Solarpunk Presents

There’s no question that the biosphere is in crisis right now thanks to human-driven global warming, our hostile takeover of most of Earth’s land area, and our pollution and overfishing of the seas. Slowing down—never mind outright stopping—the collapse of the Earth’s ecosystems and the mass extinction currently gaining pace calls for aggressively protecting the environment, or possibly even giving half of the Earth’s land surface back to nature in a process known as rewilding. But how will we manage to share the Earth with the rest of the biosphere when history shows that we’re pretty terrible at sharing it with each other, with some states even going so far as to have used the preservation of wilderness as a tool of genocide and white supremacy? There are still those who would use environmental protection as an excuse to block immigrants, reject refugees, and expel “undesirable” people from the land. What will it take to value human and non-human life and the land all equally, without using one as an excuse to persecute the other?Getting urgently-needed environmental protection and rewilding right requires facing the evils that have been historically committed in the name of conservation, so that we don’t repeat those grave mistakes, even with the best of intentions. As solarpunks, we need to learn from the past in order to shape futures that are intentionally better than our pasts and presents.And that’s a wrap for season 2! Season 3 will be coming along in the last week of June for Patreon supporters, and to the public in the first week of July. Until then, keep dreaming, and keep up the good work!LinksReframing Narratives with Ecocriticism, with Dr Jenny Kerber Against the Ecofascist Creep webzine teaching resource and explainerRead about the 100-Mile Diet book and phenomenon on WikipediaRead about the locavore movement on WikipediaA great article on philosophical questions with The Sneetches from the Prindle Institute for EthicsSome articles on food forestsThe Half-Earth Project 

In this episode, Ariel discusses the topic of ecocriticism with Dr Jenny Kerber, Associate Professor of English at Wilfrid Laurier University.What is ecocriticism? Why is it important, especially for environmental activists and solarpunks, as a narrative reframing device? Solarpunks work very closely with speculation and imagination and as architects of the narratives by which we live our lives, it helps to have tools like ecocriticism at our disposal. Join Ariel and Dr. Kerber to think through terms like “wilderness” and “nature” and “the Anthropocene”. How do we hold on to hope, despite critical engagement with the dark side of our environmental narratives?  References:●     A bit more about the WLU Land Acknowledgement●     Dr Kerber’s profile at Wilfrid Laurier U●     “The Trouble with Wilderness” by William Cronon●     Elizabeth May●     Kerber, Jenny. "Tracing One Warm Line: Climate Stories and Silences in Northwest Passage Tourism." Journal of Canadian Studies 55.4 (July 2022): 271-303.●     Timothy Clark, The Cambridge Introduction to Literature and the Environment●     Kate Soper, What is Nature? Culture, Politics and the Non-Human ●     David Huebert's Chemical Valley ●     Lord Byron's "Darkness"●     Don McKay, Vis à Vis: Field Notes on Poetry and Wilderness ●     Amitav Ghosh, The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable●     Nicole Seymour, Bad Environmentalism: Irony and Irreverence in the Ecological Age●     Phoebe Wagner and Brontë Christopher Wieland, Almanac for the Anthropocene: A Compendium of Solarpunk Futures  

Have you ever thought about how dinosaurs lived on a warm, swampy Earth and how we live on one that’s cold enough to keep pretty much the entirety of Greenland and Antarctica buried under kilometers-thick sheets of solid ice and wondered, hmm, how did we get from there to here? The short answer is that it took 50 million years of declining atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and dropping temperatures, not to mention building an ice sheet or two. For the longer story of the last 50 million years of climate change, including some of the reasons why, catch this episode of our podcast with Dr De La Rocha! You’ll hear about plate tectonics and continental drift, silicate weathering, carbonate sedimentation, and the spectacular effects the growth of Earth’s ice sheets have had on Earth’s climate. There are also lessons here for where anthropogenic global warming is going and whether or not its effects have permanently disrupted the climate system. Fun fact: the total amount of climate change between 50 million years ago and now dwarfs what we’re driving by burning fossil fuels, and yet, what we’re doing is more terrifying, in that it’s unfolding millions of times faster. Bonus content: If you want to see sketches and plots of the data discussed in this episode, you can find them here.!!Nerd alert!! If you're interested in the primary scientific literature on the subject, these four papers are a great place to start.Dutkiewicz et al (2019) Sequestration and subduction of deep-sea carbonate in the global ocean since the Early Cretaceous. Geology 47:91-94.Müller et al (2022) Evolution of Earth’s plate tectonic conveyor belt. Nature 605:629–639.Rae et al (2021) Atmospheric CO2 over the last 66 million years from marine archives. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 49:609-641.Westerfeld et al (2020) An astronomically dated record of Earth’s climate and its predictability over the last 66 million years. Science 369: 1383–1387.

Although the battle lines have shifted down through the years from heliocentrism to evolution (and let’s not get started on the age of the Earth), it feels like there’s a fundamental conflict between science and religion, especially with respect to the Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam. I (Christina), the host of this podcast episode, as a scientist and atheist who tends to assume all scientists are atheists—because how could they not be?—am definitely guilty of thinking this.Yet, there is a long tradition of curiosity, inquiry, and, yes, science within the Abrahamic religions and no shortage of devout scientists working hard to this day to understand the workings of the world and cosmos. I decided that it was time to confront my assumptions by talking to one of my religious colleagues. Thank you in advance to Dr Norm Nelson—an oceanographer whose Christianity is a core part of his life—for discussing whether or not there is a conflict between science and Christianity, and where the roots of that conflict might lie.Don’t forget, dear listener, we need your support! So, recommend us to a friend and/or sign up for our Patreon!Connect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter, Mastodon, or at our blog.Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon.Connect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter, and on Mastodon Support the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.

Erin Alladin’s new e-book “Gentle Gardening: A Guide for Uncooperative Bodies” is transformative, specifically covering the issues of gardening with chronic fatigue and the other complex disabilities that can accompany it, and reframing gardening as an accessible and fun activity. Ariel talks to Erin in this episode about her journey with gardening to where she is now, the book, a bit about gardening on Turtle Island as a settler, and tackling the gardener’s mindset and impostor syndrome that may come with it. References:Native Land’s resource on what land acknowledgements are and why they are important, plus linked articles contextualizing and foregrounding Indigenous scholars’ and activists’ support and critiques of the practiceSpoon theoryNorth Bay and Parry SoundErin’s post on chronic pain and permaculture principles is an excellent companion to Gentle Gardening.You can visit Erin’s blog at EarthUndaunted.com to learn more, and check out GENTLE GARDENING: A GUIDE FOR UNCOOPERATIVE BODIES. You can connect with her at TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram @ErinAlladin.Connect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter, Mastodon, or at our blog.Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon.Connect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter, and on Mastodon Support the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.

On today’s episode, Ariel talks to Lindsay Jane of The Solarpunk Scene, where she showcases her solarpunk life in Toronto, as well as shining a spotlight on solarpunk projects locally and internationally. Lindsay tells us about how she discovered solarpunk and the ways that she lives a solarpunk life in the city - both the upsides (gardens! architecture! effective transit!) and the downsides (sky-high rent, expensive food, difficulty cultivating outdoor gardens). She also emphasizes the importance of getting involved in your local community and politics as a city-dweller, and lets listeners in on the behind-the-scenes inspiration for The Solarpunk Scene: tune in to learn more!LinksToronto Beltline TrailHousing/Rental prices in TorontoCloud GardensEating Japanese KnotweedTurtle IslandSolarpunk Facebook GroupSocialsCheck out The Solarpunk Scene website, YouTube (+ stream channel!), plus Patreon, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch.Connect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter, Mastodon, or at our blog.Support the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.

On today’s episode, Ariel talks with Thomas Cannon about solarpunk music and his new album MESH NETWORK. What was the inspiration behind this work of solarpunk ambient music? What is solarpunk music, anyway, and how can it help us today to create the just, sustainable, and equitable future that we all want to live in? Join us for a discussion of the album tracks, artwork, instruments, the process of collaborative music-making, and more.References:AlexisNicole / @blackforager on Instagram’s post on culturally-specific consumption of meat and veganism:Food prices in Canadian north articles.Country food definition from the Canadian Encyclopedia.You can stream or buy MESH NETWORK at Bandcamp.com; bundled with the album purchase are the liner notes for each track as well as a beautiful art book.EXCLUSIVE: Solarpunk Presents podcast listeners can get 50% off at checkout with the code “solarpunkpresents”You can find and follow Thomas Cannon on his Bandcamp profile and at his personal website, thomascannon.meConnect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter @SolarpunkP, Mastodon @solarpunkpresents@climatejustice.rocks, or at our blog https://solarpunkpresents.com/Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon @arielkroon@wandering.shopConnect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter @xtinadlr, and on Mastodon @xtinadlr@wandering.shopSupport the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.

The situation in Lebanon today is bleak. Carved out of the remains of the Ottoman Empire and subjected to years of colonialism-lite administration by France, its economy and infrastructure have been devastated by a long civil war, overlapping occupations by Syria and Israel, and corruption on a massive scale. Since 2019, Lebanon has been in the midst of a severe financial crisis, with widespread unemployment and hyperinflation. Now 80% of the population is poor and Lebanon is on the brink of becoming a failed state.And yet, JD Harlock, Poetry Editor at Solarpunk Magazine, who lives in Beirut, believes in solarpunk. Join us for this episode to find out how that can be and what day to day life is like in Beirut right now.You can find JD on Twitter and Instagram at @JD_Harlock.#Lebanon #EconomicCrisis #SolarpunkConnect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter @SolarpunkP, Mastodon @solarpunkpresents@climatejustice.rocks, or at our blog https://solarpunkpresents.com/Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon @arielkroon@wandering.shopConnect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter @xtinadlr, and on Mastodon @xtinadlr@wandering.shopSupport the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.

Is there anything more solarpunk than public libraries? Serving at the heart of communities, they’re a place where anyone regardless of income, ability, race, class, or gender can go to read books, listen to music, use the internet, learn things, hear story hour, get out of the weather for a while, and ask librarians for information on just about anything, including what organizations to turn to for additional support in your life or endeavor. In Episode 2 of Season 2 of Solarpunk Presents, Christina talks to Don Gardner, a librarian for many years for the Salinas Public Libraries in Monterey County, California. Hear about how people rescued the library after the city council tried to close it down to save money, about what libraries can do for you and your community, and about what you can do for your local library.Check out Salinas Public Libraries at https://salinaspubliclibrary.org/ and connect with them @salinaslibrary on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, or @salinaspubliclibrary on Instagram and TikTok.Connect with Solarpunk Presents Podcast on Twitter @SolarpunkP, Mastodon @solarpunkpresents@climatejustice.rocks, or at our blog https://solarpunkpresents.com/Connect with Ariel at her blog, on Twitter at @arielletje, and on Mastodon @arielkroon@wandering.shopConnect with Christina at her blog, on Twitter @xtinadlr, and on Mastodon @xtinadlr@wandering.shopSupport the show on Patreon or make a one-time donation via PayPal.