Solarpunk: a sustainable cybernetics future
What is Solarpunk. Example of solarpunk projects.
I am writing this article on the way to Prague to attend my first Ethereum conference (ETH Prague). The theme of the event is Solarpunk, a dream of a sustainable future where both nature and humans can thrive with the help of technology.
Engineers, product people, community builders, and sustainability practitioners (like myself) will learn from each other and collaborate in a hackathon to build something great in Web3.
Before sharing my learning from the event, I would like to share more about the concept of Solarpunk and examples of Solarpunk projects.
What is Solarpunk?
Let’s start with what is punk. It's not the type of music that I used to listen to growing up. Punk is a kind of genre of sci-fi or imagination of how the future would look like.
For example, some of you might have seen the cyberpunk genre in movies such as The Matrix or Blade runner 2049. Where the future looks like a dystopian dark world where computers are running the world in cities full of neon lights and sprawling cables.
Another well known impression is steampunk, where the world is seen from a romanticized time during the industrial revolution when steam engines were an important part of daily lives.
And then there is Solarpunk, a movement that believes technology can make the world a better place. Energy abundance, thriving biodiversity, a happy and healthy population, these are some of the examples of a bright future that we want to build. High tech = high life.
Solarpunk is a movement that envisions how the future might look if humanity succeeds to solve major challenges. Integration between environment, social inclusiveness, and technology.
- Kevin Owocki in Green Pill
Example of Solarpunk projects
Just like the first settlers of a new found land, people from different walks of life are coming to form a community that has an aligned vision. This time, it's working on Solarpunk ideas.
Some example of cool ideas that I would like to learn more about during the ETH Prague conference includes:
Renewable energy: Paradigm, a venture fund and research organization, are looking at the potential of using blockchain smart contracts in renewable energy to reduce cost (eliminate intermediaries), increase speed (automated transaction), and efficient supply generation and distribution (machine learning in grid management).
Source: PwC
Architecture: The boutique architect firm Zero Architecture, is looking to apply principles of sustainable architecture and urbanism in the metaverse. For example, using the user experience in the metaverse, to design better buildings in the real world.
These are just snippets of the exciting world of Solarpunk. I hope to learn more about other exciting projects and share them in future articles.
The future is bright, let’s be hopeful Anon!
Thanks for reading this article and enjoy the weather ☀️.