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submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

So im a very typical American. Cars, big lawn, etc. I do the best I can with a garden, fixing my own cars instead of buying new, and trying not to buy things packaged in plastic. I also want to make most of my lawn clovers and wildflowers etc because I hate the boringness of grass and want biodiversity.

Now I think the solarpunk movement is awesome, but I feel like im just a poser. Obviously I can't leave my house and go live in a grass hut. Im also one of those people with a million hobbies, so im always doing things (and by extension, purchasing things, though usually used). I've also always been a car guy, which kind of goes against the whole eco thing. Though I do pretty much only drive smaller cars. I wont buy electric until they are analog and disconnected from any sort of internet.

I feel like there's many out there like me who just feel they wont make any difference anyways so they don't get as involved. But what other things can someone like me do? I've thought about some panels on the house to potentially run small servers off of, but that's pretty much it

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[-] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I'm not sure if you're that bad off. If you can only contribute a little, that's still better than resigning and doing nothing. I think every little bit counts. I'm not sure how electricity works in the USA and whether you can buy an inverter and feed the solar energy into mains and help your fridge and AC during the day... I mean concerning ecology, people usually recommend to cut down on consumerism. And make wise choices. I believe that's something almost everyone can participate in. Don't buy a lot of unnecessary cheap plastic stuff on TEMU, buy just as many cars as you need, generally don't buy stuff you don't need. Avoid silly packaging if possible. Prefer products which last. And don't waste stuff. (And a million of other things.)
You seem to be doing quite a few things already. I mean you won't be saving the planet on your own or something like that. But contributing what you can do still is a positive contribution and I think it will have some effect. A small one, yes but that's what one individual can do. I think for a big effect we need some coordinated effort and get politics involved... But that's hard, will take quite some time and any individual again has just a small incluence on politics on a national level.

Edit: Aside from politics, you could also educate other people on a smaller scale, spread the word...

[-] [email protected] 11 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I’m not sure how electricity works in the USA and whether you can buy an inverter and feed the solar energy into mains and help your fridge and AC during the day

Unfortunately, most of us here cannot yet. Only the state of Utah passed a law very recently that makes that type of solar legal and possible. Hopefully more will follow suit!

this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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