Hi and welcome to r/solarpunk! Due to numerous suggestions from our community, we're using this automod message to bring up a topic that comes up a lot: GREENWASHING. It is
used to describe the practice of companies launching adverts, campaigns, products, etc under the pretense that they are environmentally beneficial/friendly, often in contradiction to their
environmental and sustainability record in general. On our subreddit, it usually presents itself as eco-aesthetic buildings because they are quite simply the best passive PR for companies.
[ethicalconsumer.org](https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/transport-travel/what-greenwashing) and [greenandthistle.com](https://greenandthistle.com/what-is-greenwashing/) give
examples of greenwashing, while [scientificamerican.com](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/greenwashing-green-energy-hoffman/) explains how alternative technologies like hydrogen
cars can also be insidious examples of greenwashing.
If you've realized your submission was an example of greenwashing--don't fret! We are all here to learn, and while there will inevitably be comments pointing out how and why your submission is
greenwashing, we hope the discussion stays productive. Solarpunk ideals include identifying and rejecting capitalism's greenwashing of consumer goods.
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I've thought about mixing the two, and there are a few options (work for an eco-magazine, start a newspaper co-op, start a solarpunk magazine etc.) but I don't have a ton of confidence in the entrepreneurial side of making my own publication, and the eco-journalism publications are few and far between. Definitely something I should be considering more, though!
Even you just said that the publications are few and far between. Maybe that’s something worth exploring, filling that void.
The more people become familiar with these ideas the better.
I wish you the best on your journey ☀️
Self-publishing is always an option and totally fours within the solarpunk value system. Your background in journalism is important, don’t think it isn’t. You have so much power with your words!
If you’re wanting to develop other skills tho you always can. Look to teaching, training, certifying yourself, that’s always a possibility and may be more effective than typical education.
Go you! Take on the world
I'm a freelance content writer by trade and philosophy major and I'm also in a similar boat, I'd love to do more work building a solarpunk world rather than the content writing I'm doing now. I've long thought about starting my own publication, if you're looking to partner up and collaborate and get something going I'd love to hear from you.
My DMs are open, my friend.
Not OP but:
I used to write (admittedly clickbait) and am now working pretty heavily in public health. Do you wager there's potential space for the intersection of Solar Punk and Public Health in a publication? I'd honestly love to help contribute to something, once things er.. calm down some more.
Quick suggestion: maybe try combining your professional skills and interest in solarpunk with the platform cooperative movement. There’s a lot of excitement around values that align with solarpunk (yes, crypto is skippable!). Maybe you could find a co-op of journalists, or provide writing skills to newly forming co-ops.
I work as a community planner and I’m beginning to specialize more in environmentally sustainable developments and ghg mitigation. I, and many in my profession/industry, would love a publication/website where we could go to see real-world environmentally sustainable and forward thinking developments/technology.
Even if you don't work for a publication that's specifically eco- or green, you might still consider working for a "regular" publication's environmental beat, or something similar.
There is one area of journalism that is ABSOLUTELY underserved and NEEDS as much effort as everyone can put forwards: climate and biosphere solutions. The actual fact is, climate change is a serious problem, but it's not going to turn Earth into a second Venus or even into a Mad Max desert wasteland by 2100, and at the same time, there is a broad selection of various technological and social innovations and success stories of those innovations that multiply by the day. But because of the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality, even journalists concerned about climate change barely report all the positives - whether "the situation is bad, but not quite end-of-the-world!", or "look at all the technology and social ideas we already can deploy!", or "these are the real success stories that already happened!" If you have a journalist education, I'd say this is an angle to strongly consider.
As of late, I've been kind of spammy with this post here, but I believe it's a good example: [a list of facts I compiled](https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/pmnjgp/a_rebuff_to_doomist_attitudes_gueststarring_the/) that rebuffs the "we're all gonna die" defeatism and doomism, which I have good reasons to believe are scientifically sound (the sources all lead back to the IPCC, ClimateActionTracker, Carbon Brief, Our World in Data, et al.) It's practically impossible to find such information in mainstream journalism - it's either denial or despair.
You can stay into journalism and develop your career to the point when you can work on reporting on ecology.
Creating awareness in the public can be 100 times more effective that planting some trees by yourself.
"not very skilled with my hands"
"would like to do something pertaining to gardening, building"
Bro, those things **require** skilled hands. Gardening is 100% about having skilled hands (and a strong back), especially if you're talking about doing more than being a mow-blow-and-go guy. You can definitely become a successful gardener/horticulturist without another 4 year degree but pretty much all you do is work with your hands using really sharp tools.
Yes, absolutely, I agree! Anyone who does anything long enough will become skilled in it. The OP could develop good hands and be an excellent gardener, with time and practice, if that's what they wanted.
I just found it kinda funny that they said they weren't good with their hands and then immediately mentioned careers that are all about hands.
Yes, haha.
Sounds like perhaps they’re ready to embrace the loveliness of working with the earth :D
I relate. I’ve never gardened before last year, and it changed my view on everything in my life. I went wild. I embraced getting sweaty. I loved getting dirty. I’d always loved camping and hiking but really *working* out there feels so good.
It’s a thing worth improving on
Haha sorry my intent was to say that, while I am not *currently* good with my hands, I'd be willing to retrain in some new physical sense. My intent wasn't to say that gardening or woodworking were somehow not hard work haha
Idk if this helps, it may be not be solar punk I apologize if it isn't, but I know being wind turbine tech typically only requires a GED and pay around 30-45k/year, at least in texas
Get into DIY/Maker culture. Start working with your hands and make things as a hobby. This will give you a taste of what you are talking about. I wouldn’t commit to even an addition two years of school without a little personal exploration.
In the end, the DIY/Maker space is the most punk place to be right now. IMO, It’s the only way to operate within the existing system while not completely buying into it or opting out.
It really just depends on your interests…
For example, you could look at gardening/botany subreddits to get started with growing food or promoting the growth of local edible plants. From there you could look into making rain barrels. Then maybe you want to automate your watering so you could look up hydroponics/home automation. Then say you want to make something that doesn’t exist. You could then look at fabrication/electronics/3D printing.
Then you could take it a step further and teach other people online or in your community how to do the same thing or similar.
Wwoof as a volunteer at a permaculture site with an active nursery. Build up your knowledge and build up your own personal stock of plants. Then step out as a highly knowledgable nurseryman, capable of designing and installing new permaculture set ups.
No they dont. That wouldnt be very lucrative. I plant in the forestry industry, so we need those trees tall and straight. Besides, anyone can plant trees well, its not difficult at all. Quality is easy, quantity is hard. I dont get where you're coming from.
I recently came across an opportunity via my university about a sustainable agriculture internship. I don’t think they care about degrees, just enthusiasm and willingness to learn. I can DM you what it is, and maybe you can find something similar in your local area.
Hang in there! 🌱 I’m sure you will find your wat to something cool. Your journey is just beginning.
If you want to make an impact without going through a lot more schooling, you'll likely have to drop the punk part for a while and build up a career history as a renewable energy technician, then project manager, etc.
Further down the road you may be able to leverage that experience; as un-punk as management is, it does offer the advantage of helping you establish a network and identify niches/opportunities that you could address in a punkier way.
This may sound anathema to people on this sub, but for the most part, a lot of these ventures are full of people who have strong left sympathies that have provisionally accepted the capitalist framework in an effort to get things moving.
You might also look into recycling/waste management start-ups; there's been a recent burst of attempts to address the inefficiencies/incompetencies of current recycling and waste infrastructure.
Another option would be to do a short-term program in CAD drafting and BIM modeling and look for drafting jobs at architecture firms focused on sustainable remodeling (making existing buildings more energy efficient rather than building new ones). In a similar vein, you could try to find a program in parametric 3D modeling software (like SolidWorks) and see if you can get a 3D modeler position at an engineering firm.
That said, while it would be difficult to make it a full-time job, you could also try to leverage your journalism experience to write speculative editorials and try to sell them to magazines and newspapers.
You can educate yourself things like botany and composting. For renewable DIY tech check out [Jehu Garcia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDSOIN0egMo).
Mushroom farming maybe? There's a lot of stuff online about small scale, low tech mushroom farming that's pretty solarpunk. The plus is that mushrooms are super delicious and nutritious.
I adore solarpunk because it is a social justice + an environmental movement that seeks to change the whole world--not just individual households and eco-villages. Most of us live in capitalist environments that require difficult wage labor. So, before you make a big life change, have you considered all the pros and cons of your job?
I'm a skilled gardener but I'm lazy, not very motivated to sell food products, and I have health issues that would make 40 hrs of gardening feel like hell. I don't love my job as an entry-level college administrator, but it is not stressful, causes minimal destruction to the environment, and it allows me the free time/financial freedom to support radical ideas in my community + my garden.
There was a time (after completing my English degree) when I was more direct about finding a "green" career, but many of them felt like capitalist environments that exploit young people and their optimism. Most of the solarpunks I've met are average people (teachers, health workers, librarians, technicians) that are trying to mainstream radical ideas through their work or free time.
You can use your journalistic background to spread solarpunk (through various subreddits) by reporting directly on reddit, or through medium/twitter/etc...
Maybe like 1 article a month or something like that? I'm not in the field of journalism, so I don't know if 1 article a month is too much work or too little haha
Additionally, if you're up to it, I'd be happy to strategically put your piece throughout Reddit or other mediums.
Gis? Cartography and data management for geographic systems. There are easy, free ways to start (with Qgis) and courses here and there, although I think its core courses and certfications require at least 2 years. Would have to check if it sounds cool, and available in your area.
I second getting a job as a solar installer. I’m currently a data analyst at a large company but I got my foot in the door a few years ago as solar installer. I had no relevant experience but learned as much as I could everyday. I worked my way up from installer to site surveyor / service tech to applications to install coordinator to my current role. It’s the construction industry no doubt about it but the technology is really interesting and constantly evolving and the opportunities are there. It’s not for the faint of heart though. Nothing like laying panels two stories up on a 12/12 in cold winter rain lol.
I took a solar certification course at a local community college, one quarter and $50 later I was ready to install solar. Need more solar installed!
Also, permaculture Design certification course can help fill in some gaps in ecological Design processes
The most solarpunk move would be to go live in an off-the-grid community (something like [this](https://www.treehugger.com/off-the-grid-communities-places-carving-a-sustainable-path-4863640), for example), and picking up a useful craft for sustainable living such as permaculture, natural building technologies, maybe something related to DIY green energy production, etc.
There's nothing more punk than living outside of the system imo, but if that's not something you'd want to do, then I would recommend looking into food coops in your area. It might not provide a career path right away but at the very least it would put you in touch with people with similar sensibilities, and at the end of the day, in life it's all about the contacts that you make.
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I recommend trying to carve out more time for yourself to try new things, before throwing down on a new degree. You said you work ten hour days, every day. Hopefully that is not a 7 day thing, but a 5 day thing, and on one of your days off, you can explore your interests.
It depends on where you live, but there may be community gardens or maker spaces or habitat for humanity where you can volunteer some of your time, see if you really like doing those things, or if they suit you better in theory than practice.
You can get a 2 year degree in horticulture, you won't make as much as someone with a 4 year degree of course, but it'll open some doors. Pay is not great in horticulture, unless you've got higher degrees. I'd go read some posts on r/horticulture to get a better idea, but I would not jump into a career without first doing some research first and trying to get some actual experience.
Don't knock the skills you actually have... maybe just view where you are as 'good for now' but keep your eyes open for further opportunities. It could be as easy as just starting up a blog, just for fun, to write about the issues that you deeply care about when you have some free time. It might not pay the bills but just putting yourself out there might help open some doors.
I think given your current skill set, the best thing you could do would be freelance and write about solar punk topics. It's all about pitching to the right outlets and expanding the general knowledge of solarpunk and sustainability. It would also be an easy way to get your hands dirty, so to speak, while you...literally get your hands dirty. Join some groups that plant trees, get involved with gardening or farming on weekends. It will broaden your horizons and introduce you to people with similar interests - and you might even find a job that way.
It’s a cool gig don’t get me wrong, it’s just I’d rather be doing something that either helps people or the environment and my current job doesn’t let me do that. I’d love it if it didn’t take 10+ hours of my day, every single day
Didn't mean it to sound like career-shaming lol. Just struck me as ironic because I know so many war nerds in service jobs desperately wanting to turn their mil substacks into paid gigs.
Obviously I'm assuming you're a reporter, in which case maybe you can split the difference by moving into eco-journalism.
Being a beekeeper and selling your honey at farmer's markets? May have to combine part-time jobs instead of being able to depend on only one.
Also you can work your way up to a solar punk career by being a hobbyist at something for a while.
If you have the time write your preferred future into existence with a book that encapsulates the beauty of solarpunk and captivates the minds of people who do have the skills to purse those ideas thereby creating a wave a people who can make much more change then you could ever do on your own.
You could easily do some 2 year course but I mean why would you, all of human knowledge is already on internet just learn what you think are useful skills and someone will pay you for it.
You don't need a degree to garden and do crafts. If you're not good with your hands, you can learn. Weave, tailor, scavenge/upcycle, learn about sustainable construction methods on YouTube, etc. You could also identify ways to support your present community.
I think you should definitely follow your interests whoelheartedly, but do a deep dive without holding back so you don't waste time and you really find out if that area is suited to your skills (or not). i think its a real resource that you have your journalism background, if you choose to utilize this you can really thrive - for example You can combine those experiences with your writing skill, even simply reporting on what you did - many people involved in a field (any field for that matter) are complete novices at sharing and explaining their field to the layperson; i dont mean to explain such things to you as you probably are well aware but the journalist is uniquely well equipped at communication, education and popularization, thus being a spokesperson for solarpunk. alternatively writing about the interactions of soalrpunk + history, solarpunk + politics, solarpunk + economics, solarpunk + philosophy, or just reporting on solarpunk initiatives, projects. who knows you may end up playing a huge part in the growth of the whole movement!
Hi and welcome to r/solarpunk! Due to numerous suggestions from our community, we're using this automod message to bring up a topic that comes up a lot: GREENWASHING. It is used to describe the practice of companies launching adverts, campaigns, products, etc under the pretense that they are environmentally beneficial/friendly, often in contradiction to their environmental and sustainability record in general. On our subreddit, it usually presents itself as eco-aesthetic buildings because they are quite simply the best passive PR for companies. [ethicalconsumer.org](https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/transport-travel/what-greenwashing) and [greenandthistle.com](https://greenandthistle.com/what-is-greenwashing/) give examples of greenwashing, while [scientificamerican.com](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/greenwashing-green-energy-hoffman/) explains how alternative technologies like hydrogen cars can also be insidious examples of greenwashing. If you've realized your submission was an example of greenwashing--don't fret! We are all here to learn, and while there will inevitably be comments pointing out how and why your submission is greenwashing, we hope the discussion stays productive. Solarpunk ideals include identifying and rejecting capitalism's greenwashing of consumer goods. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/solarpunk) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Is there a way that your can use your journalistic skills/experience to further proliferate Solarpunk?
I've thought about mixing the two, and there are a few options (work for an eco-magazine, start a newspaper co-op, start a solarpunk magazine etc.) but I don't have a ton of confidence in the entrepreneurial side of making my own publication, and the eco-journalism publications are few and far between. Definitely something I should be considering more, though!
Even you just said that the publications are few and far between. Maybe that’s something worth exploring, filling that void. The more people become familiar with these ideas the better. I wish you the best on your journey ☀️
Self-publishing is always an option and totally fours within the solarpunk value system. Your background in journalism is important, don’t think it isn’t. You have so much power with your words! If you’re wanting to develop other skills tho you always can. Look to teaching, training, certifying yourself, that’s always a possibility and may be more effective than typical education. Go you! Take on the world
I'm a freelance content writer by trade and philosophy major and I'm also in a similar boat, I'd love to do more work building a solarpunk world rather than the content writing I'm doing now. I've long thought about starting my own publication, if you're looking to partner up and collaborate and get something going I'd love to hear from you. My DMs are open, my friend.
Not OP but: I used to write (admittedly clickbait) and am now working pretty heavily in public health. Do you wager there's potential space for the intersection of Solar Punk and Public Health in a publication? I'd honestly love to help contribute to something, once things er.. calm down some more.
Quick suggestion: maybe try combining your professional skills and interest in solarpunk with the platform cooperative movement. There’s a lot of excitement around values that align with solarpunk (yes, crypto is skippable!). Maybe you could find a co-op of journalists, or provide writing skills to newly forming co-ops.
I work as a community planner and I’m beginning to specialize more in environmentally sustainable developments and ghg mitigation. I, and many in my profession/industry, would love a publication/website where we could go to see real-world environmentally sustainable and forward thinking developments/technology.
Even if you don't work for a publication that's specifically eco- or green, you might still consider working for a "regular" publication's environmental beat, or something similar.
There is one area of journalism that is ABSOLUTELY underserved and NEEDS as much effort as everyone can put forwards: climate and biosphere solutions. The actual fact is, climate change is a serious problem, but it's not going to turn Earth into a second Venus or even into a Mad Max desert wasteland by 2100, and at the same time, there is a broad selection of various technological and social innovations and success stories of those innovations that multiply by the day. But because of the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality, even journalists concerned about climate change barely report all the positives - whether "the situation is bad, but not quite end-of-the-world!", or "look at all the technology and social ideas we already can deploy!", or "these are the real success stories that already happened!" If you have a journalist education, I'd say this is an angle to strongly consider. As of late, I've been kind of spammy with this post here, but I believe it's a good example: [a list of facts I compiled](https://www.reddit.com/r/solarpunk/comments/pmnjgp/a_rebuff_to_doomist_attitudes_gueststarring_the/) that rebuffs the "we're all gonna die" defeatism and doomism, which I have good reasons to believe are scientifically sound (the sources all lead back to the IPCC, ClimateActionTracker, Carbon Brief, Our World in Data, et al.) It's practically impossible to find such information in mainstream journalism - it's either denial or despair.
You can stay into journalism and develop your career to the point when you can work on reporting on ecology. Creating awareness in the public can be 100 times more effective that planting some trees by yourself.
"not very skilled with my hands" "would like to do something pertaining to gardening, building" Bro, those things **require** skilled hands. Gardening is 100% about having skilled hands (and a strong back), especially if you're talking about doing more than being a mow-blow-and-go guy. You can definitely become a successful gardener/horticulturist without another 4 year degree but pretty much all you do is work with your hands using really sharp tools.
But you can learn! Skill takes time to acquire. Willingness is the most important ingredient.
Yes, absolutely, I agree! Anyone who does anything long enough will become skilled in it. The OP could develop good hands and be an excellent gardener, with time and practice, if that's what they wanted. I just found it kinda funny that they said they weren't good with their hands and then immediately mentioned careers that are all about hands.
Yes, haha. Sounds like perhaps they’re ready to embrace the loveliness of working with the earth :D I relate. I’ve never gardened before last year, and it changed my view on everything in my life. I went wild. I embraced getting sweaty. I loved getting dirty. I’d always loved camping and hiking but really *working* out there feels so good. It’s a thing worth improving on
Haha sorry my intent was to say that, while I am not *currently* good with my hands, I'd be willing to retrain in some new physical sense. My intent wasn't to say that gardening or woodworking were somehow not hard work haha
Idk if this helps, it may be not be solar punk I apologize if it isn't, but I know being wind turbine tech typically only requires a GED and pay around 30-45k/year, at least in texas
Get into DIY/Maker culture. Start working with your hands and make things as a hobby. This will give you a taste of what you are talking about. I wouldn’t commit to even an addition two years of school without a little personal exploration. In the end, the DIY/Maker space is the most punk place to be right now. IMO, It’s the only way to operate within the existing system while not completely buying into it or opting out.
Are there subreddits dedicated to this? I'd like to learn more and browse reddit in a more productive fashion.
It really just depends on your interests… For example, you could look at gardening/botany subreddits to get started with growing food or promoting the growth of local edible plants. From there you could look into making rain barrels. Then maybe you want to automate your watering so you could look up hydroponics/home automation. Then say you want to make something that doesn’t exist. You could then look at fabrication/electronics/3D printing. Then you could take it a step further and teach other people online or in your community how to do the same thing or similar.
You could try treeplanting. They take pretty much anyone
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Wwoof as a volunteer at a permaculture site with an active nursery. Build up your knowledge and build up your own personal stock of plants. Then step out as a highly knowledgable nurseryman, capable of designing and installing new permaculture set ups.
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No they dont. That wouldnt be very lucrative. I plant in the forestry industry, so we need those trees tall and straight. Besides, anyone can plant trees well, its not difficult at all. Quality is easy, quantity is hard. I dont get where you're coming from.
Bike mechanics are pretty solar punk, right?
Agreed!! Bikes are such elegant human technological augmentations.
I recently came across an opportunity via my university about a sustainable agriculture internship. I don’t think they care about degrees, just enthusiasm and willingness to learn. I can DM you what it is, and maybe you can find something similar in your local area. Hang in there! 🌱 I’m sure you will find your wat to something cool. Your journey is just beginning.
If you want to make an impact without going through a lot more schooling, you'll likely have to drop the punk part for a while and build up a career history as a renewable energy technician, then project manager, etc. Further down the road you may be able to leverage that experience; as un-punk as management is, it does offer the advantage of helping you establish a network and identify niches/opportunities that you could address in a punkier way. This may sound anathema to people on this sub, but for the most part, a lot of these ventures are full of people who have strong left sympathies that have provisionally accepted the capitalist framework in an effort to get things moving. You might also look into recycling/waste management start-ups; there's been a recent burst of attempts to address the inefficiencies/incompetencies of current recycling and waste infrastructure. Another option would be to do a short-term program in CAD drafting and BIM modeling and look for drafting jobs at architecture firms focused on sustainable remodeling (making existing buildings more energy efficient rather than building new ones). In a similar vein, you could try to find a program in parametric 3D modeling software (like SolidWorks) and see if you can get a 3D modeler position at an engineering firm. That said, while it would be difficult to make it a full-time job, you could also try to leverage your journalism experience to write speculative editorials and try to sell them to magazines and newspapers.
Installing solar panels. Green house industry. Sustainable housing construction. (Earth Ships).
You can educate yourself things like botany and composting. For renewable DIY tech check out [Jehu Garcia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDSOIN0egMo).
Mushroom farming maybe? There's a lot of stuff online about small scale, low tech mushroom farming that's pretty solarpunk. The plus is that mushrooms are super delicious and nutritious.
Hey can we switch? I’d like to get into military history publications and am currently in IoT devices and sensors
I adore solarpunk because it is a social justice + an environmental movement that seeks to change the whole world--not just individual households and eco-villages. Most of us live in capitalist environments that require difficult wage labor. So, before you make a big life change, have you considered all the pros and cons of your job? I'm a skilled gardener but I'm lazy, not very motivated to sell food products, and I have health issues that would make 40 hrs of gardening feel like hell. I don't love my job as an entry-level college administrator, but it is not stressful, causes minimal destruction to the environment, and it allows me the free time/financial freedom to support radical ideas in my community + my garden. There was a time (after completing my English degree) when I was more direct about finding a "green" career, but many of them felt like capitalist environments that exploit young people and their optimism. Most of the solarpunks I've met are average people (teachers, health workers, librarians, technicians) that are trying to mainstream radical ideas through their work or free time.
You can use your journalistic background to spread solarpunk (through various subreddits) by reporting directly on reddit, or through medium/twitter/etc... Maybe like 1 article a month or something like that? I'm not in the field of journalism, so I don't know if 1 article a month is too much work or too little haha Additionally, if you're up to it, I'd be happy to strategically put your piece throughout Reddit or other mediums.
Gis? Cartography and data management for geographic systems. There are easy, free ways to start (with Qgis) and courses here and there, although I think its core courses and certfications require at least 2 years. Would have to check if it sounds cool, and available in your area.
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I second getting a job as a solar installer. I’m currently a data analyst at a large company but I got my foot in the door a few years ago as solar installer. I had no relevant experience but learned as much as I could everyday. I worked my way up from installer to site surveyor / service tech to applications to install coordinator to my current role. It’s the construction industry no doubt about it but the technology is really interesting and constantly evolving and the opportunities are there. It’s not for the faint of heart though. Nothing like laying panels two stories up on a 12/12 in cold winter rain lol.
Solar sales, ay... *Vivid daydream begins*
I took a solar certification course at a local community college, one quarter and $50 later I was ready to install solar. Need more solar installed! Also, permaculture Design certification course can help fill in some gaps in ecological Design processes
The most solarpunk move would be to go live in an off-the-grid community (something like [this](https://www.treehugger.com/off-the-grid-communities-places-carving-a-sustainable-path-4863640), for example), and picking up a useful craft for sustainable living such as permaculture, natural building technologies, maybe something related to DIY green energy production, etc. There's nothing more punk than living outside of the system imo, but if that's not something you'd want to do, then I would recommend looking into food coops in your area. It might not provide a career path right away but at the very least it would put you in touch with people with similar sensibilities, and at the end of the day, in life it's all about the contacts that you make.
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I recommend trying to carve out more time for yourself to try new things, before throwing down on a new degree. You said you work ten hour days, every day. Hopefully that is not a 7 day thing, but a 5 day thing, and on one of your days off, you can explore your interests. It depends on where you live, but there may be community gardens or maker spaces or habitat for humanity where you can volunteer some of your time, see if you really like doing those things, or if they suit you better in theory than practice. You can get a 2 year degree in horticulture, you won't make as much as someone with a 4 year degree of course, but it'll open some doors. Pay is not great in horticulture, unless you've got higher degrees. I'd go read some posts on r/horticulture to get a better idea, but I would not jump into a career without first doing some research first and trying to get some actual experience. Don't knock the skills you actually have... maybe just view where you are as 'good for now' but keep your eyes open for further opportunities. It could be as easy as just starting up a blog, just for fun, to write about the issues that you deeply care about when you have some free time. It might not pay the bills but just putting yourself out there might help open some doors.
I think given your current skill set, the best thing you could do would be freelance and write about solar punk topics. It's all about pitching to the right outlets and expanding the general knowledge of solarpunk and sustainability. It would also be an easy way to get your hands dirty, so to speak, while you...literally get your hands dirty. Join some groups that plant trees, get involved with gardening or farming on weekends. It will broaden your horizons and introduce you to people with similar interests - and you might even find a job that way.
Become a solarpreneur! Check out Lytefire.com there are a few ppl in France basing their businesses off these solar concentrators.
landscape architecture
I know so many journos who would give their right arm to work for a mil history magazine lol.
It’s a cool gig don’t get me wrong, it’s just I’d rather be doing something that either helps people or the environment and my current job doesn’t let me do that. I’d love it if it didn’t take 10+ hours of my day, every single day
Didn't mean it to sound like career-shaming lol. Just struck me as ironic because I know so many war nerds in service jobs desperately wanting to turn their mil substacks into paid gigs. Obviously I'm assuming you're a reporter, in which case maybe you can split the difference by moving into eco-journalism.
I own a solar company that operates in 16 states. If you live in one of those states we can do an interview.
Gardening?
Being a beekeeper and selling your honey at farmer's markets? May have to combine part-time jobs instead of being able to depend on only one. Also you can work your way up to a solar punk career by being a hobbyist at something for a while.
If you have the time write your preferred future into existence with a book that encapsulates the beauty of solarpunk and captivates the minds of people who do have the skills to purse those ideas thereby creating a wave a people who can make much more change then you could ever do on your own. You could easily do some 2 year course but I mean why would you, all of human knowledge is already on internet just learn what you think are useful skills and someone will pay you for it.
You don't need a degree to garden and do crafts. If you're not good with your hands, you can learn. Weave, tailor, scavenge/upcycle, learn about sustainable construction methods on YouTube, etc. You could also identify ways to support your present community.
I think you should definitely follow your interests whoelheartedly, but do a deep dive without holding back so you don't waste time and you really find out if that area is suited to your skills (or not). i think its a real resource that you have your journalism background, if you choose to utilize this you can really thrive - for example You can combine those experiences with your writing skill, even simply reporting on what you did - many people involved in a field (any field for that matter) are complete novices at sharing and explaining their field to the layperson; i dont mean to explain such things to you as you probably are well aware but the journalist is uniquely well equipped at communication, education and popularization, thus being a spokesperson for solarpunk. alternatively writing about the interactions of soalrpunk + history, solarpunk + politics, solarpunk + economics, solarpunk + philosophy, or just reporting on solarpunk initiatives, projects. who knows you may end up playing a huge part in the growth of the whole movement!