tf is Solarpunk? 🥸🌾

The vibe + the revolution

Aug 01, 2025

Issue #23| August 2025

Hey Neighbors!

First off, thank you for subscribing and riding this solarpunk wave with us.

A lot of y’all first heard about solarpunk through me (Lavala) or Shi (co-writer), maybe from one of our e-bike rides, community garden volunteer days, or through Climate DC, the org I used to volunteer with as a community lead for the past few years. We love linking up with folks in real life and sharing the vision face-to-face.

But now that our little community is growing, some of you are finding us through word of mouth, or online and maybe still wondering: what even is solarpunk?

That’s totally cool lol. This article is for you then. It’s a quick breakdown of what solarpunk is all about, especially how we’re living it right here in the DMV.

—Lavala 🌾

Solarpunk: A genre and a movement...

solarpunk dc, the movement, draws inspiration from solarpunk, the artistic genre. It began as an optimistic counter-movement to cyberpunk’s dystopian futures where artists and writers imagined communities powered by renewable energy, lush with green spaces, and fueled by collective care rather than collapse.

Over the last decade, solarpunk has evolved into both an ethos and a call to action. Instead of simply envisioning a better world, people are now actively building it.

In Washington, D.C., a city known for politics, but also home to vibrant neighborhoods and green innovation, the solarpunk spirit is already in motion.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the five pillars of the solarpunk ethos and how they’re coming to life in our region. Then we’ll tell you about our upcoming pop-up event with Big Planet Comics, where you can experience the genre firsthand, complete with a solarpunk starter kit, tote bag giveaways, community convos, and tasty drinks + snacks…all in an intimate space. 📒🌿

The Pillars of the Solarpunk Ethos

The solar in solarpunk hints at a renewable future. However, the truth is, building that future (especially with energy-hungry tech like AI) means we’ll need a mix: solar, wind, nuclear, and beyond.

D.C. is showing us what a just energy transition can look like. Thanks to the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act, the city raised its solar carve-out to 10% by 2041 with real investments in rooftop and community solar for those who need it most.

The Solar for All program is cutting electric bills in half for 0ver 900,000 low- to moderate-income households. We're electrifying buses, decarbonizing the grid, and decentralizing energy. A solarpunk future thrives on multiple sources of clean power, accessible to everyone.

Solarpunk cities reject the "take-make-waste" cycle in favor of reuse, repair, and regeneration. D.C. is doing just that.

The Sustainable DC Plan targets 80% waste diversion from landfills. From curbside compost pilots to styrofoam bans to product stewardship laws, steps are already underway.

Check out Reuse DC for repair cafés, swap events, and a directory where you can find, or share everything from power drills to puffy jackets.

And shoutout to one of our favorite orgs, Community Forklift in Hyattsville, MD. Yep, we rave about them a lot. They’re the definition of circular community vibes.

The solarpunk dream is fruit trees on sidewalks, compost bins on corners, and native plants reclaiming rooftops. In D.C., urban gardens, public compost programs, and city-run soil initiatives are turning that dream into reality. The Department of Parks and Rec runs compost cooperatives, and local drop-off points turn food waste into community-made fertilizer.

Spots like The Well at Oxon Run, Up Top Acres, and City Blossoms aren’t just farms, they’re healing centers. They feed families, host yoga classes, and foster deep connections between people, land, and culture. We are proud to be friends with these organization and participate in these causes that are getting down and finger nail dirty because the solarpunk future isn’t some chrome-and-glass utopia. It’s wild and it’s rooted. Your block could be next :)

In a solarpunk city, the people don’t just get a vote, they run the show. Decisions are local, participatory, and all about care. Back in Liberia, we say “it takes a village to rase a child.”

Here in DC, we see examples in the micromobility system. Thanks to equity policies from DDOT, companies like Veo are required to offer unlimited free 30-minute rides to qualifying low-income residents. That means e-scooters and e-bikes are a tool for economic access in every neighborhood.

Composting is also governance. The Community Compost Cooperative Network lets neighbors manage and maintain their own compost systems, building that social trust. You should check out their instagram :).

And programs like Solar for All ensure renters, low-income families, and folks who don’t own their roofs can still tap into solar savings via shared community solar projects. This is governance that’s local and people-first ya know?

That starts with the streets. D.C. launched the nation’s first citywide bike-share system and hasn’t looked back. Today, we’ve got a fleet of over 18,000 micromobility vehicles, including scooters, e-bikes, and adaptive bikes for people with disabilities.

We’re proud to witness what our friends at King Electric Bikes are leading the charge in sustainable, affordable personal mobility right here in the DMV. Together we’ve collaborated on campaigns like e-bike photography studio and the Name Your Price campaign.

And there’s more on the horizon. Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle division, is officially rolling into Washington, D.C., bringing its all-electric robotaxi fleet to our streets. With sensors that see 360 degrees and software trained on millions of miles of driving data, these self-driving EVs could revolutionize not just car travel, but how we think about last-mile transport.

Conclusion

If you’ve made it to this point, I know what you’re thinking… If this is what solarpunk means, I must be a solarpunker! Yes, you are :).

If you’ve ever found yourself caring about decentralized networks, energy justice, regenerative and organic food systems, reusing materials, clean technology, and beautiful natural spaces…so do we.
Congratulations, you’ve just found your people 👊🏾😎🌾

Because we want you to not only dream with us but also work toward making those dreams a reality, we’re thrilled to collaborate with Big Planet Comics to explore both the genre and the movement.

Expect a deep dive into what solarpunk is (complete with a handy starter kit), live drawing sessions from local artists, tote bag giveaways from Sri Lanka, curated books, community conversations, and tasty drinks + snacks….all in an intimate space.

Let’s have a good time!

Keep it punk. Keep it delicious 😋.

—✌🏾 lavala 🌾