Investigating Solarpunk, Part 1: A potential positive vision of the future
Often, our work is defined 'negatively' - "less than 2 degrees C", "more solar to reduce the need for fossil fuels", "stop permafrost and glacier melting", "biochar to reduce the need for fertilizer", "EVs to reduce the need for gas cars", etc.
While these are (very) worthy goals, they stop short of offering a positive vision of what world we want to create in the future.
This lack of a vision makes it hard to rally folks together, to inspire those who aren't already interested in climate work, or to even be able to look more than 10 years ahead. We are ceding the vision to other movements, some of which aren't aligned with climate progress.
One recent movement has arisen, at least aesthetically, to try to fill that gap: Solarpunk.
However, the current vision is more vibes-based and less clear on the details, offering something that most already in the climate movement can vaguely agree sounds great, but not a clear vision that others could be convinced by.
Lowell and Schimmy have decided to investigate the movement as a possible positive vision for our own work, and are looking for others to help us explore this path. No requirement to come to all of the sessions (we are expecting ~4-6), but if joining later we'll assign some homework to make sure everyone is on the same page.
For instance, we'd like to start by asking: What is Solarpunk? Does it actually work economically, if so, how? Does the idea actually require certain ideological alignments or values? What technologies 'count' and why? What "built environments" 'count' and why?
Join us to help derive your own clear vision of the future, or to help us discover ours!
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Image sources: https://www.jessicaperlsteinart.com/workszoom/3667292/the-fifth-sacred-thing#/, https://fasterplease.substack.com/p/solarpunk-futurism-seems-optimistic