The argument about energy consumption of Bitcoin - well it is still significantly less than that of mining gold per year - and then there are all the other environmental issues associated, like the chemicals used and the literal cutting into the earth etc.
¿PoW?
It doesn't matter how greenish or blackish steps regardless how humbly mining gold can take as long all that "Proof of Work" can be somewhat gildened at the end after inhaling so many weird fumes. LoL
On other hand...