In many places Bitcoin is mined electricity is co2 free.
Generally, there are no reasons why electricity needs to emit co2: nuclear power plants can produce enough electricity to power all bitcoins in the world.
> electronic waste environmental disaster
As well as any other consumption. Bought a new car while old one if still running? You damaged the environment.
To reduce the damage to the environment, garbage tax can be introduced, so market can decide what’s more important and less damaging, bitcoins or a new PlayStation.
Bitcoins might be useless, but don’t blame it for all the problems in the world.
And that electricity could otherwise be used to displace the use of electricity that generates co2.
The idea that the majority of the energy used for bitcoin is generated in such places has no real basis in fact.
If sun is shining, and you don't generate solar electricity, if you heat it, and that's it, there's no damage taking solar electricity.
And so on.
> The idea that the majority of the energy used for bitcoin is generated in such places has no real basis in fact.
It is based on fact. For example: "In so doing, the CoinShares team found that bitcoin miners were using a disproportionate share of renewables." https://www.vox.com/2019/6/18/18642645/bitcoin-energy-price-...
But the original idea that bitcoin is a gigantic CO2 disaster is definitely not based on facts.
Don't use solar panels where the electricity from them can't be fully utilised, they have an environmental cost to build.