Interestingly, one of our ‘top commentators’ recently said they were not comfortable about the ‘punk’ bit of ‘solarpunk’:

The only issue I have here is with terminology – to be honest, anything ‘punk’ puts me off as it is reminiscent of 70’s & 80’s chaos and destruction, when I only wish to live in a peaceful world… I know I am not alone in this.

(20+) Solarpunk is about the sun and… – Vision Group for Sidmouth | Facebook

This is quite understandable.

There is certainly something rebellious about SolarPunk:

Thinking about the “punk” in solarpunk : r/solarpunk

But the word is, after all, made up of two elements the yin and yang of the movement:

The name of the genre underlines this positive outlook. The word ‘solar’ implies that the genre focuses on our ability to invent sustainable technologies and clean energies. It also has positive connotations of light and warmth, expressing the idealistic tone of the genre. The ‘punk’ in solarpunk comes from its democratic messages: The characters face up to the environmental mistakes of the past and choose not to take the same destructive, exploitative path again.

The Heavenly Dreams of Mechanical Trees – Cli-fi – Writing for Change – Praxis

Here is a vigorous response to these concerns from the Bored Panda blog – which is provocative for sure, but nevertheless thought-provoking – and an answer of sorts! Not sure if most folk are ready to ‘swallow a poisonous pill’, though…

One possible reason solarpunk has needed time to take off is due to the negative connotations associated with the word punk. A spinoff from the imagined aesthetics of steampunk and juxtaposed to the dark future of cyberpunk, solarpunk creates a more optimistic, yet still radical, idea of our world.

Phoebe Tickell, a biologist and solarpunk activist, told BBC News, “Prescribing to people that they need to be more solarpunk is much less inviting to them than encouraging people to exercise their own imaginations.” But to really enact change, people cannot be afraid of the side effects. 

Jay Springett, a solarpunk activist and admin of Solarpunks.net, describes the “poisonous pill” that must be swallowed when embracing solarpunk ideals. “It means that there’s the decentralization of technology, the decentralization of power.”

The “Solarpunk” Online Group Shares 30 Environmental Memes That People Who Are Sick Of Capitalism Destroying The Planet Can Relate To | Bored Panda

Finally, there is a depth to SolarPunk:

Beyond the green smart cities, solarpunk can also be dark | by Lidia Zuin | Medium