Bitcoin Uses Excessive Water to Process Transactions: Critics Reveal
Bitcoin Faces New Water Usage Claims Amid Growing FUD, Critics Question Sustainability
Recent rumors have been raised against Bitcoin, suggesting that Bitcoin transactions use an excessive amount of water, The report went to an unbelievable extent of comparing its water usage to filling a backyard swimming pool. Critics like Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam claim that Bitcoin relies on power-intensive computers causing it to consume a high amount of water for cooling.
The study claimed that Bitcoin used about 1,600 billion liters of water in 2021, raising concerns amidst global water shortages. Central Asia and California are particularly noted for their water challenges, increased by climate change.
Bitcoin's energy needs are nearly equal to Poland's total electricity usage, largely because of the "proof of work" mining process. The high power usage is reportedly due to this process which involves multiple computers competing to audit transactions.
However, this narrative is one part of a growing FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) against Bitcoin. Crypto experts argue that these claims are aimed at ruining Bitcoin's credibility and strength. It is notable that these critics pointed to Ethereum's "proof of stake" model as an alternative to Bitcoin, they stated that Ethereum's Proof of stake drastically reduces energy use, and they pointed out this as evidence that the cryptocurrency industry is capable of adapting more sustainable processes.
While the findings have caused some debates in the crypto industry, some believe that this could be another strategy used by Bitcoin critics to influence public opinion. Concerns about environmental impact are valid, but the crypto community still sees this as part of a broader narrative to create negative news around Bitcoin.