Rejecting climate doomerism with solarpunk

In this episode of Make Me Smart, host Kimberly Adams explores the emerging cultural and literary movement of solar punk as a hopeful counter-narrative to climate doomerism. With guest Phoebe Wagner, a writer, academic, and editor of multiple solar punk anthologies, the conversation unpacks solar punk as a genre that imagines sustainable, equitable futures rooted in green technology, community resilience, and social justice. Unlike dystopian sci-fi that often promotes escape or collapse, solar punk emphasizes building better worlds on Earth through DIY innovation, mutual aid, and ecological harmony. Wagner traces the genre’s origins to the 2008 emergence of the term, its growth via social media, and its real-world inspirations in movements like mutual aid and urban gardening. The episode highlights how solar punk’s vibrant aesthetic—bright colors, integration with nature, and human-nonhuman collaboration—offers both visual and philosophical alternatives to the grim tones of cyberpunk. It also underscores the genre’s role in inspiring tangible actions, from community gardens to trash-picking robots, proving that speculative fiction can fuel real change. The episode concludes with a call to action: listeners are encouraged to explore solar punk through anthologies like Sun Vault and Glass and Gardens, video essays by Andrewism and Rob Cameron, and the journal Tractor Beam. A standout recommendation is Becky Chambers’ novella Psalm for the Wild Built, praised for its quiet, uplifting vision of a sustainable future. Overall, the discussion positions solar punk not just as a genre, but as a vital cultural tool for reclaiming agency in the face of climate crisis—offering not just warning, but a blueprint for thriving.