Solarpunk Magazine

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An online publication of radically hopeful science fiction. solarpunkmagazine.com patreon.com/solarpunkmag

A BUNKER IS PRIVATE SURVIVAL. A RESILIENCE HUB IS PUBLIC CARE. Every neighborhood deserves a place to gather, breathe, get information, charge up, find support, and help each other through whatever comes. FIND ONE PLACE. INVITE THREE PEOPLE. BUILD TOGETHER. We take care of each other. Save this post. Share it. Start the conversation.
DURING AN EMERGENCY A hub becomes the neighborhood’s nerve center. Share accurate information. Check on neighbors. Connect people to resources. Coordinate rides and transport. Channel volunteers. Track needs and report back. Information + care + coordination = resilience
STARTER SUPPLY KIT. Simple supplies. Big impact. Water, masks (n95s), first aid kit, power strips & extension cords, charging banks, flashlights & batteries, radio, local maps & printed info, pens, paper, tapes, markers, hygiene supplies, snacks, pet supplies
HOW TO START SMALL You don’t perfect. You need to begin. Find a space people already trust. Make a clear agreement: keys, hours, roles, and responsibilities.Start with one hazard and one function. Set up a starter supply station. Create a communication plan (phone tree, texts, flyers, signs). Build a small, diverse team. Practice the plan before the crisis.
WHAT A HUB CAN PROVIDE Cooling and clean air, water, food, internet, device charging, first aid and health info, emergency info, childcare and family support, translation and interpretation, emotional support, coordination and mutual aid. Resilience hubs are infrastructure for care.
THE POLITICS OF ACCESS A hub must be for everyone, not just some Physically accessible, reachable without a car, multilingual & clear communication, pet friendly & aware, welcoming to unhoused neighbors, safety without policing people out. Access is not a checklist. It’s the foundation.
THE PLACES WE ALREADY TRUST Hubs can be many things. Libraries, schools, faith spaces, union halls, food pantries & co-ops, apartment common rooms, park & rec buildings, tribal & cultural centers, local businesses, neighborhood associations & mutual-aid spaces.
WHAT IS A RESILIENCE HUB? A trusted community space that supports people before, during, and after a disruption. A familiar place people already know and trust that expands its role during emergencies to coordinate resources, information, and care. A resilience hub supports recovery long after the crisis passes. It’s not just a building. It’s a relationship.
Submissions are open through July 14, 2026 for solarpunk and solarpunk horror.
Image shows a wildfire with smoke billowingninto the sky.
Step 7 Practice it! Test the phone tree. Walk thenroute. Print the list. Update the plan. This week, ask 3 people: What worries you most? What help would you need? What help could you provide?
Step 6 Pick One Hazard + One Project. Hazards = fire, smoke, heat, flood, power outage, etc. Projects = clean-air room, ride list, shared water shelf, N95 box, charging station. Make it small enough to finish.
Step 5 Build a Contact Tree with 3 layers. Digital (group text, WhatsApp, messenger, etc), Phone (a list of phone numbers to call), and Analog (door knocking, fliers, bulletin board, irl meet up spot). When the internet fails, paper and people still work!
Step 4 Map Capacities - who has a vehicle or trailer? Who has tools or firat aid training? Who can cook, translate, or organize? Who can help with kids and animals? Who has a spare room' cool room, or clean-air room? You're building a web, not a hierarchy.
Step 3 Map Needs - who lives alone? Who has young kids? Who has pets or livestock? Who needs powered medical equipment or refrigerated medication? Who doesn't drive or get alerts? Who needs language translation or other support? Everyone has both needs and capacities.
Step 2 Ask With Consent - Start simple, "If the power went out for a few days, what would you be worried about?" or "If we had to evacuate quickly, would you have transportation?" Ask. Don't assume. Don't pry.
Step 1 Start Small - Pick a realistic area like your block or apartment building, workplace, union, church, or school. Start with 3-5 households you can actually reach. Keep it small enough to act.
What is a Care Map? A care map is a living picture of the people, needs, skills, tools, spaces, and relationships that already exist around you.
Build a Care Map - disaster prep starts with relationships, not bunkers. A community care map is the most important tool in your Solarpunk Survival Kit.
New episode of Demand Utopia: A Solarpunk Podcast, the 1st in our 8 part series on Disaster Prep as Community Care. This episode is on community mapping and prepping without the individualist, apocalyptic bunker fantasy, because no one survives alone. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
a house with solar panels on the roof. The Demand Utopia logo is at the bottom of the image. At the top is text overlay that reads, "Solar is about to win, so why are still paying so much?"
A quaint, cottage-style inn with lots of flowers hanging from the front wall and in front of windows. Text overlay reads, "Between Mortar and Magic by Alex Vossler and What the Sea Remembers by Dennis Mombauer from Solarpunk Magazine Issue #27. At the bottom is the podcast logo.
The UN Assembly hall during a vote. The Demand Utopia podcast logo is at the bottom center of the image, and above that text overlay says "Climate Action Is Not Charity."
An aerial view of a river winding through green forest. Text overlays says, "Can a River Have Rights?" The Demand Utopia podcast logo is in the bottom right corner.
A silhouette of a person writing in a notebook with the sun shining behind them. Text over the image reads, "Why Are Hopeful Stories Still So Hard to Write?
An electrical grid site with transformers and distribution lines. Over that image is text that says, The Grid is a Care System.
A man works with food plants at a vertical farm. Image source: https://www.agritecture.com/blog/2018/10/2/why-vertical-farming-isnt-a-miracle-solution-to-food-security
WATER CARRIERS Sky Kelá gently traced their fingertips along the taut fabric of the glider’s delicate wing, brow furrowing at the faintest vibration beneath their touch. Above, the early dawn held a promise—shadows of clouds gathering, painting in purple and grey hues. It was a beauty tinged with foreboding, a silent whisper of storms to come. Perched atop what used to be a towering office building, now swathed in lush ivy and vibrant blooms, the rooftop community stirred to life. Sunlight seeped through suspended gardens, highlighting pathways interwoven among vibrant orchards and glass rain collectors, each engineered to sustain life at breathtaking heights. Bridges of knotted hemp and polished bamboo connected the rooftops, gracefully swaying as residents moved with practiced ease. Sky inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp scent of dew on the surrounding foliage. They exhaled slowly, quelling an anxious flutter in their chest. Returning their attention to the glider, fingers meticulously testing joints and seams, they searched for weaknesses. Sky knew the craft intimately—every curve, every stitch was both artistry and practicality. Still, anxiety was their companion, an ever-present reminder of that vulnerability was a basic fact of life. Solarpunk Magazine Grow the Future With Us Subscription Drive 150 Patrons | $500 per month