#this is the prepper shit i am here for
my main criticism of solarpunk is why isn’t it happening
it absolutely is and here’s the wiki we’re building
what exists in terms of community developed sustainable technology
but like any revolutionary social movement it requires active involvement to achieve the change you want to see. Here are some handy resources for getting more involved:
Food Not Lawns- project to help communities feed themselves without capitalism
Food Not Bombs - same idea as above but less emphasis on growing food
The Buy Nothing Project - community resource pooling to combat consumerism
Demand Utopia- Rojava solidarity & social ecology activism - speaking of which, The Internationalist Commune of Rojava have their Make Rojava Green Againproject.
Also, if you want your solarpunk social media then start looking to the decentralised non corporate sunbeam city mastodon instance (blend of tumblr and twitter without your data being sold) where you’ll find shit tonnes of information on making food, growing things, building sustainable technology yourself etc being shared - like this $3 DIY solarpowered USB chargerorthis $30 wind turbine made largely from salvaged parts.
In terms of building online infrastructure to actively combat capitalism, using and helping to develop open-source, community run software & websites like the sunbeam city mastodon instance should be a priority. This is a good alternative to google for searching.
In terms of building real world solarpunk infrastructure as resistance to actively combat capitalism, the organisations linked above are honestly invaluable - especially Food Not Bombs. I’d also add the Industrial Workers of the World (a democratic workers’ union for anyone in the world without hiring/firing power) as well as tenants’ unions - like ACORN in the UK. Finally, find or start a community garden.
It wasn’t until recently that I realized not many people these days know about the Freecycle Network but it’s totally a thing and you should totally know about it.
Finally details for a windmill
no, listen, when I say I want to integrate more specific solarpunk stuff in my life, i don’t mean to ask for yet again new “aesthetic” clothes that now you have to buy or make to show your support of the movement (screw that i’m consuming enough as it is), or more posts about impossible house goals, or whatever, I’m asking you what my options to build a portable and eco friendly phone charger are, im asking you viable tiny-appartment edible plants growing tricks on a budget, im asking tips to slow down when my mind and society tell me im not fast enough, i don’t need more rich art nouveau amateurs aesthetics or pristine but cold venus project, okay, i know i should joins associations where I am tho i’m constantly on the move, thanks for that, just, you know, can we get a bit more practical ??? how do I hack my temporary flat into going off the grid for the time i’m here
Hello! ☀️ Here are a few practical suggestions for stuff you can do:
- Make a bottle tower garden (a small one could do well on a windowsill)
- Make eco-friendly household cleaners
- Germinate strawberry seedsandcare for the plants
- Grow plants from cuttings (you can grow almost anything this way)
- Make a sun jar
- Grow low maintenance houseplants
- Make a string garden
- Make a wall planter
- Germinate an avocado seed
- Make a shoe pocket garden
- Build a mini solar generator
- Re-grow kitchen scraps
- Find the right solar battery charger
- Recycle old solar cells
Hope you find something useful in there! I post stuff up from time to time under my diy tag. Feel free to drop me a message if you have any requests!
- grow oyster mushrooms on waste coffee grounds (also works with shiitake)
- a list of some food plants that can grow indoors with reduced light
- windowsill herbs
- egg carton seed germination
- germinate chayoteandkeep it as a houseplant (the root, stem, leaves, fruit, and seed are all edible)
- choosing a portable solar panel
- tips for energy efficient apartment life (but jsyk LED is better than CFL, and a tank bank or expanding water bottle is better than a brick or bottle of gravel)
- DIY draft stoppers
- DIY solar ovenandrecipes
- evaporative refrigeration
- use conkers/horse chestnuts to replace soap and detergents
- use baking soda as dry shampoo
- cleaning with vinegar do’s & don’tsandcommon myths
- DIY dryer balls
- apartment-friendlybokashi compostingandDIY bokashi bran
- DIY moss terrarium for your soul (ain’t many souls slower or more patient than moss)
- and a list of some easy care indoor plants for your nerves
- and for your bathroomandyour air quality
- recycle t-shirts into yarn for your crafts