Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
writing:exurbs_in_the_solarpunk_transition [2026/01/12 15:43] – [How and Why Would Exurbs Change?] JacobCoffinWriteswriting:exurbs_in_the_solarpunk_transition [2026/01/12 16:11] (current) – JacobCoffinWrites
Line 29: Line 29:
 If any of the above strikes you as being a bit incompatible with solarpunk values, you're not alone. Including these regions in a solarpunk setting would likely take more than just swapping in electric cars. A more solarpunk version of these communities would probably look similar to how they did in the past - denser, walkable towns and villages linked by rail and other public transit, with much more sparsely-settled land in between, including farms, homesteads, and occasional commuter holdouts. We'll get into these changes in greater detail in the next sections. If any of the above strikes you as being a bit incompatible with solarpunk values, you're not alone. Including these regions in a solarpunk setting would likely take more than just swapping in electric cars. A more solarpunk version of these communities would probably look similar to how they did in the past - denser, walkable towns and villages linked by rail and other public transit, with much more sparsely-settled land in between, including farms, homesteads, and occasional commuter holdouts. We'll get into these changes in greater detail in the next sections.
  
-This kind of mass resettlement is obviously a nonstarter for the people who've moved to exurbs specifically to live someplace where they can't see their neighbors. These houses are impractically located but they're somebody's home, and there's a lot of identity tied up in living in a 'rural' place, even if the rest of the lifestyle is missing. Its likely impossible to convince people to give up home (and their sizable investment in land and construction) - (un)fortunately it looks like the impending climate disaster and other societal crumbles may do that for us.+This kind of mass resettlement is obviously a nonstarter for the people who've moved to exurbs specifically to live someplace where they can't see their neighbors. These houses are impractically located but they're somebody's home, and there's a lot of identity tied up in living in a 'rural' place, even if the rest of the lifestyle is missing. It's likely impossible to convince people to give up home (and their sizable investment in land and construction) - (un)fortunately it looks like the impending climate disaster and other societal crumbles may do that for us.
  
 The exurb format is basically inherently impractical, dependent on long supply chains and especially on a subsidized auto industry and cheap, subsidized fuel. Any disruption to these systems can cause outsized problems for exurban residents who drive further, have fewer alternative options (for transportation, work, supplies etc), and who depend on longer logistics lines than other communities. Perhaps more significantly, in times of shortages and disruption, these towns may lack the population and municipal coordination necessary to advocate for themselves over larger neighboring communities. If resources are limited, it's likely going to be easier to justify providing aid to a city of a hundred thousand than to a town of two thousand. This already happens in the event of natural disasters, and it may prove especially true in the sort of slow decline and less-visible hardship these towns may face, without showy, media-worthy evidence to call attention to their situation. The exurb format is basically inherently impractical, dependent on long supply chains and especially on a subsidized auto industry and cheap, subsidized fuel. Any disruption to these systems can cause outsized problems for exurban residents who drive further, have fewer alternative options (for transportation, work, supplies etc), and who depend on longer logistics lines than other communities. Perhaps more significantly, in times of shortages and disruption, these towns may lack the population and municipal coordination necessary to advocate for themselves over larger neighboring communities. If resources are limited, it's likely going to be easier to justify providing aid to a city of a hundred thousand than to a town of two thousand. This already happens in the event of natural disasters, and it may prove especially true in the sort of slow decline and less-visible hardship these towns may face, without showy, media-worthy evidence to call attention to their situation.
  
-Almost every aspect of modern life depends on incredibly complex web of supply lines - it's not enough to just note that manufacturing starts with resources which are extracted from remote locations (whether that's mines, oil wells, or timber forests) and are transported for refinement, because the mines etc and transportation industries also rely on heavy machinery, replacement parts, fuel and lubricants, electricity, from the existing network of extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. The resources are refined in various stages at various facilities around the world (most of which are themselves incredibly complex and dependent on external inputs), and are then transported and used to produce parts which are transported, assembled into a final object, transported, sold, and transported home. Just from COVID and recent tariffs we've gotten some glimpses to just how thoroughly disruptions in one area can break things all over, to say nothing of components like complex electronic chips which are only produced in one or two geographic regions. Climate Change and the wars, pandemics, and other disasters which flow from it can all cause cascading issues and outright collapse. Even when items are produced, will the transportation fleet be up to moving them? Without fuel and replacement parts and new truck production to replace losses, our logistics network will weaken or break. Similarly, the transportation infrastructure, roads and bridges is already experiencing infrastructure debt from decades of austerity/neglect, and is also dependent on steel, concrete, asphalt, and other materials with long supply chains. When it becomes harder to transport goods, and goods are scarce, will corporations bother shipping them to their most remote retail locations? Will states transport aid past larger cities with dense, easier-to-reach populations in need in order to help scattered populations on the outskirts?+Almost every aspect of modern life depends on incredibly complex web of supply lines - it's not enough to just note that manufacturing starts with resources which are extracted from remote locations (whether that's mines, oil wells, or timber forests) and are transported for refinement, because the mines etc and transportation industries also rely on heavy machinery, replacement parts, fuel and lubricants, electricity, from the existing network of extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. The resources are refined in various stages at various facilities around the world (most of which are themselves incredibly complex and dependent on external inputs), and are then transported and used to produce parts which are transported, assembled into a final object, transported, sold, and transported home. We've seen recently that even relatively gentle disruptions like COVID and recent tariffs can break things all over, to say nothing of components like complex electronic chips which are only produced in one or two geographic locations. Climate Change and the wars, pandemics, and other disasters which flow from it can all cause cascading issues which push this complex network to outright collapse. Even when items are produced, will the transportation fleet be up to moving them? Without fuel and replacement parts and new truck production to replace losses, our logistics network will weaken or break. Similarly, the transportation infrastructure, roads and bridges is already experiencing infrastructure debt from decades of austerity/neglect, and is also dependent on steel, concrete, asphalt, and other materials with long supply chains. When it becomes harder to transport goods, and goods are scarce, will corporations bother shipping them to their most remote retail locations? Will states transport aid past cities and large towns with dense, easier-to-reach populations in need in order to help scattered populations on the outskirts?
  
-Life in exurbs could become much more difficult in these circumstances. Food, fuel, heating oil, and durable goods may become expensive or simply hard to find at any price. Construction materials necessary to continue development or to upkeep existing buildings may become scarce. Roads may become even more expensive to maintain and vehicles damaged by accidents or poor road conditions may be much more expensive or impossible to repair for lack of parts. As the existing fleet dwindles, replacement vehicles will climb in price.+Life in exurbs could become much more difficult in these circumstances. Food, fuel, heating oil, and durable goods may become expensive or simply hard to find at any price. Construction materials necessary to continue development or to upkeep existing buildings may become scarce. Roads and power infrastructure may become even more expensive to maintain and vehicles damaged by accidents or poor road conditions may be much more expensive or impossible to repair for lack of parts. As the existing fleet dwindles, replacement vehicles will climb in price.
  
 There will always be some who value home over all else and will change whatever they have to to make it work. They may represent homesteaders in a future solarpunk setting. But others might move closer to the rest of society. This might not start as a permanent commitment, they might stay with friends or relatives near work, set up a camper in a driveway, or if things are desperate enough, follow long human tradition and build slums and encampments near whatever looks like opportunity. This is a messy, ugly stage in a transition, but it's not a terribly unlikely one. The scope and scale of this cascading series of crisis and the population shifts which follow from them will depend mostly on your optimism as a writer. There will always be some who value home over all else and will change whatever they have to to make it work. They may represent homesteaders in a future solarpunk setting. But others might move closer to the rest of society. This might not start as a permanent commitment, they might stay with friends or relatives near work, set up a camper in a driveway, or if things are desperate enough, follow long human tradition and build slums and encampments near whatever looks like opportunity. This is a messy, ugly stage in a transition, but it's not a terribly unlikely one. The scope and scale of this cascading series of crisis and the population shifts which follow from them will depend mostly on your optimism as a writer.
  
-I will note that the following changes are likely going to be easier to justify if your story is set during or after societal crumbles from climate change, pandemics, war, etc than if it's a bright green future utopia. If resources are plentiful or even post-scarcity and have been the whole time, its hard to see any reason why rural communities would give up their cars, let alone their sprawling, ever-spreading development.+I will note that the following changes are likely going to be easier to justify if your story is set during or after societal crumbles from climate change, pandemics, war, etc than if it's a bright green future utopia. If resources are plentiful or even post-scarcity and have been the whole time, it's hard to see any reason why rural communities would give up their cars, let alone their sprawling, ever-spreading development.
  
 === Roads === === Roads ===
Line 59: Line 59:
 Even if your setting //doesn't// feature a period of societal crumbles it's possible that the road network will decline. To put it bluntly, a society where most people take trains, ropeways, bus, ferry, or other public transit, ride bikes, and live in denser communities might find themselves wondering why they need to maintain an extensive and costly autoroad network. Even if your setting //doesn't// feature a period of societal crumbles it's possible that the road network will decline. To put it bluntly, a society where most people take trains, ropeways, bus, ferry, or other public transit, ride bikes, and live in denser communities might find themselves wondering why they need to maintain an extensive and costly autoroad network.
  
-Either way, the end result may be a road network that is mostly used only for local travel, and is primarily traversed by [[personal_vehicles|low-speed vehicles which are suitable for the new conditions]]. In this context existing autoroads may be breaking up and returning to dirt, becoming narrow or overgrown, and be maintained mostly by the people who use them rather than government organizations. If large areas have depopulated, its even possible that the remaining population will blaze new trails which meet their current needs and fit their more offroad-capable vehicles through once-occupied properties. Gradually this new network of old roads and new trails may look more like a complex web of modern-day snowmobile trails or class-six roads than the highly-regulated highways maintained today. Its also possible that some roads or even entire swaths of the road network [[seasonal_roads|may become seasonal]] again.+Either way, the end result may be a road network that is mostly used only for local travel, and is primarily traversed by [[personal_vehicles|low-speed vehicles which are suitable for the new conditions]]. In this context existing autoroads may be breaking up and returning to dirt, becoming narrow or overgrown, and be maintained mostly by the people who use them rather than government organizations. If large areas have depopulated, it's even possible that the remaining population will blaze new trails which meet their current needs and fit their more offroad-capable vehicles through once-occupied properties. Gradually this new network of old roads and new trails may look more like a complex web of modern-day snowmobile trails or class-six roads than the highly-regulated highways maintained today. It's also possible that some roads or even entire swaths of the road network [[seasonal_roads|may become seasonal]] again.
  
 === Community Layout === === Community Layout ===
Line 85: Line 85:
 **Within Towns** **Within Towns**
  
-Solarpunk towns are likely going to be modeled on 15-minute city principles, with a relatively dense mixed-use layout which ensures people have easy access to at least most of what they need (and can easily easily reach the rest via public transit). A given town might have its most developed area near a public transit stop (perhaps five-over-one residential buildings with public spaces in the first floor) and fade gradually out to single family homes, standalone workshops, etc and eventually the nearby farms which support the town, or it could look a bit more like villages from various places in Europe with a relatively consistent density which cuts off abruptly at the edge of farmland. For larger towns, its likely they may operate some sort of public transit within the town in addition to whatever transit line connects it to nearby communities.+Solarpunk towns are likely going to be modeled on 15-minute city principles, with a relatively dense mixed-use layout which ensures people have easy access to at least most of what they need (and can easily easily reach the rest via public transit). A given town might have its most developed area near a public transit stop (perhaps five-over-one residential buildings with public spaces in the first floor) and fade gradually out to single family homes, standalone workshops, etc and eventually the nearby farms which support the town, or it could look a bit more like villages from various places in Europe with a relatively consistent density which cuts off abruptly at the edge of farmland. For larger towns, it's likely they may operate some sort of public transit within the town in addition to whatever transit line connects it to nearby communities.
  
 The character and nature of the town will probably depend on things like local industry and geography but if you'd like some suggestions for locations and elements which should be included, I'd very much recommend looking through the following responses from the /r/solarpunk and slrpnk.net communities: The character and nature of the town will probably depend on things like local industry and geography but if you'd like some suggestions for locations and elements which should be included, I'd very much recommend looking through the following responses from the /r/solarpunk and slrpnk.net communities:
Line 108: Line 108:
 Outside of town, things might look even more different. An emphasis on local agriculture may bring back some farms, but there's also an excellent opportunity to let wild habitats recover after decades of ceaseless clearcutting and development. It'd be a bit of an understatement to say that the rural areas of a hundred-some years ago were rough on wild habitats. A solarpunk society may practice more balanced farming practices on smaller plots, and strive to conserve and protect huge swaths of land. Outside of town, things might look even more different. An emphasis on local agriculture may bring back some farms, but there's also an excellent opportunity to let wild habitats recover after decades of ceaseless clearcutting and development. It'd be a bit of an understatement to say that the rural areas of a hundred-some years ago were rough on wild habitats. A solarpunk society may practice more balanced farming practices on smaller plots, and strive to conserve and protect huge swaths of land.
  
-It's important to consider what happens to the interstate-age houses and developments spattered across the land between the newly-dense villages. Exurbs are characterized by the low-density spread of residences, every road with a house a quarter mile from its nearest neighbor, now miles from the new hubs of public transit. Its likely many of these were abandoned long ago, and may be in various states of decline.+It's important to consider what happens to the interstate-age houses and developments spattered across the land between the newly-dense villages. Exurbs are characterized by the low-density spread of residences, every road with a house a quarter mile from its nearest neighbor, now miles from the new hubs of public transit. It's likely many of these were abandoned long ago, and may be in various states of decline.
  
 In some cases, old buildings could be put back into use. Perhaps they’re nearby something the rebuilding society needs. Maybe one development will make for a good farming community, and another the barracks of a logging camp. Maybe one near a river can support trade or fishing. But there will be others that are simply not very useful. They were practical enough for semi-suburban life when gas was cheap, cars were plentiful, and roads were maintained. But in a world where most people have other priorities, live in closer communities, use public transportation, and aren’t interested in rebuilding a car-centric world, these houses don’t make sense. In some cases, old buildings could be put back into use. Perhaps they’re nearby something the rebuilding society needs. Maybe one development will make for a good farming community, and another the barracks of a logging camp. Maybe one near a river can support trade or fishing. But there will be others that are simply not very useful. They were practical enough for semi-suburban life when gas was cheap, cars were plentiful, and roads were maintained. But in a world where most people have other priorities, live in closer communities, use public transportation, and aren’t interested in rebuilding a car-centric world, these houses don’t make sense.
Line 117: Line 117:
  
 As for the farms, homesteads, and other holdouts, I'd suggest looking for aspects of solarpunk which are easy to arrive at independently because they work, especially in times of scarcity. It takes all kinds to make a world, but there are a lot of solarpunk practices which make sense through a lens of rugged individualism and would be an easy starting point for someone who isn't ideologically aligned with the rest of the movement. Solar panels and water wheels allow you to live comfortably without relying on a company or local electric co-op for your power, even when storms would have caused outages. Solar hot water heaters or solar cookers let you heat water or prepare food with no fuel. Solarpunk farming practices such as [[https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/index.shtml|agroforestry]], replenishing soil with [[https://medium.com/local-carbon-network/biochar-and-the-mechanisms-of-nutrient-retention-and-exchange-in-the-soil-e733dacdc3ea|biochar]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramial_chipped_wood|ramial chipped wood]], building [[https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/living-fences-zmaz10onzraw/|resilient living fences]], operating [[winter_greenhouses|passive greenhouses]], using [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/21070015101/posts/10158975899375102/|bait]] [[https://archive.is/MSpKO|trees]] in orchards, can all make sense when external inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel are hard to come by. It's possible that people in these regions would still be comparatively conservative in your solarpunk future, but would look quite progressive or forward-thinking to a modern audience because these practices have been enabled and essentially been made the default the way that unsustainable, consumerist ones are today. As for the farms, homesteads, and other holdouts, I'd suggest looking for aspects of solarpunk which are easy to arrive at independently because they work, especially in times of scarcity. It takes all kinds to make a world, but there are a lot of solarpunk practices which make sense through a lens of rugged individualism and would be an easy starting point for someone who isn't ideologically aligned with the rest of the movement. Solar panels and water wheels allow you to live comfortably without relying on a company or local electric co-op for your power, even when storms would have caused outages. Solar hot water heaters or solar cookers let you heat water or prepare food with no fuel. Solarpunk farming practices such as [[https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/index.shtml|agroforestry]], replenishing soil with [[https://medium.com/local-carbon-network/biochar-and-the-mechanisms-of-nutrient-retention-and-exchange-in-the-soil-e733dacdc3ea|biochar]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramial_chipped_wood|ramial chipped wood]], building [[https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/living-fences-zmaz10onzraw/|resilient living fences]], operating [[winter_greenhouses|passive greenhouses]], using [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/21070015101/posts/10158975899375102/|bait]] [[https://archive.is/MSpKO|trees]] in orchards, can all make sense when external inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel are hard to come by. It's possible that people in these regions would still be comparatively conservative in your solarpunk future, but would look quite progressive or forward-thinking to a modern audience because these practices have been enabled and essentially been made the default the way that unsustainable, consumerist ones are today.
 +
 +There are also some interesting opportunities here to consider what kinds of modifications may be necessary to transform an old exurban home into a self-sufficient homestead. From power generation to [[solarpunk_networks|communication technology]], to general layout and the use of space, there are a lot of possibilities for changes which might be layered onto one another. Turning lawns into farms is the obvious starting point, but they'll likely need to add outbuildings as various tasks which used to be accomplished by long drives to (or delivery from) the larger society must be accomplished by a much smaller network of nearby holdouts. This might include things like sawmills, sap houses, ice houses or root cellars, vehicle maintenance sheds for a larger collection of machinery, etc. Operating more or less alone has a much larger independent footprint than being part of a close community.
  
 === Vehicles === === Vehicles ===
Line 124: Line 126:
 Our page on [[seasonal_roads|seasonal roads]] offers some recommendations on the kinds of modifications people might make to their personal vehicles if the scope and scale of the road network has been reduced enough that areas with cold, snowy winters are no longer working ([[road_salt|and causing ecological damage]]) to keep them clear to bare pavement all winter. Our page on [[seasonal_roads|seasonal roads]] offers some recommendations on the kinds of modifications people might make to their personal vehicles if the scope and scale of the road network has been reduced enough that areas with cold, snowy winters are no longer working ([[road_salt|and causing ecological damage]]) to keep them clear to bare pavement all winter.
  
-To add to this, its worth noting that the big 18-wheeler trucks which currently cover a large portion of our overland cargo transportation needs generally require better roads than regular passenger traffic. Transporting large amounts of cargo to or from places which aren't served by train lines or ports is a challenge which could be met [[https://canadiandefencereview.com/arctic-sovereignty-airships-for-the-arctic/|with airships]] or even [[https://slrpnk.net/post/9173975|temporary, lightweight narrow gauge railways]], which saw use before the availability of combustion engines and were generally laid for the duration of a specific task and moved once the project was finished. The narrow gauge would likely limit the speed and weight of any uses. Road construction and maintenance is certainly possible in these circumstances, though it may be contentious within the setting, as are stranger options like [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overland_train|overland trains]] which may make sense in some extremely limited use-cases.+To add to this, it's worth noting that the big 18-wheeler trucks which currently cover a large portion of our overland cargo transportation needs generally require better roads than regular passenger traffic. Transporting large amounts of cargo to or from places which aren't served by train lines or ports is a challenge which could be met [[https://canadiandefencereview.com/arctic-sovereignty-airships-for-the-arctic/|with airships]] or even [[https://slrpnk.net/post/9173975|temporary, lightweight narrow gauge railways]], which saw use before the availability of combustion engines and were generally laid for the duration of a specific task and moved once the project was finished. The narrow gauge would likely limit the speed and weight of any uses. Road construction and maintenance is certainly possible in these circumstances, though it may be contentious within the setting, as are stranger options like [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overland_train|overland trains]] which may make sense in some extremely limited use-cases.
  
 You'll still see plenty of personal vehicles out there, possibly more electric ones as it's easier to make your own electricity than it is to make your own gasoline or diesel. Woodgas conversion vehicles might also make sense for something you drive into town on special trips. You'll still see plenty of personal vehicles out there, possibly more electric ones as it's easier to make your own electricity than it is to make your own gasoline or diesel. Woodgas conversion vehicles might also make sense for something you drive into town on special trips.