Alright, let me speak about the diversity issue, that irks me the most about the entire Solarpunk community. Because, boy oh boy, a lot of Solarpunks do have a big issue with disability in many regards. Because they often just do not even think about disability and how it might affect people in a Solarpunk world.
Basically, when they imagine a Solarpunk future, they imagine it as a world where disabilities and chronic illnesses do no longer exist. Which is… kinda eugenicist, to be perfectly honest.
I am disabled. I have AuDHD, I have some chronic health issues and for quite a while I had issues with my legs after an accident. This made me unable to walk long distances or use a bike at all.
And disability is something that actually affects a lot of people. About 20-25% of all people have some form of disability. Only some of them are born with the disability. In many cases disabilities are acquired through either accidents or old age. But obviously that does not change the statistics.
People with disabilities might have certain needs, that need to be met. Needs, that abled people do not have.
A big example of this comes with the consumption of meat. There are those people, who will tell you that a Solarpunk future has to be all vegan. But what they forget (apart from the fact that hunting is a big part of some cultures - and that hunting is going to need to happen either way, because of invasive species and the like) that some people are dependent on meat. Some, because they suffer from allergies, that make it almost impossible to eat much else. Some, because they cannot properly digest plant based food. And some, because of stuff like autism that does not allow them to eat a lot of different things due to taste or texture. Those people will need meat, because otherwise they are going to starve.
Another big example of this also shows in how people design Solarpunk landscapes. Yes, cobblestone is nice for nature, because water can go into the ground. And obviously same goes for natural ground. But… those are not accessible for people with the need of mobility aids. Wheelchairs struggle on those grounds, as do other mobility aids. Even blind people might struggle with that type of ground in some cases. So, while we might wanna try to not put concrete everywhere… at times concrete is just the most accessible way to deal with the ground.
Or another one: Cars. People really want their car free future. But some people with disabilities might be dependent on cars to get around, because public transport just is not accessible to them.
Some people will always go: “But when I imagine utopia, why can I not imagine all of that being healed?” But here is the thing: Especially Solarpunk makes this big point about being an attainable future. And realistically there is never going to be a method of healing disabilities, that comes without side effects. And you are basically saying: “Disabled people should accept those side effects, so that I do not have to think about their needs any longer.”
Not to mention that it is very hurtfull to people, to be told that they are not supposed to exist in the way they are in your utopic future.
World Building June Day 30 - Life and Death in the nuclear winter
The cycle of death continues on Earth as it always has, some people just live shorter lives due to the unpleasant circumstances everyone is in. Even in sanctuaries the life expectancy is estimated to drop somewhat due to the circumstances and ultimate conditions everyone is living in.
Though these are hyperbolic at best, it has only been 5 years and there hasn’t been exactly enough activity to make a proper estimate yet.
World Building June Day 30 - Death and the Dragons
Mortals live and die, grow and age, some take longer than others certainly, but in the end everything and everyone dies eventually, the reality cannot be averted. The only ones who seem truly immortal are the Dragons, as they will live their entire life spans until the planet itself dies.
The Dragons are debatably alive, as even they are not certain if they are truly immortal or just incredibly long lived. They dare not find out, afraid to learn if there is something beyond… waiting for them.
World Building June Day 30 - Life, Death, Taxes, Novum
The cycle of life and death continues as per normal on the Earth of Novum, as it does on ours, minor differences in lifespan may occur as thanks to the medical technology in the setting. There’s no true way to actively subvert death, and facing it is still a challenge for many as the tech only gets better.
Some have attempted to subvert it via brain mapping, the idea that they can live forever if they copy their consciousness onto a computer system. There’s been no success, the human brain is a complicated organ, and at best you make a snapshot of the person then and there, with what memories they have at the moment and how they act right then and there.
Nobody can truly avoid death, no matter how hard they try.
World Building June Day 29 - Communication in Heims
Communication long distance is done by good old fashioned radio, many survivor settlements get themselves set up with a radio broadcaster on the surface, or via electric lines in the tunnels, and communicate to each other via these methods. Some with their hands on old military tablets can even communicate with a video calling app.
Sanctuaries have full on internet communication with each other and make use of modern video call apps to communicate wherever whenever they can. Some even make use of this to communicate with survivors outside of the sanctuaries if the radio connection is good.
World Building June Day 29 - Petrolchemy and Communication
Communication on Dust, and from Dust to Jotun, varies depending on the user. Most people make use of incredible radio units that were constructed to have range into deep space, allowing people to reach the control stations on Jotun from where sub crews operate. These radios are also all across Dust and are used for radio shows and even communicating with people elsewhere.
Another method is via magic mirror, these things have incredible distance and are the main form of communication mages use, being able to see each other at a distance and talk with no issue.
The Dragons themselves can communicate at long distances with something akin to telepathy, that only they receive, it is how they coordinate their actions in manipulating the mortals around them.
World Building June Day 29 - Novum Communication Networks
Communication on Novum is entirely modern, wireless internet communication apps for video calls, cell phones exist. The withering years didn’t knock communications back at all, thankfully. During those years communication was important to keep people updated about the famine and shortages, as well as coordinate attempts to help mitigate the damage.
Modern cybernetics now include a CODEC package, that is implanted around the ear bone of the head, this allows near silent communication and allows people to communicate wirelessly, for the sake of safety this is filtered through external devices such as a phone or radio unit and acts more as a fancy bluetooth speaker.
World Building June Day 28 - Heims and who is important
Important is loose at best these days, the people in the Sanctuaries sure feel like they’re important but to most everyone else, the mechanics and doctors maintaining the standard of living in both the Sanctuaries and the Wasteland settlements are the true important people, without knowledge like that a lot of the filters and tools needed to make anything work would be lost.
World Building June Day 28 - Importance in Petrolchemy
The Dragons are the single most important entities in the world of Dust. Impossibly ancient and powerful entities who can seemingly alter reality with magics and sciences, incredible minds that remember everything from the moment they first awakened in a molten world with the moon in the sky just forming.
They have influenced history and continue to direct the path of Mortal development, all for the end goal of learning more and possibly one day leaving the planet they are tied to, schemers who have so manipulated the world it knows no other reality other than be grateful they exist.
If there is anybody who is important, who has had the most direct and terrifying influence, it is the Dragons.
