
South Africa: more than 950 gold miners trapped underground - YeGoblynQueenne
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/02/south-africa-gold-miners-trapped-underground-power-sibanye-stillwater
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johng
I get that we waste a ton of electricity on Proof of Work for cryptocoins....
lots are working towards moving away from that. But we still rip holes in the
earth and risk lives to search for gold as well.... which also has a very real
environmental cost.

~~~
eesmith
Is your end goal that we should stop all activities with a negative
environmental cost?

Or is your goal to argue that people should pay less attention to the negative
environment impact of cryptocoins because other industries also pollute?

If it's the latter, then I don't think it's a strong argument because it
suggests we should only focus on the industries with the absolute worst
pollution.

It's kind of like saying that I shouldn't complain as much about my neighbor's
dog pooping on my yard since after all pig wastes cause much more air
pollution and environmental damage.

~~~
johng
It's mainly just to point out to those who constantly bring it up as if Crypto
is somehow worthless because it uses so much electricity.... that gold, and
fiat have very real costs as well.

~~~
eesmith
As I recall, credit/debit card transfers require much less electricity than
cryptocurrency, so if environmental impact were your real concern then you
would be arguing against cryptocurrency.

Or you would be arguing that the social benefit of cryptocurrency is worth the
environmental damage, rather than simply pointing out that other industries
also cause environmental damage.

FWIW, I believe the lead mining industry contributes much more to
environmental pollution than the (non-artisanal) gold mining done in South
Africa at mines like this. Oil and coal as well.

As it stands, it feels like you are using the plight of 950+ miners, and the
lack of sufficient backup systems by the mine operators, as a rather stretched
blame avoidance technique. Repeating what I wrote earlier:

"It's kind of like saying that I shouldn't complain as much about my
neighbor's dog pooping on my yard since after all pig wastes cause much more
air pollution and environmental damage. "

Or do you think that cryptocoins can substitute for gold, with an overall
reduction in environmental damage? If so, how?

