A major complaint about bitcoin is the wastefulness of mining. But that is precisely what makes bitcoin a commodity. If it were easy to generate bitcoins then people would start printing forgeries. I don't see a way around it.
Imagine a coin that's tied to how many push-ups you make each day? That's still scarce, but the side effects are positive, not negative - you get healthier instead of burning more coal.
But it does until there's a better alternative. Currently there is no algorithm or technique that can't be gamed or corrupted other than proof of work.