SoilPunk workshop

Introduction

Note to facilitator(s)

Dear facilitators,
We are thrilled that you will be hosting an iteration of our script! We tried to anticipate different contexts and conditions. Yet there may be gaps in our script. We therefore would like to ask you to read the script carefully and imagine hosting this workshop in your location, perhaps run a trial. In any case please go through the steps of uploading a small website to the wifi module ahead of time. As everyone will be busy coordinating their workshops and participants, we will prepared all the modules for you ahead of time. We prepared 4-5 modules per node, which means participants can work in groups. But there is an element we cannot prepare for you. Workshop facilitators will need to install things on their computers to be able to upload content onto the modules. We suggest 2 people per node to prepare their computers in this way so that two groups can upload content at the same time onto their modules during the workshop on your computers can go quicker Please follow the steps in the GIT readme section and reach out to H&D (Heerko, Loes, Anja, Pernilla) in case you run into issues or any questions.

What you need

(for version 2 of the script you don't need this material)

We will send you a box that contains 4-5 sets (depending on amount of participants) of the following items:

• ESP modules
• USB cables
• Mini solar panel
• "Battery holder"

What you should get:

• ! We cannot ship the battery. We therefore ask you to order them yourselves, one per set. Here is a link for reference: [ADD LINK]
• Computers per participant to make the websites with
• 1-2 computers that are configured to upload content onto the modules (follow steps in GIT repo)
• Apps to reduce file size
• Internet connection
• card board
• coloured pens, wax pencils, markers
• coloured paper, scissors and glue
• tie wraps
• hot glue, tape
• some other craft materials to beautify the module packaging
• snacks, drinks

Abstract

• This workshop script merges two workshops into one.
• Making tiny local internets / making batteries from mud
• Both workshops are an attempt to rethink technical infrastructure and what is commonly understood as desirable / innovative / user-friendly in our daily techno-social lives.

The SolarPunk ...

In this workshop we will imagine and try out ways to radically reduce the energy use associated with accessing networked content. The workshop incorporates two experimental approaches simultaneously: one that is focused on reducing file sizes of online content, and creating small local networks for storytelling. And secondly: exploring the strategies from DIY biotechnology where bacteria found in local iron-rich soil are harnessed to generate and store energy. SoilPunk: muddy speculations on desirable techno futures.

Schedule / setup

In Amsterdam we will be hosting our workshop in these moments: [ADD DATE/TIME]
You are free to choose a moment that suits best your node's schedules.
We are available for questions in these moments on Zulip and BBB: [ADD DATE/TIME]
Participants and/or facilitators can be in touch at these moments if they need help or just want to check in with us.
Shared activity: We propose to read the following text [...] and meet on an Etherpad [ADD LINK] with all nodes at this moment [ADD DATE/TIME] to discuss the text together. We will prepare some questions and prompts that will be released and create a dramaturgy in the pad to activate and mediate the discussion.

Preparation for participants

(for version 2 script you don't need this material)

• Install VLC media player: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/
• Install Brackets code editor: https://brackets.io
• and download this .zip file with example files (you don't have to install this :)

Workshop script

In the following we propose three different versions of the scripts, which take into consideration other conditions for hosting the workshop. We would like to ask facilitators to consider their environment and chose the script that seems most feasible to them.

(Optimally there is a commonality or shared experience with all scripts.. i.e. the collective discussion of a text. so that people feel connected while they are following a different script)

The activities of the SpoilPunk workshop will be running over several (half) days. We will start the workshop with a presentation of both collectives that we will record and share with the other nodes on Monday afternoon. We therefore recommend the other nodes, especially those who are later in time, to consider starting the SoilPunk workshop Tuesday or Wednesday. If Berlin likes, they can join our presentation online or we send it at to them at 17.00... could be watched as an evening activity or participants could watch it on their own time.

Version 1: Script (in-person workshops)

(This would be the initial version that we go outside on the first day, do a sample hunt where we find all materials, then we harvest mud, make the battery, make the hunt and wait for several days to charge the battery and do the hunt

The workshop will be split over several days so that there is a substantial amount of time in the middle so that the batteries have time to charge.

Day 1
1 hr: Exemplary scavenger hunt: Finding the kits that include all the materials for the workshop. (suggestion: could be also a nice after lunch or evening activity for participants to get energised)

Preparing the examplary hunt is also a way for workshop faciliators to get aquainted with the wifi modules.

Instructions for facilitators on how to prepare the exemplary hunt:

• Think about a route that consists of 3 destinations that have at least 20-30m inbetween them. Don't make it to far away and consider an area that can be described / is enclosed somehow
• Divide up the kits over the 3 locations and take pictures that give enough clues to the locations
• Reduce file size of pictures
• Follow steps in Git repo on how to make a small website that contains the pictures/clues and on how to get them onto the small modules.
• Hide the kits on the chosen destinations (consider zip-logs in case of rain)
• Hide the wifi modules in other locations (consider zip-logs in case of rain)

3.5 hrs: Making the battery (you could also do that on another day but we recommend to do this part early in the week so that there is enough time for it to charge and actually charge the modules at the end! )

As an example this is the Amsterdam schedule Monday 18 July.

9.30 coffee & tea [add a collective conditions session or name introduction round] 10.00-11.00 Scavenger hunt // mind safety
11.00-11.30 Unboxing and presenting

• 10 min Hackitects muddy presentation
  
• 10 min H&D solar / low tech presentations
  
• 10 min Laying out the workshop / different scripts / discussion / questions
  

11.30 - 13.00 Making mud batteries #1

Lunch: 13.00-14.00

14.00-15.30 Making mud batteries #2
15.30-18.30 Making the scavenger hunt
Last step: take pictures of your modules and post them on the zulip with id 18.30-19.00 Discussion, tips and tricks, new resources... keep the secret of the clues

Open question: what are we looking for in the final hunt? What is the treasure? An alternative to the puzzle pieces.. maybe something people have researched... a new piece of information about the topic SoilPunk? Maybe we are compiling a kind of publication instead of a puzzle? Or pieces to a dinner? Maybe everyone brings a food? or a recipe for a low emission food, which we will cook on one of our evenings? Maybe we can leave this up to the nodes? Should we decide on this together as a group or decide upfront?

Day 3 or 4
(We recommend to plan this part at the end of your workshop week but having 1 or 2 days (15 - 35 hrs) in-between may also be sufficient)

1 hr: Try out the battery (power scavenger nodes or LEDs)
1 hr: Do the hunt

Version 2: Hybrid script (online only or hybrid workshops)

Online scavenger hunt

(I propose an adaption of the scavenger hunt idea into the web space.. no physical computing or programming necessary, just focus on the game/play aspect... and explore the subject of SoilPunk in the webspace, ... maybe there are clues related to carbon emission of websites... In smaller groups participants can design scavenger hunts only with screenshots and text/links, weaving together a story through hyperlinks and screenshots ... We can give timed exercises, prompts and criteria to help participants along to create their hunt... we could either use etherpad as central point or zulip.. etherpad disadvantage is that you cannot post images... in zulip participants could make streams and then post clues / images and texts there. Nice if participants form small groups .. the script could already define the different roles and steps to help along the collaboration... in hybrid space its nice to group online people with people in space,.. so that those who are not physically present dont feel left out) Example:

• Go to your browser history
• Find out about the carbon footprint of 5 different websites you see in the list
• Insights: Use the least heavy website and try to find out what it does 'better'
• Locations: Then find out where the servers are where it is hosted ...
• Write down 5 insights and the locations.. These insights and locations are the destinations of your web scavenger hunt and the ingredients for your story, and your clues.
• Develop a narrative thread (can be fictional) and clues that connect the locations and insights, and lead a person through your insights and destinations / With every clue add a web link that gives additional information and supports your story somehow.. the web links should be posted by the particiants when they di the hunt and will be the indication if they are getting closer.

Version 3: Hybrid script (online only or hybrid workshops)

Local Wifi Zines powered by mud batteries

(This version does not have a scavenger hunt -- at least not in the literal sense -- but focuses on making local wifi zine networks (if possible for powered by mud batteries).. We should take into account a plan b for people who cannot make mud batteries because they may not be able to harvest mud... or could we/facilitators send them mud? Participants can then produce their personal content (based on a web research) related to 'SoilPunk' which they can publish on their small HTML sites... and maybe they can additionally also post their mini websites somewhere else on the web for a 'Show and Tell' at the end of the session... and to share with the rest of the nodes... it could be fun to have participants think about mechanisms to 'lure' people into connecting to their tiny networks and play with the idea of an 'InterNot.' We could furthermore propose different prompts for writing, editing, and harvesting content from the internet that connect different participants to each other and perhaps even other nodes. Like a chain, ... you find a picture and reduce the file size to 2kb, then send it as a pm to a random person from the overall list of the participants (of all nodes), with the request to write an id of that image and sends it back, you use that image description as a start for your story...

Git repository

[I suggest to minimize the repo and readme to the technical aspects of the script and put contextualization here in this wiki]

hackersanddesigners / SoilPunk / README.md

SoilPunk

↗ view more tools ↗↗ view in GitHub ↗

Resources

• Damaged Earth Catalog: https://damaged.bleu255.com/ Aymeric Mansoux, Marloes de Valk, Ville-Matias Heikkilä
• Permacomputing Wiki https://permacomputing.net/ Aymeric Mansoux, Marloes de Valk, Ville-Matias Heikkilä,
• Low Tech Magazine: https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/
• Low Tech Magazine / How to build a low tech website: https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/
• "Ignored By Big Telecom, Detroit's Marginalized Communities Are Building Their Own Internet" https://www.vice.com/en/article/kz3xyz/detroit-mesh-network

Initial notes

(delete before sharing) SoilPunk Pad