<\/p>\n
The debate around NFT energy consumption raged most wildly during and immediately after JPEG Summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the time, Ethereum functioned on a proof-of-work protocol. The annual ecological footprint of Ethereum was calculated to equal that of Hong Kong. NFT environmental impact calculations were not happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since then, however, the infamous Merge<\/a> moved Ethereum to a proof-of-stake protocol, reducing its carbon output (and NFT energy consumption) by >99%.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now minting an NFT is ecologically on par with 1\u20133 Google searches.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since the Merge, no significant NFT blockchain has used the proof-of-work model or any substantially similar model, so the total NFT environmental impact is lower than that of physical art.\u00a0<\/p>\n This, however, does not mean that every blockchain is environmentally friendly. Notably, Bitcoin mining remains environmentally detrimental. NFTs do get minted on Layer-2 Bitcoin protocols, but they comprise a diminishingly small percentage of the total NFT ecosystem.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ll leave you with this, an optimistic look at web3\u2019s future to not only approach carbon neutrality but to turn things around toward a more carbon-negative<\/em> future.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thanks to the immutability and transparency of blockchain, an environmentally friendly blockchain ecosystem could go a long way toward solving some of the world\u2019s most intractable environmental issues.<\/p>\n Here are a few of the use cases and projects for building a more sustainable future with blockchain technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\n
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