Looks like heat pumps outsold gas furnaces *again* in 2024 in the US,
By even more than in 2023

A 20-year trend, because they are cleaner, better, and often cheaper,
So not just #Biden tax incentives (although those are great!)

Major part of state/local climate plans,
Contractors becoming more confident about new tech,
Public awareness of new tech growing

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/heat-pumps-keep-widening-their-lead-on-gas-furnaces

Hello fediverse solarpunks! We’re Solarpunk Presents Podcast, a podcast run on a shoestring budget by two lady solarpunks, one in Canada (@arielkroon) and one in Germany (@xtinadr@wandering.shop). We’re not great with technology, but we happen to both be PhDs from the opposite sides of the spectrum between STEM and Humanities/the Arts, and we’re united in our working towards solarpunk futures.

Our podcast is an interview-style podcast where we talk to guests and each other about various aspects of solarpunk, renewable energies, political action, and more. Often, our guests are people who wouldn’t label themselves as solarpunks, but are (and have been, often for years) quietly involved in working towards making the world a better place to live in. We strongly believe that once you get past the aesthetic and hype about renewables, solarpunk at its core promotes compassion, kinship with non-humans and humans alike, and grace for our fellow human beings as we all work together to survive on our shared planet.

You can support the podcast on Patreon, with tiers starting at just $1 USD! We host a monthly solarpunk hangout that all of our patrons are invited to, and all Patrons at the $3 tier and up receive early access to our episodes. There are more tiers with more extras, so head to https://patreon.com/solarpunkpresents to see them all. We also take one-time or recurring donations over at our PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=4QYBB8LGBC6FS
Even if you’re not in the financial position to donate, we really value other forms of support, such as positive reviews on your podcatcher of choice (it helps us be more visible and reach more solarpunks!), or subscriptions to our YouTube channel and comments there. As writers, we thrive on feedback, and we are continually trying to make the podcast better and want to know what you think.

As I’ve said before, it's rough out there for anyone valuing the environment, social justice, compassion, and more, and we want to keep doing our part to keep hope alive. We want to broaden the imagination of what it's possible to do to contribute to a better world, no matter who you are, where you live, or what life stage you're at.

#Patreon #solarpunk #SolarpunkPresents #SolarpunkPresentsPodcast #support #hope #hopepunk #environmentalism #ClimateCatastrophe #ClimateGrief #reviews #ReviewsPlz #SharingIsCaring# compassion #imagination #Future#PositiveFuture #Futurism #PositiveFuturism #SolarpunkPodcast #SolarpunkPodcasting #ClimateHope #MutualAidRequest #MutualAid

Chins up, take heart, and keep taking the #ClimateActions you can right where you are. #ThinkGloballyActLocally! As City of #Monterey Mayor Clyde Roberson commented in a city council session on June 6, 2017 [when POTUS 45/47, was in office and made U.S. the first nation in the world to formally withdraw from the Paris climate agreement], “We have our own Paris Accord!”

"My experience as a mayor was that if cities, representing the bulk of global GDP, got together and said, 'We’re not going to wait on our national capitals. We’re going to take action ourselves.' That’s how the C40, which became the climate mayors, was born. So I have a lot of confidence that state and local work will continue.” —outgoing Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/13/24338378/pete-buttigieg-dot-interview-ev-sales-trump-musk

The new #Imagine2200 stories are now available! I worked with Grist last summer to help choose these stories, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of them. Give them a read and let me know!

#solarpunk #hopepunk #ClimateHope #ClimateFiction #ecofiction #ecopunk

https://grist.org/imagine2200-climate-fiction-contest-2025/

Heartfelt gratitude to Kathleen Jones / @Kleen for being a faithful supporter of the Bicycling Monterey work since 2014—including as a Pedal Pusher (automatic monthly contributor) since 2020. https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations/donors We’re immensely grateful for her steady support, which helps us continue this endurance sport (bicycle advocacy!).

A grassroots volunteer effort founded 2009, Bicycling Monterey provides inspiration and resources for people who bike anywhere. It also serves as Information Hub for Biking Monterey County and is the county's local partner of the California Bicycle Coalition.

If your circumstances allow, please start this New Year by making a donation: https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations. Thank you.

"Warren Wells, policy and planning director for the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, said his organization has long been a supporter of e-bikes and believes they can make an impact on climate goals.

“'However, for the past year we have been sounding the alarm about electric motorcycles capable of speeds over 30 mph being marketed as e-bikes and sold to young people."

https://www.marinij.com/2024/12/26/fairfax-parent-sues-e-bike-company-for-alleged-deception/

ICYMI: Marin County Bicycle Coalition, along with Bicycling Monterey and others, issued a related statement Dec 10. https://bikemonterey.org/california-bicycle-advocates-call-on-elected-leaders-to-protect-e-bike-riders.html

Uruguay, pioneer in renewable energy: a model for the world?

“Just as Don Quixote faced the windmills as a challenge that he had to overcome to fulfill his duty as a knight-errant, the installation and maintenance of wind farms in Uruguay also involved facing significant obstacles. …the transition to clean energy sources needed a concerted effort to overcome these difficulties and move toward a more sustainable future.”

#ClimateChange #ClimateHope #solarpunk

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/12/uruguay-pioneer-in-renewable-energy-a-model-for-the-world/

Heyo followers and friends and fediverse solarpunks, here’s your reminder for the day that we need your support! This podcast is run by two people who are actively trying to figure out the very technology that we’re trying to use to broadcast solarpunk content out to the world, and that means we’re pretty busy and paying for this out of our own pockets. We are currently able to cover our hosting fee, but we aren’t able to like, actually properly compensate ourselves or pay for better equipment yet. It’s a goal we’re working on.

So if you like what we do, or you want some of that sweet sweet bonus content and early access to episodes, or just want to support solarpunk work in the present, please support us financially through Patreon (starting as low as $3USD / month) or make a donation through PayPal. If you’re hard up for cash, but still would like to support us and solarpunk in general but just can’t financially right now, it would still go a long way if you could take a moment to write us a review on your podcatcher of choice, or subscribe to our YouTube channel and leave us a comment on your favourite video so we can get seen by more people. Sometimes we feel like we’re shouting into the void, and as writers we do thrive on feedback. If you really liked a certain episode, please share it with someone you know who you think would like it too.

As I’ve said before, it's rough out there for anyone valuing the environment, social justice, compassion, and more, and we want to keep doing our part to keep hope alive. We want to broaden the imagination of what it's possible to do to contribute to a better world, no matter who you are, where you live, or what life stage you're at.

-Ariel

https://www.patreon.com/solarpunkpresents

#Patreon #solarpunk #SolarpunkPresents #SolarpunkPresentsPodcast #support #hope #hopepunk #environmentalism #ClimateCatastrophe #ClimateGrief #reviews #ReviewsPlz #SharingIsCaring# compassion #imagination #Future#PositiveFuture #Futurism #PositiveFuturism #SolarpunkPodcast #SolarpunkPodcasting #ClimateHope #MutualAidRequest #MutualAid

Congratulations to the 16 Montanans, now ages 7-23. #ClimateHope #FridaysForFuture #YouthClimateAction

“The state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment by permitting oil, gas and coal projects without regard for global warming.”
...
"Only a few other states, including Hawaii, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York, have similar environmental protections enshrined in their constitutions.”

https://apnews.com/article/youth-climate-change-lawsuit-montana-7c4b6261f610d504995743f7320533e8

Together, we can redirect this culture in a whole new sustainable direction!

Watch “We’re All Heroes" on Youtube https://youtu.be/Dme9tZUpaVY?si=QgNuBGShYrSIyo1t or on the home page at https://bikemonterey.org, e.g., via Duck Player.

Land Body Ecologies, a research network which I am privileged to be part of, has just launched a book: ‘Stories of #Solastalgia’, presenting experiences across the #Arctic, #India, #Kenya, #Sápmi, #Thailand, #Uganda, and the #UK.
 
https://www.waterstones.com/book/stories-of-solastalgia/land-body-ecologies//9781913546915
 
#LBEStories #LandBodyEcologies #SolastalgiaStories #ClimateGrief #ClimateHope #ClimateInspiration #EcoGrief #EcoHope #EcoInspiration #Indigenous