TPB84 - Bitcoin Mining is Climate Action with Troy Cross and Margot Paez

TPB84 - Bitcoin Mining is Climate Action with Troy Cross and Margot Paez

Author: Bitcoin is for Everyone April 23, 2024 Duration: 1:16:29

"We do these things not because we expect to win, but because it's the right thing to do ethically or morally." - Margot Paez

My guests today are Troy Cross and Margot Paez. Troy is an environmentalist and Professor of Philosophy at Reed College, having also written, researched and consulted on Bitcoin mining and its intersection with energy, environmentalism, and climate change. Margot is a climate change physicist and PhD candidate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing on research relating to climate change statistical based modeling, bitcoin mining, and combating misinformation regarding bitcoin mining and the environment. They are both Fellows at the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

In this episode we discuss key takeaways from the recent Bitcoin Policy Summit, debunking environmental FUD around Bitcoin mining, sharing data-driven insights on bitcoin mining's flexibility and potential climate benefits, and explore how Bitcoiners and environmentalists can find common ground. We also discuss finding hope when fighting potential climate catastrophe seems overwhelming, how market based solutions fighting climate change are required if we want real solutions today, and the unfortunate authoritarian bent that some leftists have adopted from those very same figures they criticized from the far right.

Follow Troy and Margot on X

Support Margot’s mission and research to fight Bitcoin Mining FUD

You can find Trey on nostr, X, and via the pod’s social channels

EXCLUSIVE SPONSORS:

ZEUS is an open-source, self-custodial Bitcoin wallet that gives you full control over how you make payments. Head to Zuesln.com to learn more and download. Save 5% on LSP fees by using code ‘TPB’ in the access code under LSP settings.

BitBox: Get the open-source Bitbox02 Bitcoin only edition. It’s my favorite bitcoin hardware wallet for you to take self-custody of your bitcoin and keep your private keys safe in cold storage. Use promo-code TPB during checkout at https://bitbox.swiss/tpb to get 5% off your purchase.

You, our listener! Thank you to our supporters. To support The Progressive Bitcoiner and access rewards, including our new TPB merch, head to our geyser page: https://geyser.fund/project/tpbpod

PROMO CODES:

Sazmining: Hosted Bitcoin mining made easy, using 100% cheap and renewable energy. Get $50 off the purchase of a miner using the following link: https://app.sazmining.com/purchase?ref=byyhN2mCGXlu

Lightning Store: Head to https://lightning.store/ and use promo-code ‘TPB’ to get 20% off all products.

To learn more, visit our website

Follow the pod on X | Nostr | Bluesky | Instagram | Threads | Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok

Join in on the conversation at our Progressive Bitcoiner Community telegram group!

The Team: Producer/Editor: @DamienSomerset | Branding/Art: @Daniel | Website: @EvanPrim



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit progressivebitcoiner.substack.com

There’s a common story told about Bitcoin, one focused on speculation and a certain type of enthusiast. The Progressive Bitcoiner exists to tell the rest of the story. This podcast moves past the headlines to explore how this technology is being used in tangible, human ways around the world. You’ll hear from organizers, developers, and everyday people who are applying Bitcoin as a practical tool for financial inclusion and personal autonomy. Each conversation focuses on real-world impact, whether that’s supporting human rights work, providing an economic lifeline in unstable regions, or simply offering a new way to think about value and community. Hosted by Bitcoin is for Everyone, the discussions are grounded in education and firsthand narratives, linking the technical foundations to broader cultural and societal shifts. The aim isn’t to hype an asset, but to document a movement. Tune in for a perspective that is often missing from the mainstream conversation-one that finds the progressive potential within a protocol and amplifies the voices already building a more accessible future with it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Progressive Bitcoiner
Podcast Episodes
TPB64 - Toward a Science of the Political with Natalie Smolenski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:40
"Regardless of what is happening in the wider world, what is it that you can build right where you are today that others can inherit from you that leaves the world better?" My guest today is Natalie Smolenski. Natalie is…
TPB63 - Using Bitcoin Around the World with The Bitcoin Explorers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:26
"Bitcoin is the most powerful tool to protect human rights and financial freedom all over the world." My guests today are Laura and Rikki, aka the Bitcoin Explorers. In addition to their work through the Bitcoin Explorer…
TPB62 - Why Bitcoin Matters for Gen Z with Ella Hough & Arsh Molu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:22
"Gen Z...recognize the problems, but it just comes down to how they can be equipped." - Arsh My guests today are Ella Hough and Arsh Molu. Ella is a junior at Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences, pursuing d…
TPB60 - How Bitcoin Benefits Workers with Dom Bei and Lisa Hough [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:05
"If you really care about fixing problems, you really have to take a look at these solutions like Bitcoin." My guests today are Lisa Hough and Dom Bei. Lisa is a former natural gas trader and currently serves as the VP o…
TPB59 - Nostr: The Everything App of Freedom with Ben Arc & Rabble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:48
"The history of social change shows us that it's not fear that leads to better situations. It's Hope." - Rabble My guests today are Ben Arc and Rabble. Ben is a FOSS (free and open source software) hobbyist and activist,…
TPB58 - Bitcoin's Bullish Case for Humanity with Alex Gladstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:34
"Bitcoin has tremendous promise to penetrate some of the inertia and perpetual suffering we see in the world." My guest today is Alex Gladstein. Alex is Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, a 501(c)3 no…
TPB57 - What the Left Should Know About Money with Lyn Alden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:03
"I think the Left probably has a bigger disconnect on money than we see elsewhere." My guest today is Lyn Alden. Lyn is a macroeconomist, author, and founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy. Far from a niche libertarian…
TPB56 - Bitcoin as a Progressive Force for Good with Bradley Rettler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:06
My guest today is Bradley Rettler. Bradley is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wyoming and a member of the research collective Resistance Money alongside Andrew Bailey and Craig Warmke. In this e…
TPB55 - Bitcoin in a Nuanced and Complex World with Mike Brock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:18
My guest today is Mike Brock, CEO of TBD, (a part of Block), which focuses on building open source, decentralized technologies. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike discusses Bitcoin's relationship to politics, cultur…