Background information
Indie game Schedule I counts nearly half a million players – but what’s it about?
by Debora Pape
Neat and sunny, solarpunk radiates positivity
13.11.2023
Translation: machine translated
Have you ever heard of solarpunk? It's an artistic and political movement that advocates a future where technology and nature allow everyone to live in good conditions. Admittedly, it's a utopia, but it may not be completely unrealistic.
With wars, floods, droughts, melting polar ice caps and species extinction, I haven't seen the future in a positive light in recent years. Instead, I saw us with an inevitable one-way ticket to a Mad Max-style dystopia or cyberpunk capitalism, until I came across the concept of solarpunk. And, suddenly, I see a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
Solarpunk is a utopia, a science fiction genre and also the goal of a movement. It takes a totally optimistic approach: we leap forward a few decades and imagine a future in which life has become better for everyone: humans, animals and the environment. In the solarpunk universe, the oceans are no longer polluted and climate change, as well as the extinction of species, has been halted.
The whole way society thinks has changed. Priorities have been redefined, energy production completely overhauled, and we human beings have managed to develop a way of life that takes into account the benefits of nature without destroying it, while still living in good conditions.
Solarpunk: the origins of the concept
The addition "-punk" is all the rage. It all started with steampunk. It's a literary genre and artistic movement that proposes an alternative reality where technology is powered by the steam engine. Aesthetically speaking, the universe relates to the Victorian era. Wrapped in top hats, frills and crinolines, humanity builds steam-powered aircraft, computers and robots. The genre was inspired by the stories of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. There are other, slightly lesser-known movements in the same style such as dieselpunk and atompunk.
Not forgetting cyberpunk, a rather dystopian genre where everything revolves around money: those who have it can equip themselves with chips and prostheses. The unequipped are left to fend for themselves, and robots are often more valuable than human lives. Neon advertising accompanies man at every step. Blade Runner and Altered Carbon represent the cyberpunk universe well.
In contrast, the solarpunk universe fuses sustainability and intelligent technology. Human beings live in harmony with nature, aided by AI. Imagine buildings made of glass, wood or stone, surrounded by lush vegetation, silent vehicles here and there, and above installations of highly advanced but non-polluting technology, the sun smiles, its rays transformed into energy by solar panels.
Between abundant nature and intelligent technology
Solarpunk homes are well insulated and adapted to their environment. They use solar or wind power for energy and heat. Even window panes can generate electricity from sunlight. Fully automated plant cultivation in vertical agricultural towers allows arable land to rest and provides a new habitat for wild animals.
Many large cities today are concrete deserts with car parks the size of football pitches and multi-lane streets for cars, in which only about 1.5 people sit. Unthinkable in a solarpunk city! There are far more trees and strips of vegetation providing shade and shelter for birds and other animals.
Inefficient means of transport such as cars, which are rarely used to full capacity, have been banned. Public transport is quickly accessible on foot, pleasant to use and almost free. Those who don't want to give up their own means of transport can use an electric vehicle that suits their real needs. And why not take a flying taxi? It's all possible!
Just imagine the space we'd have without large car parks and multi-lane roads. Parks with wildflower meadows, streams and lakes as well as observation platforms, and a variety of leisure activities, would not only make the city more attractive, but also promote biodiversity. A city that until now has been designed primarily for cars, in the United States even more so than in Europe, is now putting people at the centre and also leaving room for animals.
Even if it all seems improbable at the moment, solarpunk makes me dream. You'll find plenty of inspiration on Reddit, where internet users exchange ideas around this theme.
And if you like video games, a game called Solarpunk is due for release soon. In it, you'll be able to build your own solarpunk universe with your partners.
What do you think of this utopian genre? Do you think it can become reality?
Headline photo: iurii/Shutterstock
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
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