• Artist Benjamin Von Wong created the “Skull of Satoshi” installation to shed light on the wasteful energy use in the Bitcoin mining industry.
• Despite his goals, many have viewed this project as an “anti-Bitcoin” statement, prompting Wong to apologize for any offense caused.
• Rolf Skar of Greenpeace USA believes bitcoin can reduce its carbon emissions by transitioning away from proof-of-work consensus mechanism.
Benjamin Von Wong’s „Skull of Satoshi“ Installation
Artist Benjamin Von Wong created the “Skull of Satoshi” installation in mid-March with the intention of raising awareness about how much energy is wasted in Bitcoin mining. His work has been supported by cryptocurrency heads such as Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen and various members of Greenpeace.
Perceived As Anti-Bitcoin
Sadly, there has been backlash thrown at the project from those who feel that it was meant to push Bitcoin towards a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) system like Ethereum. This prompted Wong to issue an apology for any offense caused and state his original intent was never to create an anti-Bitcoin project.
Rolf Skar’s Take on Bitcoin Mining
Rolf Skar, a special projects manager at Greenpeace USA, commented that other cryptocurrencies have realized PoW has an energy problem and changed their consensus mechanisms accordingly – while Bitcoin remains lagging behind in this area. However, he also clarified that he is not necessarily against Bitcoin and believes humans can be innovative enough to find ways to keep our environment safe while still being creative.
Benjamin Wong’s Response
In response to the incident, Benjamin Wong said he will remove himself from future projects similar with Skull of Satoshi so he can analyze himself and his work more thoroughly and understand how he can contribute better towards environmental responsibility progress instead of perfectionism.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it seems both sides are working together for a better future where blockchain technology does not interfere with climate change but rather helps fight against it by reducing carbon emissions through more efficient consensus mechanisms such as PoS systems like Ethereum or other alternatives yet to be discovered.
