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7 reasons why solarpunk is the most important speculative fiction movement in the last 20 years

It’s hopeful. Solarpunk doesn’t require an apocalypse. It’s a world in which humans haven’t destroyed ourselves and our environment, where we’ve pulled back just in time to stop the slow destruction of our planet. We’ve learned to use science wisely, for the betterment of ourselves and our planet. We’re no longer overlords. We’re caretakers. We’re gardeners.

Scientists are heroes again. And not just physicists and astronomers. Knowledge of biology and earth sciences matter, they’re the building blocks for a future on Earth. Scientific literacy isn’t just for academics – it’s part of daily life. People know how the things they use work, and if they don’t, they can access that information. 

It’s diverse. Solarpunk is rooted in using the environment, so it looks different in different places. Alternative energy is best when specific to place (I imagine geothermal, wind, tidal, and hydroelectric energy sources are still used in certain places) so no overarching government system is needed. Communities can organize themselves, taking their own location and needs and history into account. Brazilian, Inuit, Egyptian, Pacific Northwest, and New Zealand solarpunk can all look very different, but be unified in resourceful, intentional, low impact living.

Individuality still matters. In a post-scarcity society, ingenuity and self-expression are not sacrificed on the altar of survival. With solar power there’s no reason not to go off grid, if that’s what you want to do. Communities can self-organize. You can find a community that suits you, or go live by yourself if that floats your boat.

There’s room for spirituality and science to coexist. Solarpunk is rooted in a deep understanding and reverence for natural processes. There’s room for spirituality there, be it pagan, Buddhist, Sufi, Transcendentalism – anything. There’s so much to explore, from nature worship to organized monotheistic religions, and how they interact with solarpunk.

It’s beautiful. The most common solarpunk aesthetic is art nouveau, but again there’s room for diversity, incorporating art styles from multiple cultures in respectful, non-appropriative ways. The most important aspect of solarpunk aesthetic is the melding of art and utility. The idea of intentional living is strong in art nouveau, but it’s not the only art movement with that philosophy.

We can make it happen. Now. Earthships. Permaculture. Aquaponics. Algae lighting. Compostable products that turn into fields of flowers. Buy Nothing organizations. Tiny, beautiful, efficient homes. Solar power cells you can see through. That’s all happening now. Solarpunk is within our grasp, at least on a personal level. I’m not saying there aren’t still big, ugly infrastructures devoted to unethical consumption, but we can start to tear them down. We can build a solarpunk world with stories and small changes. And small changes lead to big changes. That’s the real beauty of solarpunk. It’s not a post-apocalyptic power fantasy. It’s not a wistful daydream, or an elite future only for physicists. It’s something we can work towards right now. It’s tangible.

Extraterrestrialmoon.com

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Clean energy technologies threaten to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt.

The centralized, top-down power grid is outdated. Time for a bottom-up redesign.

The US power grid is, by some estimates, the largest machine in the world, a continent-spanning wonder of the modern age. And despite its occasional well-publicized failures, it is remarkably reliable, delivering energy to almost every American, almost every second of every day.

This is an especially remarkable accomplishment given that, until very recently, almost none of that power could be stored. It all has to be generated, sent over miles of wires, and delivered to end users at the exact second they need it, in a perfectly synchronized dance.

Given the millions of Americans, their billions of electrical devices, and the thousands of miles of electrical wires involved, well, it’s downright amazing.

Still, as you may have heard, the grid is stressed out. Blackouts due to extreme weather (hurricanes, floods, wildfires) are on the rise, in part due to climate change, which is only going to get worse. The need for local resilience in the face of climate chaos is growing all the time.

Unless old systems are reconceived and redesigned, they could end up slowing down, and increasing the cost of, the transition to clean electricity (and hampering the fight against climate change).

(via Renewable energy threatens to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt. - Vox)

Not Herbalism but Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds just put out their 2019 Catalog. It’s time to plan gardens now, so that when spring comes, you can execute that plan. I have lived in apartments with very little space for the past 7 years, so I thought I’d share my “grows well in containers list” with you guys.

Greens: Most greens, spinach, arugula, lettuces, some cabbages, etc. will grow in a container quite well.

Herbs: Similar to above, you can get your typical herbs to grow in pots quite well, usually. The yield with herbs is always very good too.

Anything with “Tom Thumb” or “Dwarf” in front of it: These are varieties made for containers, basically. They’re very, very small. There’s peas, corn (as in pop corn), tomatoes. Lots of stuff. Even flowers.

Cheery Tomatoes: In general, with any “regular” veg, you’ll probably need a larger pot (Think like 1 gal). If you’re willing to go the distance, though, cherry tomatoes are a great container plant, in my opinion.

Alpine Strawberries: Again, somewhat larger (though not as large as above) is recommended to get more berries. These guys are tiny strawberries. Like one bite berries. 

Banana Peppers: I had two plants. They went wild. I ended up with several fresh peppers mixed into stir fry all summer and then two large canned jars of them, which I munched on through fall to the very very beginning of winter.

Carrots: Actually, if you’ve got a tall enough pot, you can grow regular carrots. But I like the Parisienne or other little round globe varieties. 

Radishes: Similar concept to the carrots. Small, round. Remember to eat your radish and carrot greens as well. 

Green onions: Either a chive situation or, some companies do actually have very small, like golf ball sized onions.

Look for “container mixes” on seed sites: Quite a few seed sights often put together container seed mixes. They’re usually the varieties recommended by the company. 

So that’s my list. Remember, grow what you want to eat. Also, a good plan is grow what is hard for you to buy. That way you aren’t doubling down on what you can easily find in town. 

How to Turn Shoe Pockets into a Vertical Vegetable Garden

By juliedillon // Support the artist

“This is my first cabbage! You know, a lot of times they’re kind of soft, but this one is solid! It’s going to be good eatin’!“  “What are you going to make with it?” “Well, this one I’m giving to my parents. You have to give the first one away or you just spoil the whole spirit of gardening.”