What Is SolarPunk: How An Animated Ad Helped Define A Genre Aesthetic – Looper

You’ve likely heard of cyberpunk and steampunk before, which envision realities where societies more largely incorporate elements of cyber and steam technology, respectively. Solarpunk is cut from the same cloth, only it emphasizes a civilization centered on solar and other renewable technologies. The “punk” portion of the word refers to an act of rebellion and how achieving such a world is only attainable through collective rebellious actions against current capitalistic systems. Whereas cyberpunk is most often used in relation to dystopias, solarpunk envisions utopias where humanity works in harmony with nature.

Solarpunk exists as an artistic, literary, and cinematic subgenre that focuses on natural, aesthetic beauty, ecological sustainability, and decentralization. First and foremost, human beings must be at the center of a solarpunk design because ecological harmony means nothing if humans are extinct. This is why green technology and walkable cities are so often featured. 

While solarpunk is a relatively new idea, many artworks have utilized aesthetics from the subgenre, even before it became an accepted idea. For example, Ursula K. LeGuin’s “Always Coming Home” from 1985 could be considered an early solarpunk work, as it features a peaceful, egalitarian society that’s moved beyond the need for a government. 

There aren’t a ton of solarpunk movies. However, the works of Studio Ghibli, including “Princess Mononoke” and “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” could be seen as having a solarpunk aesthetic. Additionally, the 2022 Disney animated film, “Strange World,” features characters using technology in a more sustainable manner. Solarpunk is steadily growing in mainstream acceptance, and oddly enough, the Chobani ad distills the genre into one minute.