Some worldbuilding context:

The world in question is called Suyanim. Four hundred years ago, the people were protesting against the pollution caused by a factory and destroyed it. The owner of the factory got pissed and FUBAR'd a lot of settlements on Suyanim as revenge. Then Suyanim was split off the rest of the world. The owner of the factory is from a cyberpunk megacity called Lyuknesi, whose megacorps frequently used Suyanim as a landfill.

I was considering having nature be sentient and manifest avatars living among the people on Suyanim, but I wanted Suyanim to be less fantastic and more sci-fi and I wanted the people to end up like that on their own instead of being coerced to.

Didn’t plan on publishing my solarpunk novel this week. But it feels like the time for a story that’s radically hopeful.

We outlive capitalism. In a post-scarcity society, people do things not out of desperation but for joy. Xavi loves nothing more than putting on a silicon tail and swimming as a mermaid. She performs for children. Xavi encourages them and their parents to protect the clean water of the city’s canals. A community treasure, she is the first person who comes to mind when excited doctors develop a surgery to turn someone into a merperson. Xavi pioneers it, pushing the boundaries of transhumanism.

Then the mermaid goes missing.

A local citizen detective discovers Xavi had texted them “help” the night before, when their devices were silenced. The Citizen Detective Society mobilizes across the globe. They hope to crowdsolve the mermaid’s location and soon. Every passing hour reduces the probability they’ll discover her alive.

You can find the ebook on this indie site as well as the two more mainstream ones.

Are there any examples of a currently on going solar punk like project? Any communities that have been created and are functioning? I could go on for days having ideas about how we could live differently in the future, then I ask how do we even get there from here? At times it feels like there is such a big gap from where we are now to a solar punk future. I find it easier to have ideas about what a solar punk community could do but I find it more difficult to come up with practical steps to take from where we are now. Sometimes I think that maybe people just have to give up everything and wing it, but if that is really the case and I can do that, very few other people are in a privileged situation where they can actually do that as well. The solar punk communities I envision are not meant to be an exclusive club for people who have the spare time to ponder things like this and give up everything on an incomplete vision to the future, or a vision without a clear path. The more practical the transition can be imagined than the more people that can come along in my opinion and the more people, the greater the change and experience could be. So I would like to ask, what examples have people come across of practical communities that work in our current time? What does a practical transition look like? What are the first steps? For regular people? I think there are much better thinkers than me that could have great ideas for the future, I would like to know what they could come up with when it comes to the transition. Is it possible to create a framework that is so well thought out that regular people would be compelled to join that path rather than continue on the status quo? I think the solar punk genre is capable of this.

Well, yes, super high-tech solar punk looks cool. We have to remember that technology takes lithium ,cobalt ,and Colton, which are super rare minerals that we only have a very small supply of. We shouldn’t make solutions that contain the need for more cobalt and cotan then Africa can produce . so whenever possible we should use low tech solutions. We don’t need fancy new cooling systems that are high-tech and amazing. We already have heat pumps and traditional, Arabic and Roman building techniques. They just need widespread adoption. we don’t need, tall towers design specifically for growing plants we already have perm culture. We don’t need screens on every clear glass surface. We just don’t need that. Well, yes, they’re aesthetically cool and are foundational to some of our foundational works if we ever want to implement these ideas and beliefs into the real world we have to understand that the real world has limits and we have to follow them.

I'd love to see some kind of ~official~ Solarpunk community page or Feed similar to this subreddit over on Bluesky. Something for people to congregate around, and I think many of the bird app "refugees" would appreciate this kind of hopeful speculative future work focused on climate action, mutual aid, anti-authoritarianism (especially Americans, at a time like this).

Here a just a couple of Solarpunk sources I see there at the moment:

Solarpunk Magazine

hydr⬡ponic- tr∆sh

Kaya's Kosmos

Kaya's Solarpunk Feed

That's all I got, maybe share your page or feed so we can find you there!

The power contained in hurricanes is massive. Tornadoes, thunderstorms, storm surges - they all represent massive transfers of energy as well as recipes for disaster.

A swarm of drones, a jellyfish blimp, or an aetherweave net can be used to capture wind speed, reducing the devastation a storm can cause while generating power for a solarpunk society.

The two most important words in the English language are, “Why,” and, “How.”

When answered honestly, these questions have served to progress humanity greatly. The answers can be simple or complex, but eventually they all end the same.

A child wants McDonalds for dinner. Their mother says no. The child replies, “Why?”

Well, because we had McDonalds yesterday, and two days in a row is too much.

“Why?”

Well, because McDonalds is not healthy for you, and having it multiple times a week is only for emergencies.

“Why?”

Because sometimes we don’t have enough time, or money, or energy to cook a full meal at home, so we’ll go out and get you McDonalds instead, even though it’s not healthy.

“Why?”

Because both I and your other parent work our jobs to pay all our bills.

“Why?”

Because only one of us having a job isn’t enough, so both of us need to work in order to provide enough money to keep all of us alive.

“Why?”

Because if we stop working, we die. We would run out of money within a month or two, and we wouldn’t have any more food at all, McDonalds or not.

“Why?”

Because that is the system that we currently live in in the United States. There is no food for individuals who are no longer able to generate profit.

“Why?”

Because currently in the United States, after years of work by people in power, it has become widely accepted by the public that if you are unable to generate profit you are bad in some way. You’re either lazy, or entitled, or a bum, even though what you do may make the world a better place. You could be a painter or a musician, or maybe you don’t do anything! But if you don’t generate some kind of profit for the class of people above you, you are actively discriminated against.

“Why?”

Because those wealthy people in the class above you need us to keep working. If we stop, they begin to lose all of their money and power. So, to keep us motivated, they hoard things like food, access to healthcare, and the ability for us to generate these things for ourselves.

“Why?”

Because if you’re hungry, sick, or generally in pain, you’re going to do whatever you can in order to make that pain stop. If that means working 40+ hours every week for a minimum wage job, then that’s what people will do.

“Why?”

Because the system was designed to function in that way. It works by having individuals at the top of the pyramid who are able to distribute the workload over many people at the bottom of the pyramid while still retaining all of the profits for themselves.

“Why?”

Well, some people say that it’s because people are inherently greedy, but I don’t think that’s true, because people in this bottom class try their best to look out for each other. We set up mutual aid networks, giving people food and medicine and trying our best to keep everyone safe.

“Why?”

Because we’re all in the same storm together. It is hard for me, but it’s hard for the barista at that coffee shop, the handyman working to fix my plumbing, the teachers at your school, the bartender downtown, and the sanitation workers who keep everything clean for us. Everybody has a big role to play in the community, even artists and musicians, providing us with the beauty that makes life worth living.

“Why?”

Because communities are built on people. Each one of us is unhappy, filled with doubt and fear, anger and remorse, apathy and misery. We try our best to put on smiles every day and ignore all of the terrible things which are happening in the world, but sometimes that gets really hard. It’s easier to survive when everyone is able to work together.

“Why?”

Because relying on someone else is important to them and you. Giving someone a reason to get out of bed in the morning is just as good as getting a reason to get out of bed from someone else. We all suffer, it’s true, but we don’t have to suffer alone, and we don’t have to suffer for long.

“Why?”

Because things are changing. People are beginning to ask questions about things like McDonalds and recognizing that all of these problems go back to the same root. People are getting upset because they’re recognizing their futures aren’t going to be what they thought they would be.

“Why?”

Because we were raised to live in a world that no longer exists.

“Why?”

Because that world is one of sparkling ideals for the future that have been twisted by the greed of that upper class. Our parents told us that we could be anything we wanted, that we could get a good job and earn lots of money, and that no matter what, hard work would pay off for us in the end. This turned out not to be true, though. It turns out none of that is true. It’s not their faults, they had no idea what would happen to the world. It is someone’s fault though.

“Why?”

Because those upper-class wealthy individuals planned for this to happen. They wanted us to shoot for the stars and fall on our faces.

“Why?”

Because it directly benefits them. Our generation failing gives those wealthy class people the security that they’ve always wanted from the system. As long as the lower class is struggling to survive, they’ll do whatever they can, including fighting each other, to live.

“Why?”

Because when people are full of fear they often act irrationally. That’s why you need to be brave. You personally need to go out of your way to be good to everyone, be as kind as you can all the time. You need to help your neighbors, ask if there’s anything you can do, and, most importantly, ask for and accept help yourself. There is no one person who is a fortress. Nobody else is coming to save us, so we must all unite together to change the world.

At this point, the child stops. They look down at the ground for a long moment.

Then, they look at their mother and use the second most important word:

“How?”

Hello! I am looking to finalize solar contract with CertaSun as they have given the cheapest quote in comparison to Sunrun and Tesla. Unfortunately I can't get them installs this year to meet the existing metering program in IL but overall the costs seems fairly reasonable after all the rebate. They are offering me a 8.1KW DC system which would generate ~10500 kWh or 111% of my usage. The net costs post all the credits is $3200.

Anyone here has experience with Certasun? Overall conversations have been good. They are offering a Rec RX 450 black solar panes with 25 year warranty which seems to one of good options available in the market. Is there a better option I should ask for it? Also, is the IL shines rebate taxable income? I am getting mixed messages on this one from the solar companies. Unfortunately I will fall into the new metering program where I won't get full credits but given the low net cost, it still feels worth the investment. Any thoughts?

Anyone with overall experience, please share and also any watchouts.

Movements like solar punk, environmentalism, socialism, and anti-consumption have communities with thousands—sometimes millions—of online supporters.

Each of these supporters carries a spark of belief in a fairer, greener, more just world.

 But how often does that spark turn into a flame? How often do we see the true strength of our numbers?

We have vast communities, yet there’s a disconnect—a feeling that we’re individual voices shouting into the void.

Imagine if that changed.

 Imagine if every single person in these communities had a way to feel, every single day, that they’re part of something real, something powerful.

That’s why I am creating Mseli, a simple, powerful app designed to make that feeling a reality.

Mseli allows users to "Remember" a group, person, or cause each day by going to their profile and clicking an “I remember you” button.

 Imagine a solar punk group with 200,000 members: with Mseli, those 200,000 people could remember the group every day.

For socialism, with millions of members, millions could do the same.

There would be a lot of advantages to this. The following are some of the advantages:

Building Collective Awareness

Through Mseli, users will feel the strength of their community. Every time they open the app and visit a social groups profile, they’ll see how many others remembered it alongside them.

This shared sense of presence builds a powerful foundation for the group’s influence.

A platform for social influence and change

The social group can have a status update which users see before they can press the "Remember" button.

 With hundreds of thousands or even millions seeing a status every day, groups gain a new, highly effective way to share important information.

Imagine hundreds of thousands standing together to boycott a harmful corporation or to advocate for a policy change.

Instead of scattered voices, we would have an organized collective, visible and influential enough to make an impact on corporations, politicians, and the wider culture.

Community Funding and an online direct democracy

 Mseli can also open doors for social groups to monetize these status updates, providing a steady flow of revenue that goes back into the movement.

 Groups could, for instance, sell advertising on these daily status updates to projects or businesses since thousands or even millions see the statuses every day.

The community can then vote on how to allocate the funds to projects or causes creating a sort of online direct democracy.

How the Mseli App Will Attract Users and Scale

Mseli’s user acquisition strategy will involve fostering both personal connections and social group engagement.

The core feature of the app will allow users to “remember” individuals—family members, friends, and acquaintances—on a daily basis, alongside remembering social groups they support.

Allowing individuals to remember family, friends and acquaintances will allow the app to attract all kinds of people even those who for now aren’t interested in social causes or groups.

The app’s scalability will be further enhanced by attracting high-profile endorsers, such as celebrities.

This is because, through Mseli, celebrities will be able to gain consistent visibility, through their fans remembering them every day, without the need to produce new content regularly.

Hence initially, the app will serve more as a tool for daily remembrance of individuals than social causes.

But as the user base grows, the social group dynamics will expand, allowing these groups to scale and amplify their impact.

Conclusion

I am now in the process of creating the Mseli app, an idea that has taken me over six years to develop.

This journey began with my vision of designing a new societal model that would bring us closer to a post-scarcity world, and through that line of thinking, the concept of Mseli was born.

But I can’t do this alone and I’m asking for your support to bring this vision to life.

 I’ve created a sub-Reddit for those who believe in the idea of Mseli

For those who want to see an app that helps us build stronger connections with our families, friends, and social groups.

By joining this community, you will show your support by commenting "I remembered Mseli" on a new post each day, with the post being the date, to show that you appreciate the idea of daily remembrance.

This simple act will not only help validate the concept of remembering people and social groups but also foster a strong community around this project.

We’ll use this space to share progress, ask for suggestions, and even seek funding or testers.

Your participation will also make you part of something truly meaningful—helping to build an app that strengthens relationships and enhances the way we connect with the world.

Progress

I’m currently finishing the main design of the app and preparing to work with developers to build it.

However, I do not have the funds to hire developers at this time, which is why I turned to crowdfunding.

I’ve decided to use Patreon so people can support the project gradually and witness its daily progress.

Unlike platforms like GoFundMe, Patreon will allow you to see the tangible improvements over time.

 And, if at any point I fall short or disappoint, you have the freedom to step away.

The links to the Mseli subreddit and my Patreon page are in the comments section.

I will soon be writing an article about how this subreddit can also utilize such a system for their benefit and to allow the community to grow much closer, thank you for your support.

What are you thinking about the positive possibilities remaining after the disaster of the USA falling to fascism? I'm expecting many more of the formerly stable, mostly democratic (at least internally, more in procedures than values now) countries will fall to majority fascist governments, due to the indirect effects of the USA falling to the global fascist network. Ukraine now seems relatively one of the safest places to go and try to defend some safe havens for the refugees who will have to flee from formerly stable democratic countries in Europe, due to them having the lowest % of fascists in Europe, except for the invaders. That depends whether the rest of Europe steps up to sufficiently defend Ukraine now that the USA won't anymore after January.

I will need to find at least a locally cooperative team to work in, else I know I'm going to be overwhelmed by the continuous despair-inducing news globally.

This is long overdue (I knew I should've done it in 2018, so it's largely too late), but my shitstorm of personal cybersecurity risks has got to go.

I'm currently living in the Netherlands and I don't expect this to remain a safe country in the next phase, with Wilders elected here. France and Germany have been teetering on the edge for a decade or more. The UK is semi recovering altho profoundly inconsistently, with Starmer continuing to normalise the strategic xenophobia narrative and political cultural norms of the "populist"-nationalist movement / proto fascists. (I put "populist" in "" because the usage meaning now is the complete opposite of what it originally meant.)

I'm definitely going to quit Twitter / X when I've finished scraping and saving all my bookmarks. There's no point being there anymore trying to influence things a tiny bit for the better and exposing myself to overwhelming despair-inducing news daily, which is counterproductive for me. I'll move mainly to Mastodon and more Signal again.

I fully appreciate that Solarpunk is supposed to be largely about radical hope, but radical hope isn't wilful blindness or wishful thinking. And we're now in a global societal trajectory which is more likely than not leading to a cascading multi-systems collapse, and we don't have anything like strong enough mutual aid networks yet or tools up to the challenge or a potentially adequate plan to even mitigate the severity and duration of the interregnum period, let alone get together and stabilise a better successor. I'm committed to radical hope but first accepting how close to absolutely hopeless our situation is now. If the best I can do is try to give palliative care for a terminally sick society for the rest of my life so be it, but I'm not going to play make-believe Romantic fantasies about the prospects for the rest of my life and probably at least the next three generations.

Without the USA on-board, there's nearly zero chance of getting an adequate globally democratically coordinated plan and real action to decelerate the climate crisis before it becomes catastrophic and irreversibly so for probably 10,000 years (deep oceans dissolved CO2 circulation period). We're going to have to prioritise mitigating severity of the effects for the worst affected people, as even that will be probably more than our capacities to cope or adapt.

Viral zoonosis ecology has predicted for 20+ years that if we continue as we are doing we're going to have many more viral or microbial pandemics, mainly because of climate chaos x deforestation x chronically sick immunocompromised farm animals x illegal wildlife trade x chronically sick and overstressed humans especially the globally forcibly displaced population ~ 130 million people now and that number is likely to increase exponentially too. Expect the rate of epidemics and pandemics to increase exponentially, more antibiotics will become useless, and with all the other global polycrisis problems hitting us at the same time, vaccine development for the viral ones will be harder to organise and struggle to keep up with their pace.

Walkable neighborhood in former industrial zone: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241104-nordhavn-the-danish-city-thats-been-designed-for-an-easy-life