A consideration is not just the energy to mine or create a currency, but the continuing costs to use the currency. Inherent to Bitcoin is energy consumption to verify every on-chain transaction. A dollar bill, silver coin, or gold coin can be used to transact without expending any appreciable amount of energy relative to their initial production costs. The free market should ultimately decide, but ongoing costs, ease of use, store of value, etc will all factor into mass adoption.
You realize that the vast majority of people barely see paper money anymore, right? It's been almost entirely cards and trust in banks for 15 years. No ones even going to consider miniscule energy use as a show stopper.
I am very aware of that. I hope you realize that there are people, including myself, who do consider energy use. It is a only one consideration among many concerns that I have regarding digital currencies.
I agree that plastic currency does have similar drawbacks to cryptos, but paper currency can be easily used without electricity usage after initial creation - and it can also be used completely anonymously. The same advantages go for silver and gold coins when used as money. There are always tradeoffs.
A consideration is not just the energy to mine or create a currency, but the continuing costs to use the currency. Inherent to Bitcoin is energy consumption to verify every on-chain transaction. A dollar bill, silver coin, or gold coin can be used to transact without expending any appreciable amount of energy relative to their initial production costs. The free market should ultimately decide, but ongoing costs, ease of use, store of value, etc will all factor into mass adoption.
You realize that the vast majority of people barely see paper money anymore, right? It's been almost entirely cards and trust in banks for 15 years. No ones even going to consider miniscule energy use as a show stopper.
I am very aware of that. I hope you realize that there are people, including myself, who do consider energy use. It is a only one consideration among many concerns that I have regarding digital currencies.
You use the same energy with paper and plastic money. This shouldn't be a consideration you take about transacting for goods.
I agree that plastic currency does have similar drawbacks to cryptos, but paper currency can be easily used without electricity usage after initial creation - and it can also be used completely anonymously. The same advantages go for silver and gold coins when used as money. There are always tradeoffs.