derek

joined 2 years ago
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Hope isn't a denial of the depressing facts, of which there are many. It's the will to go on regardless. in c/memes@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 23 points 1 month ago

There's a lovely quote by Rebecca Solnit, "to hope is to accept despair as an emotion but not as an analysis. To recognize that what is unlikely is possible, just as what likely is not inevitable."

I'm writing a book on how environmentalist themes in The Lord of the Rings are relevant for the modern movement to confront the climate crisis in c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 months ago

Holy cow. Thanks for sharing - I had no idea this existed.

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I'm writing a book on how environmentalist themes in The Lord of the Rings are relevant for the modern movement to confront the climate crisis (slrpnk.net)
 

This summer I read The Lord of the Rings to my eight-year-old and was struck by how much the themes continue to be relevant for the modern environmentalist movement. Ents destroying Isengard (the industrial power) is the classic example, but there's so much more. Mordor as an imperial, extractive power. Hobbits regenerating the land after it has been degraded. Gimli trying to preserve the Glittering Caves of Aglerond. And of course, growing trees symbolizing renewal and prosperity. So, I decided to write all these themes down, and compare them to instances where similar things are happening today.

I just reached a milestone in the writing process and wanted to share a sample my work so far! Please take a look and let me know what you think.

A Trump Win Would Threaten Historic Climate Progress in North Carolina in c/climate@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I've never seen this chart. What a story!

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Soil scientists, so pesky! (slrpnk.net)
 

Full disclosure, I work with a few soil scientists and I now understand how critical it is that we know the potential of the land if we're relying on it to produce ag or to be used as rangeland.

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At a CT co-op, housing is affordable – and tenants run the property (slrpnk.net)
 

I had never heard of a land trust being used to keep rates affordable - sounds like a very cool model!

Projected in Oakland in c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I love it. And somewhere back in the base there's a hardbitten sargeant breaking in the raw recruits, chewing them out for flying to get to their base and making them scrub the bathroom with organic cleaners on a compostable toothbrush.

Debian Solarpunk vibes in c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

ha! I have the same background. Great minds...

getting people onboard in c/solarpunk@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I've found that town-level organizing is satisfying, and a scale where a small group of individuals can help make bigger change.

My town government agreed a few years ago to adopt the sustainablect.org framework, which has a bunch of green/sustainable elements I am really excited about.

Once the town agrees in principle to a framework, you can advocate for policies based on that framework, and mobilize people who are particularly interested in one issue (say, composting!) or another (sidewalk networks! green energy!)

The trick, I think, is to find a framework the town government is willing to support (in principle) with specific changes. The fact that there's a certification program to go along with the framework that has prestige is really helpful. But really, the core of it all is to find a bunch of folks in your community that want to push things forward towards a goal with a shared vision. Which means that ultimately community organizing is what makes it possible, in my experience.

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How Indigenous Groups Are Leading the Way on Data Privacy (www.scientificamerican.com)
Low tech magazine - I like to skim through it every so often in c/technology@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 years ago

a lovely magazine.

Strawberries are ripening already! My absolute favorite part of the summer garden. in c/greenspace@beehaw.org
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 years ago

looks wonderful! Enjoy!

Hoping to drive more engagement here, sooooo.... in c/fantasy@lemmy.ml
Seriously, what's up with big sites literally dying as we speak? in c/technology@beehaw.org
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 12 points 2 years ago

That's a nice way to think of it, I've felt I must be on the bad alternate timeline for a while now. Maybe this is a healing branch!

“Open Source” Seeds Loosen Big Ag’s Grip on Farmers in c/farming@slrpnk.net
[–] derek@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 years ago

Open source is like a pressure valve for how much companies can screw people over. I hope this becomes a big thing.

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Disguising solar panels as ancient Roman tiles in Pompeii (solarpunks.net)
 

Invisible Solar is a new PV technology that take on the appearance of any building material. Each Invisible Solar module is more than a photovoltaic panel, it also is an active architectural element with various functionality.

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