The environmental organization GreenpeaceUSA has quietly discontinued its “Change the Code” campaign, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining, according to Bitcoin researcher Daniel Batten.

Batten noted that GreenpeaceUSA has not released any new statements or posts related to the campaign for over six months. The initiative’s X account (@cleanupbitcoin) has been inactive since January 2024. Furthermore, no other branches of Greenpeace publicly supported the campaign by the U.S. division.

Lack of Activity and Staff Changes

Batten highlighted that Josh Archer, who led the campaign, has left GreenpeaceUSA to join the forest conservation group Stand. Other environmental organizations, such as Sierra Club, Earthjustice, and EWG, have also stopped mentioning Bitcoin in their communications for more than a year.

Reflections and Lessons Learned
Batten proposed reflecting on the clashes between the Bitcoin community and environmental activists. He recalled May 2021, when Elon Musk raised environmental concerns about Bitcoin, triggering a sharp drop in its price to $13,800. Additionally, research promoted by activist Alex de Vries, which later proved inaccurate, was widely disseminated by the media.

In 2022, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen allocated $5 million to GreenpeaceUSA to launch the campaign against Bitcoin. However, the initiative fell short of its goals.

Three Major Failures of GreenpeaceUSA

Batten outlined key reasons for the campaign’s failure:

Flawed Arguments: Claims about Bitcoin relying on coal and old power plants were proven incorrect.
Ineffective Strategy: Attempts to pressure corporations through moral outrage did not work.
Strong Bitcoin Advocacy: Activists underestimated the conviction and resilience of Bitcoin supporters, who have defended its position for years.

Batten also pointed out that even the artist behind the “Skull of Satoshi” — a work created as part of the campaign — has reconsidered their stance on Bitcoin after engaging with environmentally conscious members of the crypto industry.

Campaign Outcome

“For GreenpeaceUSA, this was a grueling campaign. They spent $5 million to achieve zero results: no Bitcoin code was changed, and no financial institutions shifted their stance. On the contrary, many millennials and Gen Zers turned away from Greenpeace,” Batten emphasized.

Reminder
In January 2024, GreenpeaceUSA criticized the SEC’s decision to approve spot Bitcoin ETFs, calling it “an endorsement of climate threats.”