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Recently, I have been trying my best to draw one picture a month, so I have been posting fewer pictures.

I apologize for the fact that I am writing this text even though I am doing so.


Since I'm going out of my way, I'll put up a picture of my normal work.

This is a header image for a law firm I was asked to do the other day.


A friend of mine recently suggested that I sell NFT ART.

However, I also learned that there are many criticisms related to environmental issues.


I am also interested in environmental issues.

However, it is a very grand issue and the perfect answer will never be finalized.

As for the NFT, I couldn't find an answer either.



Are the web services and cloud storage we use allowed because "the environmental disadvantages are small compared to the social advantages"?

If I were to get 1 million yen from NFT, would I be out because "the social benefits are small compared to the environmental disadvantages"?

Is the environmental impact of NFT so enormous?


Which is more evil, chocolate or NFTs? What about the pet industry?

What about gasoline cars?  electric car factories?

The bus full of empty seats that I always take to the hospital?

Which is more evil, me alone making a million dollars from NFT, or me buying a bunch of crap on amazon?



I'd love to hear your thoughts on these issues.

If you have any numerical arguments or comparisons, I'd like to know them too.

Or just "GOOD" or "BAD". I'm curious to know what the patrons think.


I am neither negative nor positive about NFT.

If I could get some easy money I would be very grateful. It would help my mother and my friends too.

However, I do love penguins on ice. What should I do?


Comments

Anonymous

i would not do it if i were you, the environmental effects are a lot more severe than other things we do in our daily life

Anonymous

I don’t support NFTs. Of course it’s impossible to ensure that everything you do is 100% good for the environment but NFTs are one thing you can avoid getting involved in for the sake of the environment.

A Patreon of the Ahts

Do it because you deserve the money. NFTis a fad though, so don't get used to it.

Anonymous

I think they are far too damaging at the present time.. Many are arguing that in the future, they will consume less energy or be offset in other ways. But, no one making those claims seems to be waiting to work with NFTs or other cryptocurrency. Because as far as I can tell, most of the obscene profits stand to be made by those working *early* with cryptocurrencies. This fact is the clue to realize that really, cryptocurrencies are a kind of pyramid scheme. And so, they are both unethical environmentally, and also unethical socially/psychologically. (See 'pyramid scheme'.) I can understand the immense pull to try and get in early on the NFT pyramid scheme. And, the earth is in deep deep trouble no matter what we do. But, I guess I feel as if - not being the cause of future suffering is its own reward. Then again, if you felt like you could sell one single piece and get off the treadmill of worldly suffering with the modest returns, it's very understandable. I'd do anything to let all this nonsense go and just live out my life, but I don't have a route to that. If you do, I think we all understand the immense temptation. It's a hard, hard question. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme https://www.wired.com/story/nfts-hot-effect-earth-climate/ https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change

Anonymous

The problem with NFTs is that they use up an absolutely enormous amount of energy to maintain, and that energy is very rarely sourced by 'clean' methods (power generation is still dominated by burning fossil fuels). It's also effectively gambling, because the way it works is more like a stocks market (which I believe is held up in a similar manner). So there isn't really a reason to go into NFT production unless you really don't care.

Anonymous

NTFs are bad

Anonymous

NFTs are cool. Artists getting paid is cool. Pollution is bad, but the problem is at the society level, not the individual level. Whether or not you produce NFTs doesn't make much difference. Solutions to excessive energy consumption will have to come in the form of government regulation or the NFT community somehow figuring out a better way to do things. There's no need to martyr yourself. I think you should go ahead and try them out if you want to.

Anonymous

The problem with NFTs is not (just) that they are environmentally damaging, but that THEY ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO WHAT YOU THINK THEY DO. An NFT does NOT grant ANY rights to the piece of art (or whatever file). That's done by contract (aka selling it). And it does not, incidentally, require NFTs. Also, they are basically another variant of the cryptocoin scam, and people ARE losing a lot of money on them (it's not even a hypothesis on the future). I realize you, as an artist, might not fully understand why, but... I beg you, please seek info NOT from people selling NFTs. That's like asking the innkeeper if the wine is good (as we say in Itay). Of course they'll say they're awesome. And as an IT and SecOps professional, let me tell you: they don't work. It's just a scam. Furthermore, I will absolutely consider stopping supporting any artist going the NFT way, because of the aforementioned reasons and others. I am available for further clarifications (both technical and moral/legal).

Anonymous

From everything I've read, NFTs are too much of a risk on all fronts to consider worth it. The environmental impact risks are HUGE (the creation and maintaining of one does a lot of damage in a burst than a lot of those examples do over a long period of time) and they're so polarizing that a lot of the artists that create one are at risk of their reputation being effected by it too. Ultimately it is your decision though, do research on both side of it and draw a conclusion. Personally there are a lot more cons than pros, even if the money would be nice.

Anonymous

There's a guy on YouTube that does a very good job explaining NFTs, Johnny Harris. I started my research there but information on this has mixed (probably due to a lot of bias). Nfts are very energy consuming for the environment (you can find stats on this). Other sectors (like chocolate) are too, but the difference is other sectors are already there (and workers gets paid). Nfts is new, meaning when you create a new blockchain, you're creating and starting a new energy consuming process. In terms of money, high selling NFTs are currently a playground for the rich (who are trying to one up each other). Very similar to paintings sold at an exclusive exhibition/gallery. For a better idea how much money you can get creating NFTs, I would ask other artists with similar internet presence as you. I don't support NFTs, but that doesn't mean I'll stop supporting you if you go that route. I, and I'm sure many others, won't buy NFTs but will continue to buy your prints and other pieces you make. It's a good discussion to have (theres so much more we can go into) and I hope it helps you in some way.

Anonymous

NFTs are bad. They also don't make much money for most artists, so don't feel like you're leaving millions of yen on the table if you don't sell them.

Anonymous

Aside from the environment stuff, i think its worth remembering that only a very very very small % of artists making nfts are getting those crazy high sales we hear about. Others arent making anything, or even lose money if there are high fees involved.

Anonymous

I agree with most that has been said here. You need to cater for the NFT audience and even then you cannot get any guarantees for a sale. Furthermore, it can be quite expensive to even put up an NFT, so you will need to invest time and money as well.

Anonymous

See https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism . Just because other things are bad also doesn’t make the environmental impact of NFTs OK.

Anonymous

I just want to say, I really like that law firm header. Very cute while still feeling professional.

Anonymous

I've been looking into these "proof-of-stake" NFTs that are not bad for the environment, because of the way they are engineered. Am currently trying to test this platform that I saw a friend use, but it's not super easy so far: https://www.hicetnunc.xyz/

Nezche

NFTs are bad. They use cryptocurrency which take massive amounts of enemy to mine and cryptos are the cause of the computer part shortage The idea of an NFT is also very strange, since you aren't selling the art but rather the receipt saying you own the art. Also, most people who mint NFTs end up losing money since you need to pay to mint and someone has to buy it for more than the mint cost, at least I think that's how it works.

Anonymous

My friend linked me to this article that compares the environmental impact of selling NFTs to other ways artists make money, like selling tee shirts or prints. It finds that low value NFTs are compatible in impact to selling physical merch, whereas high value NFTs are much less impactful. https://sterlingcrispin.blogspot.com/2021/02/crypto-art-sky-is-not-falling.html?m=1

Anonymous

NFTs are bad many people here already explained why better then I could. In addition I unfollowed several artist who got into NFTs because they began to push it onto their followers and ignored the reasons why they are bad. It's really just a crazy big scam that does so much harm to so many. Also on top of all this lots of people who bought it got cheated out of money or had identity theft things happen from going onto the wrong site. Once you open a print shop I'd be super happy to purchase copies of your work though.

Anonymous

I’m neutral on NFTs as well. If artists can make some money to live on selling them then that’s great, if the bubble bursts and NFTs lose all value then its ok cos the artists still got paid

Anonymous

please do not make nfts. i would much much rather buy a print of yours

Anonymous

You should check out hicetnunc.xyz! It's community driven (they just had a hackathon: https://twitter.com/hashtag/hicathon), and not for the rich or elitist. Plus it runs on the Tezos blockchain which has low fees – about $0.50 to release an NFT – and is environmentally friendly. An NFT has the carbon footprint of a tweet. This article is a good introduction: https://restofworld.org/2021/inside-brazils-diy-nft-art-marketplace/

Anonymous

暗号通貨や暗号資産がビットコインのマイニングシステムと強く結びついている現在では、マイニングによる過大な電力使用=環境負荷と捉えられやすいわけですが、暗号による制度運用はむしろ実体的なものを利用しないので(印刷とか事務手続きなど)環境負荷はそこまでかからないと私は思います。 現実的にNFTを暗号資産では決済できないシステムが運用できるのであれば、マイニングによる環境負荷は取引上は回避できると思います。 けれど、イーロン・マスクによって過度に印象付けられてしまった現在はその分野に加担してしまう=社会悪と捉えられがちな現状はあるのでしょうね。