Advancements in technology and new innovative methods can ease human day-to-day life. It can redefine the entire system until it questions our existence. Do we need to put a price tag on these technological advancements if they cause environmental issues and are harmful to people around us? Should it be stopped or controlled?
Anything that violates basic human rights needs to be strictly regulated. In 2022, Marathon Digital Holdings officially launched their Bitcoin mine in Hood County, which had true potential to demolish the community life of Texans. The consumption of huge amounts of electricity and the usage of high-performance hardware created undeniable noise pollution there. This led the entire people into distress, and health issues and affected their community living and day-to-day activities.
Texas is slipping into the hands of these digital currency tycoons, the mine situated in Hood County is just one in ten out there. Media talked about this issue, and Time magazine has reported the health issues and dangers associated with this issue, yet the people in Hood County are in a nightmare. According to them, even their pets are in distress and facing disturbance from this humming of their cooling system. Authorities are aware of the issue and yet they are silent.
“Nobody in their right mind would live in this area, it’s miserable.”
-Cheryl Shadden
These are the saddening words and the current state of each living in the area, Cheryl Shadden is a resident and an active protestor against this issue. They argue that the constant buzzing sound and vibrations make them sick and make their health condition worse. They suffer from sleep loss, nausea, migraines, hearing loss, and hypertension.
The local people have already filed numerous complaints, but all of them resulted in rejection since the decibel level does not exceed 85, but it was about 105 decibels when Shadden took the measurement. People are constantly complaining about the headaches and pain they are having, and some of them have argued that the pain involved is worse than childbirth and lasts for five days.
Time has reported that residents were feeling low, tired, and showing physical distress which all came after the commencement of the Bitcoin mine. The limited accessibility of hospitals and medical provisions could only worsen the scenario.
Why is there so much noise and Where does that noise come from?
Digital currency bitcoins lack physical shape and identity can only be produced or created through a process called mining. This is a complex process that requires a lot of high-performance GCU and hardware. The combined process would consume a lot of energy and these systems require a constant cooling management system which is usually hundreds and thousands of fans working together at a time. Large-scale mining setups usually work 24*7 to increase the productivity of bitcoins ultimately resulting in too much noise and noise pollution.
According to Cheryl Shadden,
“It sounds like you are on a runway with jets taking off 24*7 nonstop”
To the Texans, the sound initially felt like a ceiling fan then gained the power of a leaf blower, and now it is like a jet engine that is ready to blow up the people’s ears out. The sound created by these mining farms does not possess up-and-down variation in its strength, but it is a continuous roar all the time. The sound not only causes problems for people but to their infrastructure. It penetrated the walls, shook their windows, etc.
Major health problems faced by Hood County people
Hood County people have faced numerous health-related issues since the introduction of the mining farm, starting from mild headaches to hypertension. ‘Time’ magazine has recently reported that people are still suffering from headaches, migraines, dizziness, sleeping disorders, vertigo, and temporary and permanent hearing loss, people are coming out and claiming that they started to show elevated blood pressure and anxiety, etc. It went beyond under control, their pets too started to show the signs of stress, acute anxiety, memory loss, and losing the Furr. etc.
Conclusion
Hood County has been suffering from this constant roar for more than two years, going to sleep and getting out of bed by hearing the same voice of thousands of fans working simultaneously. The US government and local authorities are very aware of the issue but a strict action plan to stop or regulate this problem is still unattainable. The people are unable to sell their land and go somewhere else, and the value of the land is declining because of this large cryptocurrency mining facility and the noisy disturbance coming out of it. Texas was a peaceful place but not anymore because Marathon Holdings mine is just one among the 10, working tirelessly 24*7 to mine some digital coins and to produce more noise, and ultimately to produce more stress and health issues to the residents out there. These things need to be evaluated and monitored by the authorities and ensure a peaceful living and community life for the people.
Words of Cheryl Shadden
“I wanted to live out here in the country with my animals and horses in peace and quiet. We don’t have it now, I have been here for almost thirty years none of this was here, and they have invaded our privacy, there is not a chance you could sell this property and move anywhere else, nobody in their right mind would live in this area, its miserable.”
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