SolarPunk, the Future We Need

 

                                                                           The Fifth Sacred Thing by Jessica Perlstein

 

 

 

Climate doomerism and dystopian cyberpunk societies are futures that we can readily picture in our minds eye, but what would an optimistic world that prioritizes human well being look like? 

 

 

SolarPunk provides a possible vision of the future; one that marries technological innovation and environmentalism with the goal to help us live more harmoniously amongst nature and ourselves. Imagine clean air, lands, with high tech, decentralized renewable energy powering our homes. Passive system houses surrounded by lush greenery, solar panels, wind turbines and all sorts of green gadgetry made of sustainably sourced or recycled material from DIY projects or collective efforts. Visualize an abundance of community initiatives filled with people from all ages, races, and genders that not only restores the natural environment but also builds trust, empathy, and opportunity. 

 

 

Starting out as an artistic and literary movement, SolarPunk has further evolved its themes and philosophy that advocates for a future that is environmentally sustainable through anti-capitalist, anti-consumerist, and decolonial efforts. Though SolarPunk enthusiasts can vary in politics from human centric capitalism to anarcho communism, the consensus is that our current political climate is not doing enough to address our social and climate concerns. The movement is critical against silver bullet technology that tends to concentrate into the hands of the wealthy, and greenwashing where these ginormous skyscrapers with a little bit of green fail to adequately solve the root environmental and social problems.

 

 

First coined in 2008, SolarPunk gained a lot of traction during the 2010s with the lowering costs of solar renewables and the publishing of the GreenPunk manifesto in 2019. The movement continues to gain popularity in the 2020s as people, especially younger generations, feel the increasing pressures of climate change and ever destabilizing socio-economic conditions. 

 

 

So what does progress towards a SolarPunk future look like in 2023? 

 

 

The good news is the technological aspects of SolarPunk are well under development or are already in use.

 

Floating cities made by Oceanix are these utopianesque cities that are fully sustainable with aquaponics, solar energy, kelp farms, and made out of eco friendly materials like seament (yes that’s the actual name). Capsules, much resembling the ones from that Jurassic Park movie, act as solar powered taxis, transporting people across the islands. Oceanix is working on the world’s first prototype floating city with a total of 6.3 hectares accommodating 12,000 people in Busan South Korea. 

 

 

Working with nature rather than enslaving it, sponge cities simultaneously act as a water sponge, city coolant, and both a biodiversity and water reserve against extreme weather events. Utilizing green spaces like lakes, parks, and trees, the cities are smartly designed to be able to prevent overland flow. Many cities around the world are looking to incorporate greenspaces into their infrastructure and become sponge cities. China has 30 sponge city projects ongoing right now where they are aimed to be completed in 2030 that will soak up and reuse 70% of urban rainfall. Meanwhile, Tiriana in Albania are growing forests around the city to prevent urban sprawl and improve air quality. Rummelsberg in East Berlin is a large-scale sponge city project that uses swales, instead of storm sewer systems, which act as highly absorbent land for rainwater. Cities in the U.S and Indonesia are also looking to incorporate spongy elements and increase greenery in urban areas. 

 

 

Many more technological solutions include devices such as terracotta cooling, solar ovens, and the use of high tech collectively owned blimps for transportation. 

 

 

Social mobilization efforts to spread SolarPunk ideas and solutions are also on the rise. Here is where the punk aspect of SolarPunk really shines. 

 

 

Guerilla gardening is when people sneakily transform these desolate green patches surrounded by concrete pavements into a flourishing oasis of native flora and fauna. The ugly abandoned lots dotting city landscapes can become beautiful gardens with community efforts. Though the legality of these practices can be a bit questionable, the approach to bring back vibrancy and greenery into urban areas has been innovative with seed bombs and seed shakers and have had a hopeful effect around the world. 

Food forests and maker movements are more SolarPunk solutions that have community building effects!

Food forests grow food on all layers of a forest, from the canopy to the root layers, and act as an eco-friendly way for communities to farm. Mimicking ecosystems patterns, food cultivation can be something that rebuilds and strengthens the natural world rather than destroying it.

 

 

Makerspaces are centres that fuel human cooperation and creativity and help combat the loneliness epidemic brought by our fragmented neighbourhoods. By using empty classrooms, underutilized rooms in public buildings, and even spaces in someone’s house, people can come together to share space, tools, and expertise on a wide range of projects like woodworking, 3D printing, coding, and other DIY projects. As of 2016, there are 2000 makerspaces around the world where 26% of U.S cities have a makerspaces. Though 2023 numbers are hard to find, makerspaces are making a return after the pandemic, some stronger than ever. Here is a list of makerspaces around the world.

 

 

As of right now, SolarPunk has not yet reached political discourse among our governments but as a concept, SolarPunk has become increasingly visible in our collective consciousness with more SolarPunk technologies and solutions being built and deployed. The rise of SolarPunk is inevitable as we move towards fighting climate change and doomerism. Even if the world’s problems are overwhelming, the most punk thing you could do is to stand and face it.