Unchained

Unconfirmed: Why This Environmentalist Doesn’t Blame Creators for the Carbon Footprint of NFTs - Ep.219

Mar 12, 2021
Guest
Brendan McGill
Brendan McGill, co-founder of Offsetra and Carbon.fyi, dives deep into the environmental impact of NFTs. He clarifies that the carbon footprint associated with NFTs often stems from Ethereum's mining rather than the tokens themselves. Brendan argues that blaming creators is unfair and discusses the challenges in accurately calculating emissions. He highlights the shift towards 'clean NFTs' and shares insights on how artists can adopt sustainable practices while emphasizing the broader implications for the crypto community.
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ANECDOTE

ArtStation NFT Backlash

  • ArtStation canceled their NFT program due to environmental backlash.
  • Offsetra was going to partner with them, but Twitter's reaction was overwhelmingly negative.
INSIGHT

NFT Environmental Impact Misconception

  • Minting NFTs uses more gas than average Ethereum transactions, leading to a larger carbon footprint.
  • Calculators like cryptoart.wtf show these high numbers, shocking many.
INSIGHT

Emissions Source

  • NFT minting doesn't directly cause the calculated emissions.
  • Miners mine regardless of NFTs, motivated by Ethereum's price and future value.
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