On a local level, there are often political divides in which elected officials are unwilling to go against party line (economic development over environmental protections, for example). In other cases, lax (or non-existent) zoning may permit uses to slip in that may not be in the best interests for the community. And sometimes, the “big picture” just eludes those who green-light these project. Of course, when climate change is not a factor in the consciousness of those making the decisions, the debate simply does not happen.

Thanks for catching that error, Mike. We’ve corrected the article.

Could you please fix the statement about NOx being a global warming gas. It is not. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is. Please check which pollutant the referenced data is about and make sure not to confuse these rather different chemicals? Thanks!

Thanks Corine. We’re glad you found the article helpful in shaping your perspective on this issue.

We hope you do helpful things for the environment and the climate crisis with your profits, Anderson. The issues of cryptocurrency addressed in this article extend far beyond how much money one can make, however, and we hope that this essay has given you a broader perspective.

Important observation about the carbon costs of equipment replacement, Harry! Thank you for mentioning that. Like so many issues that involve energy consumption, the externalities of this industry extend so far beyond the sheer volatility of cryptocurrency as a money-making strategy.