Too Long; Didn't Read
Cryptocurrencies are under wide public <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/could-our-obsession-cryptocurrency-destroying-heres-5-zuckerberg/" target="_blank">scrutiny</a> for placing an undue burden on the environment. Concerns that cryptocurrency — the primary application of <a href="https://hackernoon.com/tagged/blockchain" target="_blank">blockchain</a> technology — will have broad implications for environmental sustainability are undoubtedly warranted. <a href="https://hackernoon.com/tagged/bitcoin" target="_blank">Bitcoin</a>, for example, is responsible for the estimated annual energy consumption of over 41 terawatt hours, a figure on par with the <a href="https://digiconomist.net/bitcoin-energy-consumption" target="_blank">total energy use of New Zealand</a>. The sustainability problems associated with Bitcoin are predicated upon the Proof-of-Work protocol it employs in order to verify transactions on the network.