JOY / / City Living

The Solarpunk Movement: Turning Fiction into Reality

29.12.18 By Bhartiya City

Solar Punk initially emerged as a new movement in science-fiction literature in the 20th century — a movement that envisioned a sustainable, eco-friendly, and optimistic future for Earth and humanity. Contrary to the Punk movement, this one had a more cheerful disposition towards what lay ahead for both society and the larger ecosystem. Their key value? Sustainable living.

This literary and artistic movement imagined a way of life in which sustainability was the central belief on which society would be built. It talked about a post-apocalyptic utopia where people combined eco-friendly living with a technologically advanced lifestyle to strike the perfect balance. And though the movement as a whole has been dormant for quite some time now, it still has pockets of followers across the globe, as well as a lot of valuable insights to offer. As a brief introduction to this philosophy, here are the key tenets of the Solar Punk movement:

Solar Energy and Beyond

The core principle of the Solar Punk movement is that the Sun is capable of providing enough energy for all human requirements. This implies a drastic shift in our culture from non-reusable to reusable sources of energy — a great idea, since solar-powered products are accessible and can be incorporated into our daily lives with ease. The movement isn’t limited to just the use of solar power. It also includes other green habits such as composting, recycling, or reusing discarded items to conserve energy. These steps aren’t just specific to the Solar Punk movement, though. Rather, they lay the foundation for just about any kind of sustainable lifestyle and are a must if you choose to go down the eco-friendly path.

Tech is Your Friend

The Solar Punk vision for the future is heavily tech-driven, but not in the traditional, dystopian sense. Instead, the movement envisions a future where technology, powered by solar energy or any other renewable energy source, is the key to making people more efficient and eco-friendly. By using technology, we have the power to reduce the amount of waste we generate and reshape how we impact the Earth. Adopting little habits such as swapping paperbacks for e-book readers or taking down notes on a laptop instead of paper are simple lifestyle changes you can make that are a nod to Solar Punk culture.

Culture and Energy are Related

One of the most eye-opening learnings we can take away from the Solar Punk movement is that culture and energy are inextricably linked. Solar Punks understand this well, and that’s why the future they dream of isn’t just one of sustainability, but also one of equality, understanding, and interdependence. Their world is one where individuals are treated as equal stakeholders in the community, which in turn impacts how scarce resources are distributed among them. This shows us that switching to sustainability doesn’t just require making surface-level changes, but also addressing the root causes of problems that plague society.

While relying on renewable sources of energy and eliminating discrimination for  m the central pillars of the Solar Punk lifestyle, the crux of it lies in building strong, tight-knit communities. Solar Punks believe that true sustainability lies in coming together and organizing resources collectively. It makes for stronger bonds and amplifies the impact of everyone’s actions. So, the biggest takeaway you can get from this movement is: don’t shy away from relying on your friends and family on your journey to a more energy-efficient way of life.

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, hopefully this underground movement has inspired you to live a more green life, or has at least given you some food for thought.