We are currently living in a disconcerting age where an unprecedented future unfolds. A once clean and harmonious Earth now bears the wounds of rampant capitalism, enduring colonial legacies, oppressive governments who do not care about enforcing conscientious environmental policies, and instead there is a daily assault on our natural environment, causing disastrous environmental calamities and climate anxiety.
We have been mercilessly lied to, saying that a better and brighter tomorrow is out of arm’s reach and that we should place trust in our unreliable governments to solve climate change and our impending environmental disasters, while our world, our Earth, hurtles towards its own destruction.
The weight of despair settles on all our shoulders as we, as victims of a self-destructive system, breeds hopelessness brought about by governance failures, escalating violence, growing poverty as the line between middle class and lower class shrinks exponentially, and the neglect of our basic needs being met, the ache of feeling powerless against a capitalistic system that only takes and never gives back, and the insidious spread of corruption all throughout political governance.
However, as we stand on the precipice of the tempestuous climate change calamities happening around the globe while managing our technology-driven future, it’s crucial to explore innovative solutions that seamlessly intertwine nature into our daily lives and innovative technological designs.
This is where the Solarpunk movement comes in, a captivating fusion of sustainable technology and eco-centric design principles designed to shape a brighter, greener, and more environmentally friendly future.
Beginning as a sci-fi genre and a social movement, the cyberpunk aesthetic emerged on the internet in 2008. It depicted a dystopian Earth, emphasising urban decay, mechanistic cyberpunk fashion, and corporate influence. The anxieties people face in this technological era, which seems to be advancing too fast for our own good, underpin the cyberpunk genre of science fiction.
The Solarpunk movement, on the other hand, fosters a collaboration between human intelligence and the natural world to aid the upcoming generations of all beings on Earth.
The entire Solarpunk movement is based on a collectivistic vision of a green utopia where nature harmoniously coincides not only with humans but also with technological advancements.
Solarpunk draws its inspirations from various sources which include but are not limited to eco-utopian literature, environmentalism, green architecture, urban greening, and the broader Solarpunk culture, which includes art, fashion, and design.
This environmental movement is extremely idealistic in its approach. Visions of a brighter and sanguine ecologically-centred future, where all societies have collectively resolved the climate crisis.
A Solarpunk society has the goal of being united, sustainable, and technologically advanced in its approach to life, always keeping Mother Nature in mind when designing technological advances or with the way that society is run through an eco-socialistic point of view.
❀ Sustainability: There needs to be a future where sustainability is at the core of all human activity. This includes the various renewable energy sources we use, an array of eco-friendly transport options (particularly access to safe public transport), and green urban planning.
❀ Renewable energies: The widespread use of renewable energies such as solar panels, wind turbines, hydropower, geothermal energy, etc. needs to become commonplace and promoted in places where it is scarce.
❀ Biodiversity: We place emphasis on the importance of nature and its biodiversity. This includes creating green urban spaces, employing urban farming techniques for localised food sources, and using regenerative farming practices such as permaculture. Additionally, there needs to be an active integration of plant life into all architecture.
❀ Community: We promote the idea of cohesive, resilient, and united communities. This includes democratic and fair governance on a local level, a circular economy, and collaborative decision-making that is positively impactful.
❀ Art and Aesthetics: It embraces an artistic and aesthetic dimension, with a focus on creating visually appealing, nature-centric designs and architecture.
Solarpunk aesthetics is the pinnacle of flawlessly blending elements of nature and modern technology with an Art Nouveau-inspired flair. The core emphasis of Solarpunk architecture is how it intertwines nature into the majority of its design elements while simultaneously keeping the environment at the forefront throughout the design and building process.
In essence, to design sustainable architecture with this approach, conscientious consideration must be given to the utilisation of environmentally friendly building materials, as well as planning and engineering with innovative strategies to tackle climate change throughout the thought and implementation process.
To illustrate, a designer could apply renewable energy solutions to help power buildings, traffic lights, street lights, public transport, sewage systems, and various other mechanical systems that require electricity to function effectively.
Furthermore, urban greening could be utilised as much as possible when designing contemporary architectural structures and pedestrian walk-ways, as well as when renovating more antiquated structural designs.
As we survey the worldwide mass consumption of energy and the catastrophic consequences of relying on fossil fuels to meet our energy demands, it is becoming increasingly clear that the environmental degradation resulting from fracking, coal mining, natural gas drilling, and other extraction processes is detrimental to the resilience of the Earth’s finite resources.
The relentless pursuit to meet our pulsating demand for these finite resources has a significant impact on the health of our natural environment. That is why, upon witnessing the exceptional integration and utilization of renewable energy technologies within the Solarpunk movement, your mindset instantly becomes noticeably more optimistic for the future of humanity and the Earth we live on.
We should promptly prioritize the integration of renewable energy technologies, such as wind, tidal, hydroelectric power, solar energy, geothermal energy, and bioenergy, and immediately abandon our archaic reliance on fossil fuels, ensuring a smooth transition that will only ensure the preservation of our planet. This is just one of Solarpunk’s many objectives.
For this movement to be victorious, it has to coincide with climate activism. However, we must reflect on our daily dietary choices and how unsustainable our food system is.
Unfortunately, the animal agriculture industry is also fuelling the destruction of our natural environment, and if we do not transition towards a more plant-based diet, it will be detrimental to the resilience of not only Earth but every living being on this planet.
When surveying the rapid increase in the world’s population on a yearly basis, it is essential that we take a moment to analyse the bigger consequences of how our omnivorous diets are negatively affecting the Earth.
Currently, the vast majority of livestock, including cows, chickens, sheep, pigs, and an unfathomable number of other species of animals, are being kept in factory farms, which have been shown to be not only extremely cruel, inhumane, unsanitary, and pollutive, but are also one of the biggest factors contributing to mass deforestation.
We should all agree that we cannot maintain the promising future of the solarpunk movement if we continue to consume so many animal products. If we evaluate the environmental consequences of consuming livestock, which include things like water usage to produce animal products, land degradation from the sewage runoff from the livestock farms, the rampant deforestation that takes place to erect more livestock farms to keep up with demand, and even the extinction of wildlife species, then we should all conclude that animal products aren’t worth it.
We cannot discriminate against anyone in our efforts to build a better and brighter future, and this is especially true for animals bred specifically for consumption.
All animals are sentient and did not choose to exist for human slaughter and consumption. Honestly, if we were in their shoes, we would choose the freedom to live a life devoid of pain and suffering.
This leaves us with no choice but to embrace a diet that is either primarily or entirely plant-based. This is one of the many ways to further bolster the success of the Solarpunk movement, and we ought to actively transition and advocate for this kind of lifestyle with all its health benefits. Plants have always been the answer.
In light of the deceptive tactics employed by certain environmental organisations and governments that falsely claim to prioritise the well-being of humanity and the environment but consistently fail to deliver on their promises, it is critical for us to learn from their mistakes and avoid making similar lapses when advocating for the Solarpunk movement to come to fruition.
We need to prevent the ongoing greenwashing that has flooded mainstream corporations that advertise their products as sustainable, biodegradable, compostable, or eco-friendly. This is a marketing tactic that numerous companies employ, referring to their idealistic perception of being environmentally conscious while prioritizing profits above all else. It entails them presenting their message in an appealing and “environmentally friendly” or naturistic manner. Regardless of their stance on sustainability, they convey these messages while simultaneously engaging in harmful and exploitative practices that pollute the environment.
Furthermore, as we adopt contemporary technology to assist us in our pursuit of a more environmentally friendly world, we shouldn’t ignore the influence that this technology has on the Earth’s mineral resources. We should not disregard the significance of rare minerals and the unethical mining practices used to extract them as we strive towards a more prosperous future for everyone. We must be consistent in our awareness of the human and environmental consequences of the technologies we will need to advance in this solarpunk paradise.
Finally, it is crucial to remain aware of the soft climate change denial that is significantly affecting this movement. Soft climate change denial refers to the act of someone recognising the existence of climate change while simultaneously avoiding or denying the universal impacts it has on the Earth itself and all its inhabitants. People who actively engage in soft climate change denial fail to recognise the dire need for prompt action to help solve this environmental crisis that affects all of us. We must actively wean ourselves from this mindset and enlighten ourselves about the true dangers of climate change.
Solarpunk is unapologetic, fearless, and hopeful in its approach to spreading the idealistic message of a better and greener future for humanity. As we adjust to this new lifestyle, we must remember not to abandon any living inhabitant on Earth.
This environmental movement offers an alternative narrative to the depressing scenarios often associated with climate change and the dystopian futures we have seen portrayed time and time again.
It encourages people to idealistically imagine, unite, and work together towards a realistic future where sustainable technologies and practices not only combat environmental issues but also lead to a more harmonious and beautiful existence. We should envision a world in which we peacefully coexist on Earth, regardless of our technological advancements.
While it is still a growing movement, Solarpunk continues to inspire and unite people who share the vision for a greener and more hopeful future.
