Solar Guerrilla

At a time when extreme climatic phenomena, air quality, and industrial impact are among the most pressing issues on the public agenda, the dramatic change in the climate has led to the realization that capitalism has a destructive effect on the environment. Our lifestyle must be reevaluated in order to positively impact both present and future.

The ongoing use of fossil fuels, the development of industrial zones in city centres, and even the growing use of air-conditioning units are leading to a significant rise in temperatures and to the acceleration of extreme climatic change. Nevertheless, most individuals do not yet connect their daily lives to the climate changes in their immediate surroundings, and even those who are aware of these changes do not necessarily choose a course of action. Global warming has been widely recognized by scientists as caused by humans. Efficient solutions to these concerns may be found on a local level, where the engagement of urban communities may prove to be effective in combating environmental damage. This publication addresses an approach involving multiple possibilities for climate-related actions, most notably in the context of individual cities. Six thematic chapters examine case studies from cities including Chicago, New York, Masdar, Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Shanghai, and Tel Aviv.

About the Author

Maya Vinitsky is associate curator for architecture and design at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and a senior lecturer for industrial design at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem. She is the author of 3.5 Square Meters: Constructive Responses to Natural Disasters, also published by Hirmer.