sources of energy, In China at least, many are using surplus energy from the grid in cutprice deals with provincial govts.

Undoubtedly there is huge amounts of energy being pumped into Bitcoin daily, but it's environmental effects seem over-hyped compared to many other human endeavours.

[acdha]

Those other activities produce something of value. A pure fiat currency like Bitcoin has no value other than the consensus: gold has a lower bound capped at industrial use and you could at least plant tulip bulbs but if people stop using Bitcoin or switch systems all of that effort will be wasted.