DoomsdaysCWSo, I have issues digesting too many beans (though I love them), but I can digest NUTS! I'll be researching (and posting) more about nuts on #SolarPunkSunday ! 🌰
I've been researching a cool (and timely) topic for this week's #SolarPunkSunday... #Chestnuts! So many uses! And #AmericanChestnut trees are making a comeback!
So, I just made up some hand-salve without essential oils, and with cat-safe ingredients! After I tweak the recipe, I'll be gifting some to a friend who has a number of cats.
Cat-safe ingredients:
- Beeswax
- Cocoa Butter
- Tallow
- Palm Oil
- Olive Oil
Even coconut oil can be problematic, it seems!
#CatSafeIngredients #DIYGifts #HandSalve #PetSafety #SolarPunkSunday
Leaving you all with this essay about the #ExistentialDread a lot of us are experiencing, and how one person found hope through #SolarPunk! (And I am another one of those people!)
It's been a record-breaking #SolarPunkSunday, and a great way to celebrate a year of #Resiliency, #SharingInformation, #Rewilding, #Mending, #Gardening, and building the foundation for the future we all need! I'll re-post a few articles from yesterday, and then will call it a Solar Punk day! ! A special thanks to @BrambleBearGrrrauwling and @MaQuest !
A Future Dream - How solarpunk helped alleviate my existential dread.
Solarpunk pushes against the bleak Blade Runner future of cyberpunk that centers urban dystopias dominated by corporations and technology. Solarpunk imagines an #inclusive, #sustainable, possible future, where #renewable #technology meets #ecological #enlightenment.
by Sage Agee, Art by Yuumei, Spring 2023
"LIKE MANY OF MY GENERATION, I have known dread nearly my entire life. In fifth grade, I was assigned a research paper on the topic of my choice. I had begun to spend my weekends with my dad, hanging out at coffee shops in downtown Salem, Oregon, and chatting with adults about the news. We had just witnessed the 9/11 attacks, and the adults in my life seemed to be waking up to global issues, their fear palpable even to a young child.
"This was not long after the release of #AnInconvenientTruth, and I decided to interview my dad’s friends about #ClimateChange and their predictions for the future. When I turned in the finished paper, which detailed mass extinctions and natural disasters, my teacher, Mrs. Stark, wouldn’t accept it. She didn’t believe in climate change, she said, and I needed to study a different topic.
"After that, I felt myself slipping from endless curiosity about the world into a mindset where I had to prepare for the worst, and trust no one. This helped me create the shield I needed to get through adolescence. By then, I knew that my gender and sexuality didn’t align with typical gender roles, but I kept that secret close to my tape-bound chest.
"Solarpunk represents a movement from today’s reality toward a gritty, pragmatic, better future.
"Before my parents divorced, we went to an Evangelical church every Sunday, and I learned to pray each night before bed. These prayers became a place for me to put every bad thought I would have during the day, to pass them along to God. I had already developed a deep shame for my thoughts of being more boyish, and I prayed for these thoughts to end, just as I prayed for an end to natural disasters. I prayed for a better girl-mask. I prayed for a better world. My compulsive thinking followed me into my teenage years. In the ninth grade, I started an environmental justice group, hosting letter-writing parties and taking part in local protests at the Oregon Capitol, but when anti-green legislation passed into law, or when images emerged detailing islands of garbage in the ocean, I blamed myself for not doing more.
"This kind of thinking kept me from coming out as transgender. Every time I had an intrusive thought about growing facial hair and passing as a boy, my self-blame returned. Maybe I wasn’t trying hard enough to be a girl; maybe I just needed to date boys and straighten my hair and shave my legs and wear makeup; maybe too, I needed to do more about the environment, protest more, organize more, do something more. I kept making up versions of myself. I only talked about environmental justice around my dad’s liberal friends. I only downplayed my femininity around my queer friends.
artwork depicting someone reading in a futuristic setting
"The one place where I escaped from this constant masking and shifting was in the books I consumed. At 17, I read #UrsulaLeGuin’s series of novels, the #HainishCycle, for the first time. I was instantly drawn into the worlds she created, where gender was fluid, as in #TheLeftHandOfDarkness, where some worlds grappled with climate disaster just as some had overcome it, as in #TheDispossessed. The way she experimented with the utopian, which always included queerness and dissolved gender roles, was like nothing I had read or experienced.
"When I allowed myself to fall into these fictions, my dread would turn over into an almost hopeful outlook. I understood this as fantasy, though, and never considered taking what I had read in LeGuin into my real life. Instead, I spent years dreaming of alternate realities, where I hadn’t been born into a doomed world. To cope with the real world, I would make lists of everything I would need to survive a catastrophe, and I taught myself #SurvivalSkills, like how to build a friction fire in the backyard."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/PHXNH
#SolarPunkSunday #Earth4All #HopePunk #BuildingCommunity #Resiliency
Just a reminder... Especially when making gifts for those with cats!
ASPCA List of Toxic #EssentialOils for Cats You Should Avoid
Author Becky Murray
Posted Aug 20, 2025
Excerpt: "If you're a cat owner who loves aromatherapy, be aware that some essential oils can be toxic to your feline friends. The ASPCA has a list of oils to avoid, and it's essential to check it out.
Peppermint oil is one of the oils on the list, and it can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats if ingested.
Some oils, like tea tree oil, can cause more severe symptoms, including tremors, seizures, and even liver failure in cats.
Eucalyptus oil is another oil to steer clear of, as it can cause respiratory problems and other issues in cats.
Other common toxic essential oils to cats and dogs include cinnamon, citrus, clove, peppermint, sweet birch, thyme, and YlangYlang.
If your pet comes into contact with any of these oils, immediately contact your vet, the ASPCA Poison Control Center, or visit the nearest veterinary emergency hospital.
Some essential oils that are particularly toxic to cats include:
Lavender oil (especially toxic to cats)
Oregano oil (especially toxic to cats)
Pine oil
Sweet Birch oil
Tea Tree oil
Thyme oil
Wintergreen oil
Ylang Ylang oil
Remember, even if an essential oil is natural, it's not inherently safe for your cat. Always keep essential oils out of reach of your pets and consult with your veterinarian if you're unsure about the safety of any product."
https://www.nahf.org/article/aspca-list-of-toxic-essential-oils-for-cats
#SolarPunkSunday #DIYGifts #DIY #DIYHouseholdProducts #DIYSkinCareProducts #Aromatherapy #PetHealth #CatSafeIngredients #CatHealth
Floating gardens, #CleanEnergy, and #CommunityFirst: Why '#solarpunk' #architecture gives us #ClimateOptimism
Dec 12, 2025
"Imagine floating towers teeming with lush greenery that look out over clean waterways overflowing with wildlife. As you glance down, you realize pedestrians outnumber cars — which fly on renewable energy — and people mill about in community gardens and meeting spaces as plants and solar panels alike drink in sunlight.
"Welcome to the dream world of a 'solarpunk' city.
"Solarpunk is derived from #cyberpunk, a genre of speculative fiction that was coined by author #BruceBethke in 1983 with the release of his sci-fi short story of the same name, which follows a group of young #RebelHackers.
"From there, cyberpunk spawned a slew of futuristic aesthetics, ideals, and stories. But solarpunk — a term which first sprang up online in 2008 — goes a step further than cyberpunk, and its fantastical subgenre steampunk, by encapsulating not just a style or genre, but an entire #SocialMovement.
"#JaySpringett is the co-administrator of solarpunks.net, a website that curates articles, stories, and artwork that are representative of the movement. Spend a minute scrolling on the site and common themes will emerge: #rewilding efforts, #gardening methods, #rainwater harvesting, #VisibleMending practices, and so much more. [Hey, that sounds a lot like what we cover on #SolarPunkSundays!]
" 'I have always considered solarpunk to be focused on the practical as opposed to the wishful thinking,' Springett told Built In, a Chicago software company. 'And it’s a discussion that’s becoming more and more prominent.' "
Read more:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/solar-punk-green-architecture-futuristic-design
Well rats! I don't have access to this article (even through my uni). And no, I'm not going to pay for it. But, it is good to read about #SolarPunk being covered in #Academia!
The Solarpunk #Resiliency: An Alternative Approach to Transitioning Toward the #PostOil #Urbanscapes
Irem Sezer, 24 July 2025
Abstract:
"This speculative paper explores the interplay between the Solarpunk movement, resilience design, #EnvironmentalJustice, and #sustainable #urban development within the context of the transition to the post-oil era. With a concentrated focus on the new and potential forms of post-oil urbanscapes, the study aims to explore how Solarpunk-inspired resilience design could address transitioning challenges and opportunities while creating a capacity for #SocialEquity and resilience in urban environments. Through an analysis of theoretical frameworks and speculative resiliency strategies, the study seeks to represent the potential of Solarpunk-inspired approaches to foster more #inclusive, #equitable, and sustainable #communities. The research methodology focuses on a theoretical review to investigate the conceptual foundations and potential design outcomes of the Solarpunk movement and provides resilience design strategies. While drawing a future projection of the post-oil urbanscapes, the paper discusses the reimagined petroculture heritages. Key findings of the study underscore the transformative and speculative potential of Solarpunk resilience design in advancing environmental justice and sustainability goals. By prioritizing community engagement, participatory decision-making, and decentralized #renewable energy systems, the Solarpunk movement offers innovative solutions to address the alternative ways of change in urban spaces. In conclusion, this study adds to the conversation about Solarpunk resilience design by looking at possible solutions and discussing how #EnvironmentalJustice, sustainability, and Solarpunk’s theory are connected in the context of cities going through a post-oil transition. Through its interdisciplinary approach, the study offers speculative future projections and invites architects, designers, policymakers, planners, and practitioners to a creative thinking process to create more just, equitable, and sustainable cities in the era of energy transition."
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-92188-9_10
The Solarpunk Resiliency: An Alternative Approach to Transitioning Toward the Post-Oil Urbanscapes
This speculative paper explores the interplay between the Solarpunk movement, resilience design, environmental justice, and sustainable urban development within the context of the transition to the post-oil era. With a concentrated focus on the new and potential...
Unfortunately, I found out about this event after it was over. But I'm bookmarking the host and will keep an eye out for future conferences!
#IndigenousFuturisms #Seattle - 2025!
Saturday, November 15, 2025
12:00 PM 8:00 PM
North Seattle College (map)
"Join the #IndigenousFuturistsSociety and their community partners for Seattle’s first indigenous futurisms experience!
"This event will take place at North Seattle college and will include workshops, panels and interactive experiences featuring indigenous youth, adults, and elders from our communities.
"Event Description: indigenous futurisms - Seattle is envisioned as an intragenerational, multi-sensory experience that brings together a #community dedicated to imagining and building a brighter future, rejecting #dystopia. The event will feature workshops, panels, and showcases, cumulating in a community celebration! It aims to explore Indigenous Futurism and #Solarpunk concepts, focusing on how we can use social imagination to create a better world and the skills we need to develop now to achieve it.
"Key Components:
- Immersive World Experience: Walk through the multi-sensory worlds, with food, inspired-outfits
- Workshops: Led by and for Indigenous folks, covering various skills and topics.
- Panels: Discussions on Indigenous Futurism, Solarpunk, and related themes.
- Showcases: Presentations of current projects and initiatives.
- Dance Party: A celebratory conclusion to the event."
Source:
https://www.indigenousfuturists.org/events-2-1
#SolarPunkSunday #IndigenousPeople #Futurism #DreamingTheFuture #Technology #TraditionalKnowledge
Best #GreenCities: 12 Greenest Cities In The World And Why - #UnityEnvironmentalUniversity (formerly #UnityCollege)
March 6, 2024
"What Makes A City Green?
"What are green cities? A green city is a city that actively works to foster the health and #WellBeing of its people and the #NaturalEnvironment. Often, we look at government policies, community practices, and infrastructure to determine whether a city is 'green' or not.
"However, the greenness of a city actually exists on a spectrum and is multi-faceted. There is no such thing as the greenest city. The greenest cities in the world are those that are doing more to be sustainable when compared to other cities. The greenness of a city includes the following factors and more:
- The availability of #GreenSpaces
- #PublicTransportation options
- #Bikeability
- #RenewableEnergy options
- #CarbonFootprint
- #Recycling programs
"What Makes A University Green?
"An #EcoFriendly city and an eco-friendly university have a lot in common, including #sustainable buildings, #CommunityFarms and #gardens, and #EthicallySourced goods. For Unity Environmental University, an essential part of going green was completely divesting from #FossilFuels and investing in renewable clean energy instead. Ultimately, being a green university is about prioritizing sustainability as a core value and guiding principle for the institution.
"12 Greenest Cities In The World
"#Urban areas around the world are striving to become more environmentally friendly as we continue to grapple with the negative effects of climate change. Many of the world’s greenest cities focus on mitigating those effects by minimizing their carbon footprint, shifting to renewable sources for energy, and improving public transportation. Other cities are taking innovative approaches to integrating green spaces and urban farming.
"This list of the top 12 greenest cities is the result of a holistic review of the most environmentally friendly urban areas in the world. They are not listed in any particular order."
Read more:
https://unity.edu/articles/greenest-cities-in-the-world/
#SolarPunkSunday #GreenCities #UrbanFarming #Gardens #Trees #GreenSpace #GreenerCities
