Solarpunk technology

Hi, I've had some good discussions here in the past, so I thought I'd reach out with an idea for a resource I'd like to try to put together for solarpunk writers and artists.

I was talking with A.E. Marling about a story he's working on, and one of the things he was looking for was uses for old cars.

I think the obvious answer you'll get from solarpunks (aside for limited use where it makes sense) is to melt them down for your society's steel manufacturing needs - electric arc furnace smelters running off a green grid, recycling, are about as close to zero emission steel as you're likely to get, and the metal is already refined so I think you could get pretty tight control over the quality on the output.

But I think reuse offers some much more interesting opportunities. I'm only just starting to learn about fixing cars, but I've already been struck by the fact that at least some parts in cars can go into other things. For example, it looks like certain old alternators can be used to generate a wide range of amperage and voltage, suitable for different needs, including welding: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/diy-low-cost-generator-from-vehicle-alternator-alternating-generator.1843/ so perhaps one could be hooked by belts (adjusting speed) to a waterwheel or something?

I feel like a solarpunk society with a really strong library economy might start cataloguing parts of more complicated machines (even salvaged from machines like cars).

And looking for parts commonalities and alternative uses strikes me as a really cool step towards building an open-source manufacturing sphere. Perhaps starting with a database of hardware/parts so they could be identified and repurposed, and alternatives identified.

So the actual proposal:

I'd like to try and put together a list of common car parts which can be reasonably used in other (more solarpunk) contexts. This doesn't have to be specific down to the model number or include a how-to guide, (though I recognize that some reuses might only be possible with a specific model) just something solarpunk writers could casually drop into a description of a room or workshop, or an artist could put in the background of a scene. Something that shows that this isn't a scratch-built future, but that they're repurposing stuff where they can. Think of all the weird ways postapoclyptic movies dress the sets with misused items from the present - we could offer something like that to solarpunk, but grounded in at least some practicality. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!

edit: I've built out a list and it's located over here: https://slrpnk.net/post/13032570

Example: where wet bulb temperatures are the new normal, air conditioning is as vital as air and water because you will literally die without cooling. "You can buy all the electricity you can afford" is not good enough.

Little interview https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/23/holden-karau-fight-health-insurance-appeal-claims-denials/

Could a 3D-robotic loom be the answer to making fast fashion faster and more sustainable? Unspun's patented loom (so proprietary that we had to blur it for the video) can create clothing that fits you seamlessly every time, with just a scan of your phone, and far less waste than other clothing production methods.

Unspun is pioneering a different method of apparel production out of Oakland, California. By utilizing three-dimensional weaving, the start-up is building garments from the ground up, perfectly customized for the wearer's dimensions.

One other fact that stood out to me is that the weave uses more yarn (about 3x more, if my memory is right) than the average clothes today. That difference makes clothes more durable and last longer.

I doubt this will make the clothes more affordable, but the tech is interesting.

There's plenty of research around translating non-human communication into human language (https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/do-sperm-whale-calls-share-features-with-speech-or-song/), but what about translating human language into non-human speech? This is a fun little project from an interesting blog.

This is not just a "happy birthday" post for Linux, but also a reminder that despite it becoming big and professional, the freedom to tinker with Linux remains accessible.

I had to use this freedom recently when I discovered that V4L video pipelines could buffer up to 32 frames both on the encoder and decoder (unacceptable, we demand minimum latency!) so it was again time to recompile the kernel. :)

My previous time to recompile parts of Linux had been a week ago. Some hacker had discovered a way of tricking their WiFi card beyond the legally permitted power - with what I understand as thermal compensation settings. Wanting to taste the sweet extra milliwatts, I noticed that nobody was packaging that driver as a binary, so the only way to get it was to patch and recompile its kernel module.

Finally of course, thanks to Linux we have countless open-source drivers and if you want to venture onto the path that Linus Torvalds took - of building an operating system - congratulations, you have less obstacles in your way. :) Some people have taken this path with the Circle project and you can compile your homebrew and bare-metal kernel for a Raspberry Pi with reasonable effort, and it can even draw on the screen, write to serial ports and flip GPIO lines without reverse-engineering anyone's trade secrets. :)

it's weird, but legal for some reason. Giving back energy to the grid can cost money. Shy of just stacking a bunch of batteries, what could I do with the spare summer sunlight?

An Indian entrepreneur is using sugar, cellulose, and corn fibers to make a plastic-like carrier bag for small Indian businesses.

His company Bio Reform has already replaced 6 million plastic bags in the checkout counters of stores all over India.

Based in Hyderabad, Mohammed Azhar Mohiuddin first got the idea during the general mayhem that arose during the pandemic. Mohiuddin was looking at global environmental issues with the hope of finding one his entrepreneurial spirit had the capacity to tackle.

Hi. Hopefully someone can help me out. I have installed Combustible as an Android Lemmy client but when I try to connect to https://slrpnk.net I get an error: "unable to connect to specified Lemmy instance!" I'm willing to try a different app but would prefer FOSS.

So I enjoyed this. This is the kinda stuff that no one ever needs until they need, but it was insightful and so I thought worth a share.

Summary:

This video is the first part of a series about how to engineer the perfect pool. In this video, the speaker talks about the importance of variable speed pumps for energy efficiency. They discuss how to choose the right pump for your needs and how to install it. They also provide tips on how to save energy and money with your pool. Here are some key points from the video:

• Variable speed pumps can save you a lot of money on your energy bill.
• You can choose from a variety of different pumps to find the one that best suits your needs.
• It is important to consider the size of your pool and the flow rate of the pump when making your decision.
• You can also use a pool robot to help keep your pool clean.
• There are a number of other things you can do to save energy and money with your pool, such as using a solar cover and investing in a heat pump.

Overall, this video provides a lot of valuable information about how to engineer the perfect pool. If you are looking to save money on your energy bill or improve the efficiency of your pool, this video is definitely worth watching.

Herbicides have a long history of negative consequences. Glyphosate and paraquat, among other pollutants, are extremely harmful to human health and the environment. These pollutants impair soil quality and destroy beneficial organisms such as pollinators. Furthermore, the widespread use of herbicides has resulted in weed resistance, making chemical management less effective.

Kenny Lee, co-founder and CEO of Aigen Robotics, is personally committed to reducing pesticide use. Lee, a glyphosate-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, has collected $19 million for his startup to produce solar-powered weeding robots. “We’re on a personal mission,” Lee says, emphasizing their dedication to sustainable agriculture.

Canonical YouTube link

Didn't know the blades couldn't be reused.