You might already have heard about Bitcoin and Ethereum 1.0 consuming energy equivalent to some countries. However, it’s not just limited to the top two cryptocurrencies. It’s a common syndrome affecting every public blockchain using proof of work as (PoW) the consensus mechanism. Proof of work is about using immense computational power to validate what goes up on the blockchain as (immutable) transactions. Since this is financially rewarding, new miners keep joining the network, which strengthens the subject blockchain. However, this also skyrockets the energy consumed per transaction, further tilting the balance against environmental sustainability. Put simply, length is directly proportional to the safety factor of any blockchain, which translates to how tough it is to mess with that network. That way, the carbon footprint is the byproduct of safety, which is desirable since there are no intermediaries in the blockchain universe. So, you indirectly degrade the environment by minting NFTs on a ‘safe’ proof-of-work blockchain. This pushed some artists to seek platforms using less energy-intensive blockchains. Ergo, green NFTs became the buzzword.
Green NFTs
Frankly, all this concern is irrelevant now. Because Bitcoin is vastly unrelated to NFTs and Ethereum 1.0 (proof-of-work) has been upgraded to Ethereum 2.0 (proof-of-stake). This has solved the major problem of the NFT verse, as the primary noise regarding the energy consumption of NFTs and ethical conundrums of artists were about Ethereum 1.0. And since Ethereum 2.0 is green, almost all NFTs are (mostly) Green by default. Additionally, all the other major (NFT) blockchains, including Solana, Polygon, Flow, Avalanche, etc., stay away from proof of work. So you can sigh relief that you’re not burning the planet, no matter the choice of blockchain. That said, given the damage we have already done to this planet, there is so much to make things right. And that’s where carbon neutrality or negativity comes into the picture. With respect to NFTs, this is about the platforms supporting global environment-friendly projects via pro-climate institutions. Consequently, this is a short list of a few NFT platforms that stand out from the rest.
OKX
OKX’s marketplace helps you get NFTs residing on top blockchains, the majority of which use a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. So technically, each such NFT is the least damaging to the environment. But as already stated, this list isn’t just about the choice of the chain, but something more pronounced. In this case, OKX has invested $10 million in the WAX blockchain–a certified carbon-neutral blockchain. Besides, WAX is a ClimateCare partner putting their money into worldwide carbon offsetting projects. Ergo, this kind of makes OKX worthy of a mention.
How to Mint NFT on OKX
The first step is to connect the wallet, and you can choose from OKX, MetaMask, Phantom, and WalletConnect. Next, you need to upload the file, add a description, and hit Mint at the bottom. Besides, the creator dashboard offers Ethereum, OKC, BSC, and Polygon blockchains to mint your NFT on.
KodaDot
KodaDot is an open-source, low-carbon NFT marketplace supported by the Polkadot-powered Kusama network. Besides being on a blockchain with lesser transaction fees, you get a chance to contribute to worldwide environmental projects. For this, KodaDot has partnered with Offsetra to which an artist indirectly contributes by purchasing carbon offset credits with just an opt-in during minting. Such NFTs are tagged as carbonless with a seedling 🌱 symbol.
How to Mint NFT on Kodadot
You will need a Poldadot and Kusama-compatible wallet. The interface gives three choices: Polkadot’s native wallet, Talisman, or SubWallet. After connecting the wallet using the browser extension, you get to upload your NFT via three options: classic, creative, and simple. These vary based on the ease of the minting process. However, uploading your artwork, writing descriptions, and following on-screen instructions are common. NFT Sales will get you KSM tokens, which you can exchange at Binance, Bybit, Simpleswap, etc.
Voice
Voice is another platform whose carbon neutrality/negativity efforts exceed selecting a less energy-intensive blockchain. They claim not to damage the environment in the first place by using a proof-of-stake blockchain, EOSIO. Besides, Voice’s NFT mints charge zero gas, and transactions don’t need any cryptocurrency. In addition, Voice carbon offsets employee commutes regularly. Voice also partners with climate-friendly firms to directly contribute to a sustainable environment. One such partnership with Ecologi had a tree planted for every NFT created on Voice in April 2022. This amounted to 48,119 tree plantations in the landscapes of Madagascar, Uganda, and Kenya.
How to Mint NFT on Voice
Listing NFTs on Voice is extremely simple by registering by email and choosing a strong password. Subsequently, one can select a suitable file type and hit upload. Finally, the creator will enter relevant details (including royalties) before sending the NFT on the blockchain. However, one must verify identity before listing the NFT for sale or withdrawing funds from any sale.
Eco-Friendly NFT Platforms
PoW has many challenges in addition to energy consumption, and the NFT industry understands that. That reflects with most NFT-heavy blockchains opting for proof-of-stake as their consensus mechanism. And with Ethereum going green, this debate is pointless. Moreover, the listed platforms go a few steps ahead and aim for carbon negativity by supporting pro-climate projects. PS: But why just target NFTs, and why not aim for green coding and green computing is a question we should ask ourselves.
