solarpunkpresentspodcast

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

Heyo followers, we’re on YouTube! 

You can listen to us in video form, if you prefer to get your podcasts that way. We are also vlogging and making shorts about our daily lives, paying attention to the details that we think solarpunks of different stripes might find interesting. Tune in for new episodes every three weeks, as well as bonus episodes and some shorts about the daily ins and outs of middle-aged ladies trying to be solarpunk in Canada and Germany.

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

Places to get more good news, highly suggest subscribing to these

Newsletters:

Fix the News

GoodGoodGood

Waging Nonviolence

The Progress Network

Positive.News

The Progress Playbook

Podcasts:

Hope Is a Verb

Outrage + Optimism

These (disclaimer unlike everything else on this list I haven't actually checked these out myself):

Keep your head up. I hear they're calling it hopequesting and hopescrolling now

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"Nostalgia bias has become a bigger and bigger part of our politics, thanks in part to President Donald Trump’s largely successful ability to leverage a collective longing for a supposedly better past. (After all, it’s called “Make America Great Again,” not “Make America Great.”) But it’s hardly the domain of one party: A 2023 survey from Pew found that nearly six in 10 respondents said that life in the US 50 years ago was better for people like them than it is today.

Fifty years ago was the 1970s, and it doesn���t take too much historical research to see how that decade doesn’t match up to our happy memories... But what about a more recent, seemingly actually better decade? One that’s suddenly surfing a wave of pop-culture nostalgia? A decade like…the 1990s?

One 2024 survey from CivicScience found that the 1990s were the single decade respondents felt most nostalgic for (while the most recent decade, the 2010s, finished dead last). Nor, to my surprise, is this just the product of aging Gen X-ers pining for their flannel-clad youth — another survey found that over a third of Gen Z-ers were nostalgic for the 1990s, despite the fact most of them had not yet been born then, while 61 percent of millennials felt the same way.

As collective memory goes, these were years of steady economic and productivity growth, of reduced existential threat thanks to the end of the Cold War, and of really, really good movies. Compare that to today’s fears of AI-driven economic disruption, the renewed threat of nuclear conflict, and the general death of the movies.

But look closely, and you’ll realize that our memories of the 1990s are fatally blurred by nostalgia. Here are four reasons why the 1990s weren’t as good as the present day.

1) A far more violent country

I’ve written before about how Americans have this stubborn habit of believing the crime is getting worse even when it’s actually getting better. But holy cow, was America violent and murderous in the 1990s!

In 1991, the highest violent crime rate in US history was recorded, with 758.2 incidents per 100,000 people. And it didn’t get better for a while — 1992 holds the record for the most violent crimes in a single year, while 1993 had the highest number of murders nationally.

Compare that to 2024, when the violent crime rate fell to 359.1, the lowest in 20 years and less than half the rate of 1991, while the homicide rate this year [2025] may well hit the lowest level ever. And while the 1990s as a decade saw a historic drop in crime, the violent crime rate in 1999 was 524.7 per 100,000 — still well above last year’s level.

2) A much poorer world

At the start of the 1990s, nearly 40 percent of the entire world was in a state of extreme poverty, living on $2.15 or less a day. What that meant in reality was that for almost half the world, life was lived on the edge of grinding subsistence, much as it had been for centuries, with seemingly little chance for change. In China, for instance, some two-thirds of the population was in extreme poverty. The idea that the world’s largest nation would ever become rich would have been laughable.

Today, as I’ve written before, that picture has utterly changed. Just 8.5 percent of the world’s now much larger population lives in extreme poverty, which translates to over a billion people escaping near-total destitution. While you might want to go back in time to the 1990s, I can almost guarantee that none of them would...

3) A nearly unchecked HIV pandemic

There are countless ways in which health statistics globally have improved since the 1990s — the child mortality rate alone has fallen by 61 percent since 1990 — but the most striking one to me is HIV.

At the dawn of the 1990s the HIV epidemic looked unbeatable: The US lost 31,196 people to AIDS in 1990, and by 1995 it was the leading killer of Americans aged 25-44. Global AIDS deaths were racing toward the 2-million-a-year mark, and even when the first truly effective multi-drug cocktail debuted in 1996, it reached only a tiny share of patients globally.

Today the picture has flipped. About 30.7 million people — 77 percent of everyone with HIV — receive treatment, and global AIDS deaths have fallen to around 630,000. In 2022 there were fewer than 20,000 AIDS deaths in the US, and many cities are realistically aiming to zero out cases and deaths in the near future. There’s even real hope for an effective vaccine.

4) A less tolerant, less educated population

Though it might not seem like it in our highly polarized present moment, a number of important social attitudes have flipped since the Clinton years. When Gallup first asked in 1996, just 27 percent of Americans backed legal same-sex marriage; support now sits at 71 percent, and it has been legal throughout the country since 2015. In 1991, fewer than half of adults approved of Black-white marriages, yet by 2021 that share had rocketed to 94 percent. Together these shifts mark a dramatic expansion of everyday acceptance for LGBTQ people, interracial families, and other forms of diversity.

Opportunity gaps, while far from closed, have narrowed. Women earn about 84 cents for every dollar a man does today, up from roughly 76 cents in 1998. College attainment has surged: Only about 20 percent of adults held a bachelor’s degree in 1990, versus nearly 39 percent of women and 36 percent of men in 2022.

As decades go, the 1990s did have a lot going for them, though as someone who was in their late teens and early 20s during much of them — precisely the ages we’re most nostalgic for — you can’t take my word for it. And our current moment has no shortage of problems, including some that 30 years ago we would have considered dead and buried. But don’t let your inaccurate memories of the past distort your ability to see how far we’ve come."

-via Vox, August 12, 2025. Paywall free link here.

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sweet dandys

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Hello followers, just dropping a note into your feed because apparently you can sell individual posts on Patreon now?!?!

We are clearly behind the curve, because this feature has been out for a while but we haven’t really done anything about it. That said, you can navigate to our shop and purchase things like bonus episode excerpts that didn’t get included in the final episode version, other bonus audio, and dispatches, which are available to our supporters at higher tiers.

BUT if you’re perusing the shop and see a topic that interests you, you don’t have to get an ongoing subscription - you can just buy the one thing and be done with it! Extremely neat.

Anyway, just thought to let you know, in case you see anything that catches your eye. I’ll be posting this as a reminder periodically so you can check back and see if there’s anything new and interesting that’s been made available for sale in the last while (we don’t actually offer all of the dispatches… some are a bit more private and so they stay behind the membership wall, and some of them end up being freely available content).

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Ariel & Christina Discuss the Solarpunk Merits of Walkaway by Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow’s 2017 novel Walkaway has a reputation in solarpunk circles as a great example of a solarpunk lifestyle, and a must-read book for everyone from the individual who lives and breathes solarpunk to the solarpunk-curious to general science fiction fans. But what is it about Walkaway that gives it solarpunk cred? Ariel and Christina ponder this, discussing features of the novel that could be considered solarpunk, and some that might be more post-cyberpunk than anything, and how some of the ideologies and technologies are or have been applied in our present world. Is the world of Walkaway an achievable solarpunk paradise, or a nice hopeful story featuring very cool gadgets and bites of lefty philosophy? Or something else entirely? What is the draw, here, anyway? Join us to think through some of the quandaries and ideas the book raises.

Links:

https://catholicworker.org/aims-and-means/

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/79r7c7/is_cory_doctorows_book_walkaway_solarpunk/?rdt=44395

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/1fgv88h/has_anyone_on_this_sub_read_walkaway_by_cory/

https://theportalist.com/solarpunk-books

https://alxd.org/solarpunk-lenses-and-foundations.html

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765392770/walkaway/

https://edgeryders.eu/t/solarpunk-and-permaculture/12079

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/18ajw7y/solarpunk_fiction_where_to_start/

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/1bfrpy6/solarpunk_fictionutopias/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60353916

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_ping

https://fortune.com/2022/09/01/quiet-quitting-anti-work-job-lying-flat-china-us-economy-global/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10384867/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20230120-how-gut-bacteria-are-controlling-your-brain

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/06/24/nx-s1-5018044/gut-microbiome-microbes-mental-health-stress

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Signals-from-Gut-Biome-to-Brain-and-Behavior.aspx

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-so-funny-the-science-of-why-we-laugh/

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

Ariel & Christina Discuss the Solarpunk Merits of “Walkaway” by Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow’s 2017 novel Walkaway has a reputation in solarpunk circles as a great example of a solarpunk lifestyle, and a must-read book for everyone from the individual who lives and breathes solarpunk to the solarpunk-curious to general science fiction fans. But what is it about Walkaway that gives it solarpunk cred? Ariel and Christina ponder this, discussing features of the novel that could be considered solarpunk, and some that might be more post-cyberpunk than anything, and how some of the ideologies and technologies are or have been applied in our present world. Is the world of Walkaway an achievable solarpunk paradise, or a nice hopeful story featuring very cool gadgets and bites of lefty philosophy? Or something else entirely? What is the draw, here, anyway? Join us to think through some of the quandaries and ideas the book raises.

Links:

https://catholicworker.org/aims-and-means/

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/79r7c7/is_cory_doctorows_book_walkaway_solarpunk/?rdt=44395

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/1fgv88h/has_anyone_on_this_sub_read_walkaway_by_cory/

https://theportalist.com/solarpunk-books

https://alxd.org/solarpunk-lenses-and-foundations.html

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765392770/walkaway/

https://edgeryders.eu/t/solarpunk-and-permaculture/12079

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/18ajw7y/solarpunk_fiction_where_to_start/

https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/1bfrpy6/solarpunk_fictionutopias/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60353916

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_ping

https://fortune.com/2022/09/01/quiet-quitting-anti-work-job-lying-flat-china-us-economy-global/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10384867/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20230120-how-gut-bacteria-are-controlling-your-brain

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/06/24/nx-s1-5018044/gut-microbiome-microbes-mental-health-stress

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Signals-from-Gut-Biome-to-Brain-and-Behavior.aspx

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-so-funny-the-science-of-why-we-laugh/

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Sauce?

France has just unveiled a groundbreaking wind turbine with no blades and no moving parts, and it's revolutionizing how we think about renewable energy.

Located on a windswept plateau in Normandy, this turbine uses a concept called vortex shedding. As the wind flows around a vertical cylinder, it creates alternating low-pressure zones that make the structure gently sway. This movement is then harvested using piezoelectric materials and magnetic induction to generate clean, usable electricity.

The best part is that this generator doesn’t rely on spinning blades or noisy gearboxes, making it incredibly low maintenance and much quieter than traditional turbines. It’s also safer for wildlife and doesn’t disturb the neighbors.

Each unit generates around 100 watts, perfect for off-grid homes, rural sheds, or areas where traditional turbines can’t fit. When grouped together, these minimalist turbines could create a microgrid, providing power for lights or small appliances, even in cloudy regions where solar might not be reliable.

What’s more, the system is modular, durable, and lightweight. No heavy concrete base or high-speed rotating parts means it’s super easy to transport and install, making it perfect for emergency setups in refugee camps or remote areas.

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A library of free-to-use Solarpunk art ☀️

A friend of mine launched this website yesterday, it's meant to promote human-made Solarpunk illustrations, so that we'll see less blurry, wobbly, weird fucking skyscrapers covered in vague green blobs attached to Solarpunk-related articles etc.

All the images available are under some version of the Creative Commons license! You can use them for zines, blog posts, papers, social media banners and so on, as long as you give credit and don't restrict others' access to them either.

If you yourself have an illustration you think would be a good fit, you can submit it here :D

You can find 7 of my own works there as well!

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Hey friends, come follow us on Mastodon @solarpunkpresents@climatejustice.social! We post a lot of content there, and Ariel is a lot more active with replies over there (usually….).

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Support independent solarpunk media!

Heyo followers and friends and solarpunks, here’s your reminder for the day that we have a Patreon and we need support! This podcast is a passion project run by two people who have (multiple) other jobs, aging and sick family members, and the endless tasks of adulting to attend to, and that means we’re pretty busy and paying for this out of our own pockets. We're ad-free and we'd like to keep it that way.

So if you like what we do, or you want some of that sweet sweet bonus content and early access to episodes, or just want to support solarpunk work in the present, please support us financially through Patreon (starting as low as $3 a month) or make a one-time donation through PayPal.

If you’re hard up for cash, but still would like to support us and solarpunk in general but just can’t financially right now, it would still go a long way if you could take a moment to write us a review on your podcatcher of choice, or subscribe to our YouTube channel and leave us a comment on your favourite video. If you really liked a certain episode, please share it with someone you know who you think would like it - word of mouth is really important for podcasts!

As I’ve said before, it's rough out there for anyone valuing the environment, social justice, compassion, and more, and we want to keep doing our part to keep hope alive. We want to broaden the imagination of what it's possible to do to contribute to a better world, no matter who you are, where you live, or what life stage you're at.

-Ariel

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PROTEST TOMORROW

Check the listing for your local area

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

Jul 9, 2025

The Flint water crisis began in 2014, after lead-contaminated drinking water was found to be leaching out from aging pipes into homes citywide.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Natural Resources Defense Council, with help from other activists and nonprofits, have released statements on the recent progress, celebrating the milestone.

The statements which they chalk up the crisis to “cost-cutting measures and improper water treatment,” that the state “didn’t require treatment to prevent corrosion,” after a “a state-appointed emergency manager” switched the water supply to the Flint River.

There is no safe level of lead exposure; each nanogram causes harm. In addition to long-known risks, such as damage to children’s brains and certain cancers, there is also significant evidence that exposure to lead is linked to numerous cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attack.

The coalition mobilized the citizenry and filed a lawsuit against Flint and Michigan state officials to secure safe water. The result was a settlement in March 2017, under which a federal court in Detroit ordered Flint to give every resident the opportunity to have their lead pipe replaced at no cost, as well as conduct comprehensive tap water testing, implement a faucet filter distribution and education program, and maintain funding for health programs to help residents deal with the effects of Flint’s tainted water, according to the NRDC.

The coalition then returned to court six times in six years to ensure the city and state kept to the timeline, which was delayed by COVID-19, and other reasons which The Detroit News described as “spotty record-keeping” and “ineffective management.”

On July 1st, the State of Michigan submitted a progress report to a federal court confirming that, more than eight years after the settlement, nearly 11,000 lead pipes were replaced and more than 28,000 properties were restored where the maintenance had taken place.

Of the 4,200 buildings where lead pipes are known to still be in service, their owners have either left the properties vacant, abandoned, or have declined the free replacement under the Safe Water Drinking Act. The coalition has said it will continue to monitor city and state progress on these remaining lines.

“Thanks to the persistence of the people of Flint and our partners, we are finally at the end of the lead pipe replacement project,” said Pastor Allen C. Overton of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, one of the organizations that sued the city. “While this milestone is not all the justice our community deserves, it is a huge achievement.”

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If you wanna dig deeper into this I'd recommend reading "The Trouble With Wilderness" by William Cronon, which kinda kicked off a lot of (white/American) academic inquiry into ""environmentalism""" as an unquestioned thing.

thinking about what is and what isn't allowed in frame with reference ecosystems in prairie restoration

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At least do the sky puppies right.

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If you don't have a lot of cash money for this sorta thing, potlucks are always a fun thing, as are meal-prep parties, where you all contribute to making a huge batch of chili or something that you can all share out. even just asking folks to come by for games and plz bring a snack or whatever is a step towards this.

Hard to get your friends to come hang out? Be less casual about your desire for friendship and company. Offer to feed them.

Any pre-event food planning and discussion is motivating and connective, cause then we're collaborating on our basic needs. Daal is inexpensive and nutritious and fits many ppl's dietaries. Potlucks are fun!

If you want to host a group for more than 3 hours, ppl are gonna need to eat. Sharing food is an innate human ritual that bonds us together, any attempt is better than putting it in the too hard basket. Feed your friends how you can. Plan to feed each other.

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https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/navigating-the-mysteries/