It's not being "peed away". It is being used to help people send money to each other.
That's like saying the energy used to run the security system in a bank is being peed away.
That's like saying the energy used to run the security system in a bank is being peed away.
A 310L fridge [1] (random one I found) for context uses about 280 kWh per year [2].
I think it's pretty ridiculous to say that the average bitcoin transaction provides approximately half the value (in the best case scenario) as having the ability to refrigerate food for a year. I'd say "pissing away" is a pretty fair comparison.
[1] https://www.lg.com/au/fridges/lg-GB-310RPL
[2] http://www.energyrating.gov.au/calculator
With [2] you will need to put the model number in the "Brand or Model" box
Your comment misses the point that it is still a monumental and needless waste.
As someone else in this thread pointed out, there's only 500,000 active Bitcoin addresses, and yet the Bitcoin network consumes the same amount of electricity as the entire country of Denmark
Probably 95% of it is being used for speculation/gambling and scamming the uninformed. 4% on drugs, and 1% on anything else. I'm being generous here. Bitcoin advocates are pool sharks, they want the rest of the world to be their marks.
Who the hell pays rent with bitcoin? Who buys groceries with bitcoin? Bitcoin could drop off the face of the earth this instant and I wouldn't shed a tear.