The book Utopia, written by the English lawyer and priest Thomas More, has existed for five hundred years. The artistic rethinking of social philosophy in this book allows you to describe an exemplary society that exists on an imaginary island in an unknown corner somewhere far, far away.
The connection between the book and the present
It was Mor who invented the word "utopia", which means "nowhere." Now this concept is used to describe a place where everything is perfect and perfect. In honor of the 500th anniversary of the book, the project "Ecotopia 2121" was created. He supports the beliefs of Thomas More and tries to predict the future of hundreds of real cities around the planet, which would be possible if they became more environmentally friendly. This is important for modern utopia if humanity wants to prevent an ecological catastrophe. Eighty percent of the world's population will live in cities by the end of this century. This will only be possible if everyone starts to take care of the environment. The cities within the project are described according to a specific scenario, taking into account global and environmental problems, as well as the history and culture of each of the places. All this allows you to create a variety of descriptions,not sticking to one picture of the ideal city of the future. Get to know the cities described in the project to imagine what the world could be one day if we worry more about the planet now.
Accra-2121
The capital city of Ghana is subject to horrific floods every year. Climatic changes make the problem particularly acute, affecting the situation and uncontrolled construction on the coastline. In an imaginary future, locals will build houses above water level, placing buildings from budget materials directly in the trees. In Ghana, the deforestation situation is currently one of the most acute in the world. If you do this now, by 2121 the forest can return to the country and serve as a home for many of its citizens. Accra residents will protect the forest ecosystem from deforestation and oil companies. Thanks to this, the problem of disappearing trees will be solved.
Promotional video:
London-2121
In the summer of 2121, life in the English capital is changing due to the economic downturn. One hundred thousand retirees take to the streets to protest the cuts in social benefits. The city freezes. Together with the protesters, their grandchildren find themselves on the streets, who are looked after by pensioners. The government does not react in any way, so the protesters are creating a large ecological village in the city, in the territory of which empty offices turn into houses, and gardens appear on the corners of the streets. In the village, they are engaged in an environmentally friendly business, and the children receive free education from their elders. This scenario will solve the problem of rising tuition costs and insufficient social benefits. People will be able to take everything into their own hands, in addition, the harmful conditions of the metropolis will be neutralized thanks to the abundance of greenery.
Los Angeles 2121
The city on the southern coast of California once had a well-developed tram network, but it has disappeared under the pressure of conspiring car companies. The world's oil reserves are depleted, cars are becoming useless and you can go back to using trams again! Useless highways can be transformed into lush green roads ideal for walkers and cyclists. They will serve as a kind of ecological corridors, allowing animals and plants to enter the city, usually isolated from them. Old cars can be used to create new buildings. A new architecture will emerge, corresponding to the changed way of life of people, with closer ties between individuals. Los Angeles will stop expanding further, taking over farmlands and wilderness, and will be a more compact city,in which everyone lives in small rooms.
Rekohu-2121
Also known as the Chatham Islands, this archipelago is located in the Pacific Ocean, six hundred and eighty kilometers southeast of New Zealand. It is the home of the Moriori tribe who wears albatross feathers in their hair, symbolizing the world in which life passes here. In the nineteenth century, British sailors discovered these islands. As a result, the archipelago began to suffer from diseases to which the local residents did not have immunity, and invaders, with whom the peace-loving natives did not even think to fight. It seems that such calmness is a direct path to enslavement, but the moriori that exist in our time prove the opposite. By 2121, their small state will become the home of a school of peace, from which the value of pacifism will spread to all corners of the planet. This will allow you to forget about constant conflicts and an arms race,so relevant to the world now.
Salto del Guaira-2121
The waterfalls on the border of Paraguay and Brazil were once a natural wonder. The cacophony of water jets could be heard from miles away, and this place was a natural landmark. The city of Salto del Guaira, located by the waterfall, has survived on tourism. In 1982, the Brazilian military blew up rocks that dripped water to create a reservoir for the reservoir. The Paraguayans longed for the disappeared waterfall. By 2121, the waterfalls will return again, and the city will come to life. The dam will collapse and the locals will control the area as they did many years ago. They will restore the landmark and turn their city into an ecological resort that attracts tourists from all over the planet. The stones will take their places, and the waterfall will again admire with its beauty. The ecosystem will gradually recover from the intervention.
Tokyo-2121
After a nuclear disaster near the city, the future of Tokyo is threatened by radioactive clouds. All are forced to evacuate. There are only especially persistent local residents living in special "lunar" houses that protect from the effects of radiation. Everything that these people eat and drink is produced and processed right in these houses. When a person wants to go outside, he is forced to wear protective clothing. Wildlife is also slowly returning, although radiation affects its development. The population of the now overcrowded city will significantly decrease due to such difficult conditions, but Tokyo will not cease to exist.
What is the essence of this project?
The six scenarios described above are just a few of the hundreds of stories created by the Ecotopia 2121 project. Someone will be pleased with such prospects, someone may be shocked or disappointed by this project. Part of the essence of utopian scenarios is their provocativeness. If you only want to imagine the future as a perfect picture of self-driving cars and nuclear power, the scenarios of such a project will not work for you. You will still think that this is empty speculation. However, this is not fiction; the study of utopias is an active response to the technological plans of humanity, which arise in huge quantities every year. These scenarios provide a glimpse into the future, in which there are many problems and unsolvable situations. Of course, you can assume that all these stories are just fantasy. Nevertheless, they make you think about the harmwhich people inflict on the planet. Each of the stories has both negative and positive forecasts, so they deserve analysis and can serve as one example of a possible future.