Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson looks at the rise of solar power and examines the systems that keep us paying so much for electricity when sunlight is so abundant.Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmagSOURCES AND LINKSSolar’s day in the sun is rapidly approachinghttps://www.ft.com/content/2d78227e-d74d-43f0-ba92-13543e22b1d3New Energy Outlook 2026https://about.bnef.com/insights/clean-energy/new-energy-outlook/#row-6a19c1eed9b5aCORRECTION: In the episode, it's stated that battery storage deployment could rise from 223 GW in 2025 to 3.8 TW by 2035, but that was said incorrectly. BloombergNEF’s executive summary says storage rises from 223 GW in 2025 to 3.8 TW by 2050, not 2035. Our apologies for the mistake.

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson discusses the recent Regenerative Agriculture pledge signed by over 40 major food and agriculture companies, and asks if regenerative agriculture is becoming the next greenwashing scam. Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmagSOURCES AND LINKSGlobal food and beverage giants join forces on regenerative agriculturehttps://www.reuters.com/business/environment/global-food-beverage-giants-join-forces-regenerative-agriculture-2026-05-19From pilots to practice: a new bid to scale regenerative agriculturehttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/pilots-practice-new-bid-scale-regenerative-agriculture--ecmii-2026-05-18Climate reporting rules for food sector set high bar for regenerative agriculturehttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/sustainable-finance-reporting/climate-reporting-rules-food-sector-raise-bar-regenerative-agriculture--ecmii-2026-04-15Rewarding farmers for regenerative agriculture is ‘critical for decarbonising the food sectorhttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/rewarding-farmers-regenerative-agriculture-is-critical-decarbonising-food-sector-2024-06-10

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson reads two short stories from Solarpunk Magazine Issue #27: "Beyond Mortar and Magic" by Alex Vossler, and "What the Sea Remembers" by Dennis Mombauer.Our Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comGet Issue #27: https://solarpunkmagazine.com/shop/solarpunk-magazine-issue-27Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmag

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson discusses the recent UN General Assembly vote on climate action and the idea that climate aid isn’t charity or leverage in political negotiations, but instead, is an obligation. Our Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmagSOURCES AND LINKSNews Articles on the UN Vote:https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-vanuatu-trump-administration-international-court-90b89dc776e0bece17f2ab4064b7f71ehttps://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/un-backs-world-court-climate-opinion-us-among-few-oppose-2026-05-20https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/22/un-climate-crisis-vote-shows-political-momentum-growing-expertsUN Resolution Text: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4113865/files/A_80_L.65-EN.pdfhttps://www.icj-cij.org/case/187ICJ Advisory Opinion: https://icj-web.leman.un-icc.cloud/sites/default/files/case-related/187/187-20250723-adv-01-00-en.pdfColumbia Law Blog Articles: https://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2025/08/13/a-panoply-of-consequences-remedies-and-reparations-in-the-icjs-climate-opinionhttps://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2025/08/05/new-standards-in-government-framework-litigation-legal-implications-of-the-icj-advisory-opinion-on-climate-change

When disaster comes, the fantasy says: run, hide, protect your own. But real survival has never worked that way. When the smoke rolls in, when the floodwaters rise, when the power fails, when the evacuation order comes too late—what saves people isn't a bunker. It’s a neighbor with a spare room, a phone tree, a ride across town, a community center with clean air, a pantry built for sharing, and a plan that includes everyone.This summer on Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, we’re talking about disaster prep as mutual aid, community care, and the infrastructure of survival.Because no one survives alone.---------------Our Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmag

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson discusses local, national, and international efforts to grant legal rights to nature.Our Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmagSOURCES AND LINKSLane County Watersheds Bill of RightsFull ballot measure language: https://www.protectlanecountywatersheds.org/read_ordinanceThe ballot measure explained: https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide-military/Measure20-373Explanatory.htmlArguments in favor: https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide-military/Measure20-373ArgInFavor.htmlArguments opposed: https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide-military/Measure20-373ArgOppose.htmlGeneral Rights of Nature Sources"Should Trees Have Standing" by Christopher D. Stone: https://southerncalifornialawreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Christopher-D.-Stone-Should-Trees-Have-Standing_%E2%80%94Toward-Legal-Rights-for-Natural-Objects-45-S.-CAL.-L.-REV.-450-1972..pdfGlobal Alliance for the Rights of Nature: https://www.garn.org/rights-of-natureCase StudiesTamaqua, Pennsylvania: https://celdf.org/2015/08/tamaqua-boroughToledo, Ohio: https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2020/03/06/lake-erie-bill-rights-federal-court-unconstitutionalOrange County, Florida: https://aldf.org/article/legal-rights-recognized-for-rivers-in-florida-and-quebecGrant Township, Pennsylvania: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/13062023/pennsylvania-fracking-wastewater-injection-wellshttps://celdf.org/2023/05/unrepentant-and-vindicated-proposed-frack-waste-injection-well-in-grant-township-to-be-plugged-and-abandonedNew Zealand: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2017/7/en/latest/#DLM6831462Columbia: https://apnews.com/article/atrato-guardians-illegal-mining-contamination-threats-choco-977ad1e171715b8f7fb20a8ac6b9e149

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson examines the energy transition's dependency on mining and imagines what a solarpunk energy transition would do differently.G7 trade talks target critical minerals as US-EU tariff rift strains unityhttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/g7-trade-ministers-discuss-critical-minerals-supply-chain-french-minister-says-2026-05-06France convenes G7 on critical minerals to curb China's griphttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/france-convenes-g7-critical-minerals-curb-chinas-grip-2026-05-05The energy transition has a rare earth problemhttps://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/05/05/the-energy-transition-has-a-rare-earth-problem-these-startups-are-solving-itOur Website: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagOur Social MediaBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/solarpunklitmag.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/solarpunklitmagTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@solarpunklitmagFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/solarpunklitmag

On this episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast from Solarpunk Magazine, host Justine Norton-Kertson talks about AI and what it costs us, our communities, and our planet, then imagines what public computational infrastructure and solarpunk data centers might look like.Reuters ArticlesAEP raises capital plan to $78 billion as data center power demand skyrockets https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/aep-raises-capital-plan-78-billion-beats-profit-estimates-data-center-demand-2026-05-05/Duke Energy Tops Profit, Revenue Estimates Rate Recovery, Weather Boosthttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/duke-energy-tops-profit-revenue-estimates-rate-recovery-weather-boost-2026-05-05/US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA sayshttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-power-use-beat-record-highs-2026-2027-ai-use-surges-eia-says-2026-05-12/Other Cited Sourceshttps://www.utilitydive.com/news/duke-energy-earnings-anderson-gas-plant/819428/Solarpunk Magazine: https://solarpunkmagazine.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkmagFollow Solarpunk Magazine on social media:BlueskyInstagramTikTokFacebook