Column: What does a solarpunk community look like?

MEIRA DATIYA

In the past, neither cities nor villages were perfect and I don’t think going back to villages with our current population is feasible. I also don’t think cities are quite the answer we are looking for either. A solarpunk community needs to keep all the benefits unique to both systems while eliminating as many of the above problems as possible.

For example, you could build federated garden cities that are borderless and interconnected via a raised above ground rail system. Apartments would have their own garden plots, green walls, etc. with solar and wind being used to power the buildings. The raised rail system would allow for unhindered animal traffic and permeable sidewalks could be used in addition to rain collection systems to reduce runoff and be reused for gardening. Sewage could be transformed via bacteria to another form of energy for the city. In this way several of the main issues with cities are solved. Population density is high, while not destroying the environment but conserving it.

Social issues, on the other hand, can be solved easily by adopting the village’s cooperative ideals. Give everyone a home, allow everyone a place in society as equals, give everyone the right to food, to medical care, to education, to design, vote, and federate laws etc. regardless of ability. These are irrevocable rights of the people.