[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago

Awesome, I love that you can get used books through them!

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submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) by SolarQueen@slrpnk.net to c/anticonsumption@slrpnk.net

I've recently added a list to my website that has links to book sellers that aren't Amazon or other large conglomerates, and I thought it might be appreciated here. This includes both eBooks (most DRM-free), and physical ones as well.

I found most of these by coming across books I wanted (usually via the fediverse or LibraryThing), and searching up the author's website. Usually they'll have the ubiquitous Amazon & Kobo links, but sometimes they also link to the publisher directly, who often have their own shops as well. Basically I do a lot of link hopping until I come across small indie places that are much nicer to buy from.

If you have any favorites that I haven't included here, please let me know! I'd love to add more.

UPDATE: Thank you all for the additional recommendations! I've added them to the page along with summaries of what they offer.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 days ago

Everyone's challenges are different, but for me it's usually fruits being stolen by birds and squirrels, and pests eating up leaves before any of the fruits have been produces.

Only two things have worked for the pests: one is rotating crops. The pests show up, lay eggs in the spot where the plant is, and then they hatch the next season, so I try to plant in different areas each time. This doesn't work for tomatoes, who like being planted in the same spot each year, but I have a different solution for that.

Once I've got leaves coming up, and as soon as I see they're nibbled on, I take a piece of cardboard from a shipping box, and cut it about 6" square. Then on one side, cut up into the middle, and cut a circle about 1 cm in diameter. Twist the cardboard so that you can get it around the plant, and let the plant grow up through the hole. You'd think that 1cm would be large enough for the bugs to get through, or that they'd be able to fly around and above it, but I guess my bugs are just really fucking dumb. It's stopped the nibbling in 100% of the cases I've deployed it, so this is currently my favorite solution.

For the squirrels and birds I use bird netting. I usually stick PVC pipes about 3-4 ft. in height at the corners of my beds, and then drape the netting over them. The sides can be weighted down with stones/heavy objects, or you can tie it to fencing or whatever you have. I do have to move it aside when harvesting or weeding, but it's not a big time sink for me.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 days ago

You and I, though, have virtually no say in what goes on at the top, and realistically, we never will. So I don't really see why giving up work elsewhere would accomplish anything. Which isn't to say that we can't do two things at once, of course--you and I can both push for legislation against large industrial polluters, and we both should. Where I take exception to that is in saying that others also shouldn't take action in their own way as well.

It assumes that work on climate change is a very zero-sum game, in that focusing on one type of behavior eliminates work on any other sort of behavior, and that's simply not the case. We can do many things at once. It also helps to build a community that has buy-in from each of its members about how things should be--sustainable and regenerative, instead of exploitative (whether of people, things, the Earth, etc), so that the larger things follow suit. This normalizes the behavior and practices and moves the Overton window away from what the big players are doing.

Thanks for the reminder about the carbon footprint slogan. I don't think it's wrong in itself, however, it's just that it was co-opted to remove pressure from Big Oil instead of being used in tandem with the movement against them.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 3 points 4 days ago

I realized I didn't give examples of things I've convinced people of, so I figured I'd elaborate--sorry for the comment length; I'm not trying to pile on you, just hoping to inspire others!

  • I've pointed out to a few people that restaurants will often let you bring your own food containers for leftovers, and sometimes will box it for you, so that you don't have to use Styrofoam or single-use plastic
  • I've inspired a few folks to repair their clothing instead of throwing it out by wearing very visible patches on my own clothes. I usually make them look pretty and/or creative, which makes them popular with people
  • I've steered folks away from Spotify by sharing places I like to buy music that aren't streaming platforms (I even got a family member a CD player so they could build a collection, and it went down really well with them!)
  • I like to make zines going over various ways I've found of consuming less and saving money. I've gotten a lot positive feedback on them over the years.
[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 6 points 4 days ago

Sure, there are bigger things, but there will always be bigger things. Someone, especially someone with a large audience, coming out and saying that this is important to them is the important part. That's how you begin a movement.

Naysayers pointing out how one thing isn't going to make a difference is part of how capitalism works; it persists by convincing everyone that there is no point in resisting, that nothing will ever make a difference. But she and others aren't doing this because it's going to change everything, they're doing it because they should, and it's part of the world we want. It starts with a few people, and then spreads to everyone else. I myself have managed to convince a non-zero number of people to change their ways just like this. You just have to be persistent, and have a little faith.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 days ago

Thank you! That's actually where I've posted this request, but...I forgot it's federated everywhere. Looks like I'm still getting used to Lemmy instances and how they work, LOL!

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 4 points 5 days ago

I hadn't thought of it that way! I'll definitely submit if I can come up with something I'm satisfied with.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 days ago

I may do so--being new I wanted to make sure I wasn't copying anyone's existing work.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 days ago

Yeah, that's basically it. It's fiction that features a future in which people are adapting to climate change and focuses on sustainable living and technologies. A few years back you wouldn't have found anything searching for solarpunk fiction, but it seems to have been gaining popularity lately. I've always enjoyed speculative fiction, and I agree with you that we need more protopians in our collective imagination.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 days ago

I did not know about this, thank you! I use LibraryThing rather than Bookwyrm, but I'm intrigued by Bookwyrm nonetheless. I'll check it out!

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submitted 5 days ago by SolarQueen@slrpnk.net to c/meta@slrpnk.net

Is there currently a Solarpunk community for booklovers/Solarpunk reading recommendations, etc? I came to think of it when I was going to ask around if anyone was still using book swapping sites like BookMooch and Paperback Swap, but it would be a nice place for other book discussions, too. I did use search on the communities page, and it didn't turn up exactly what I was looking for, but there's always the possibility that I was using the wrong search terms.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 days ago

Thanks for posting this! I'm familiar with the Story Seed Library, but didn't know they were holding an art collab. I make pixel art mostly, but I'm also kind of flirting with the idea of making a Solarpunk Coloring Book (I do a lot of adult coloring stuff, and I've given away coloring pages via my website before). Not sure if that would be accepted, but it's still nice to know about.

[-] SolarQueen@slrpnk.net 21 points 2 weeks ago

120GB can also hold a whole library full of music and/or books, so that's nothing to scoff at!

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SolarQueen

joined 1 month ago