Sitting here in foggy January. The solar on the roof still powers the whole building. The 3D printer is printing something, also solar powered. A little server is running next to me, also solar powered. Posting on a decentralized global communication network.

I live in the most sustainable city on the planet, Gothenburg, Sweden. And one of the most environmentally friendly apartment buildings in that city. The building is a special project where they test new sustainability stuff and other cool tech and things. Not sure I’m comfortable linking to a page about the building, as it shows photos and the exact location, but I wrote more extensively about it a couple of months back so I’ll go find that comment as soon as I have time and add it here.

Other than that, I’m vegan, only buy second hand clothes, furniture, kitchenware etc. I only walk, bike and use trams. Most devices I get secondhand and use till they’re unrepairable (or at least would cost more to repair than get another secondhand one) and if I ever find like a phone real cheap before my current one is dead I give it away to family or friends that need it. There’s a lot more minor things, and probably stuff I’m forgetting.

I’ve had and have a hard life where I can’t do most of the things I want due to anxiety, so I’m extremely proud to have gotten to where I am with all the stuff above.

I am living my life in such a way that I mostly get to choose to use my time to do what I want, in ways that work for my bodymind. I participate in my community with my chosen family. I don’t buy things that I don’t actually need, I try to make due with what I have, and fix things that need fixing and mend things that need mending as much as possible. I write and create and share knowledge and skills freely and help others, especially for causes that are life-affirming and nourishing of people and planet. I live in a walkable community connected with electric trains. I cook and eat fresh, healthy, mostly locally sourced foods. I strive to move through the world in ways that spread hope, joy, beauty, love, connection, and awareness.

I am fortunate to be able to live in a country where all of this is more possible than the country I came from. I want more people to be able to experience this life (and to be able to maintain it myself, which is admittedly looking a bit dicey these days.) I want this more slow, mindful, and convivial way of life to be normalized as the “good life.”

I would really like to reduce my reliance on the electrical grid and have solar panels and a rainwater collection system. I also wanna have a bigger archive of music albums and movies.

Remote working from the countryside, taking my electric car (second hand, cheap, low range but recharged daily) to the fablab to discuss our current projects:

• A solarpunk video game (in discussion)
• A publicly funded research program about automating small scale production of several intermediate vehicles, focusing on Vhélio, an electric cargo bike. (ongoing, funded)
• A plastic press for making plastic sheets our of recycled plastic (done with 2 industrial partners, currently suspended but funded and started)

Last weekend I went to a local non-profit event of resistance against the far-right. Yesterday I got a call to help form a citizen’s list for the next municipal elections.

To think that I went as far as rural Japan to find the things that I was looking for and that they were waiting for me in my native country (France), just next to where my parents live.

We have solar panels, battery backup and a plug in hybrid car. It gets us just about anywhere locally we need to go without needing gas. We just got a 3d printer and I’m already thinking of dozens of things around the house I can fabricate now. We have a VR I can use to work out downstairs (beat saber!). Not to mention this cool miniature computer with internet access I can use anywhere I go.

Hoping to add a garden in the next year or so to grow herbs, fruits and veggies.

I make biodiesel for my farm and have as many solar panels hooked to the grid as allowed. I’m also learning how to do my own seed saving.

May be: I own a FrameWork laptop (bought the older generation new, because it is fast enough for me, but I want to support them). Also I self host a couple of web services myself (music streaming, file storage, RSS). I also live in a shared flat (although I could afford my own appartment) and take the bike to go everywhere in the city.

I dont know if that counts as solar punk. However, I think that many of the comments are very inspiring :D