Ethereum is basically the Natasha Romanoff of the blockchain world. Once a killer, it is now a powerful and positive ally in the NFT space. This episode explores the origin story and current state of the “NFTs are destroying the planet” mythos.
Check Your Understanding: Don’t Destroy the Planet
☐ I am not a supervillain, so it should be my goal to help preserve the planet, not destroy it.
☐ I believe that the carbon footprint of my project should be as close to zero as possible.
☐ I understand that there are several blockchains where I can host my comic NFTs.
☐ I understand that, while there are a few blockchains purpose-built for NFTs, NFTs are generally only one use case of many on most chains. Attributing the entire energy use of a chain to NFTs is a worst-case upper limit.
☐ I understand that, in terms of energy use, the blockchain is the most important variable to consider when compared to simply delivering a standard PDF via Dropbox or similar.
☐ I understand that there are creative trade-offs in selecting the blockchain to host my project.
☐ I understand that it is currently possible to create my comic NFT project on a low-power, carbon-neutral blockchain.
☐ I understand that if I have ever used Ethereum in the past, it is my personal responsibility to offset and retire the carbon footprint of my address(es). Fortunately, there are tools available to facilitate this.
Note
I will have to correct this chapter in a future edition of the book to account for “ordinal” NFTs (a recent development). I’ll talk more about these in a podcast later in the series.
Navigating the Concerns - Energy Use - Pt. 2