M U L T I A U T H O R

Ecofascism
Leviathan or lifejacket oF
humankind?
Ecofascism
Leviathan or lifejacket oF
humankind?
ECOFASCISM: leviathan or lifejacket of humankind?

@All images included in this book from André Arruda.

Editor: Fernando Gutierrez.
Book coordinator: Jaume Enciso

ECOFASCISM is licensed under a Creative Commons

Attribution 4.0 International License.

September 2024.
/imagine

2050. Temperatures have risen over +2ºC. Global population

has reached 9.8 billion. Pressure on natural systems is at its
peak. A new global movement has arisen. ecoF, a
totalitarian system has been enforced, based on the
minimum climate footprint on every aspect of our society.
PROPAGANDA #006

pills #032

watts #070

bytes #090

IDEAS #117

BREATH #143

RIGHTS #156

CALORIES #205
SECTION #001. PROPAGANDA
MARCUS BUSSEY | Kinship With the More Than Human
RHONA MORRELL | Forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’ Capitalism to Global Equity
SETH HARRELL | A CLEAN Society
SOHAIL INAYATULLAH | The Next Stage of Evolution
TANJA SCHINDLER | Space for Futures - Unleashing a New Global Consciousness from Outer
Space

SECTION #002. PILLS

BRONWYN WILLIAMS | Jack’s dogs, or Jack’s baby?
GREGORY MENVILLE | Saving Sara
KAROLINA THAKKER | Safe Sex, Safe Planet
LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN | Birth controlled
SAMISTA JUGWANTH | Agency vs Asylum: A Pragmatic Take on Feminism
SANNA KETONEN-OKSI | Adding fuel to the fire is not an answer
SIV HELEN HESJEDAL | The secret children

SECTION #003. WATTS

EHSAN MARZBAN | Bike communities at service: green is not just green
HELGA VEIGL | Careful demand
UMAR SHERAZ | Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the quadrillion mark

SECTION #004. BYTES

VALENTINA CONTINI | Survival of the Greenest: the ecoF Metaverse Games
ALBERTO BARREIRO | An Experience Worth Living
EDYTA SADOWSKA | AI: a tool for collective good
FERNANDO GUTIERREZ | Roanoke
KIM DE VIDTS | Organics Versus/And AI

SECTION #005. IDEAS

ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL | Teaching ecoF
GEETA DHIR | The Pavo Paradox - Making the world a better place?
JULIETA MATOS | The Fading Canvas
PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL | Catalyst: SUYANA

section #006. breath

GINA CLIFFORD | It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal?
RAQUEL VALENÇA | The Absolute Kingdom of the Sun

section #007. RIGHTS

STEVE WELLS | A New Hope
JAVIER CREUS | The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050
ANTONIA NICOLS | For the Common Good
JAUME ENCISO | Happy Fifty
JOANA LENKOVA | The Equilibrium Domes
TIAGO RODRIGO DOS SANTOS | Goodnight
VIRAJ JOSHI | Our absolute last hope is absolute

SECTION #008. CALORIES

ELINA HILTUNEN | Until Meat Do Us Part
SHIELA R CASTILLO | The Fetishers
SYLVIA GALLUSSER | Vichy, Different Seasons
 #001

PROPAGANDA

MARCUS BUSSEY | Kinship With the More Than Human_______005

RHONA MORRELL | Forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’

Capitalism to Global Equity______________________009

SETH HARRELL | A CLEAN Society____________________014

SOHAIL INAYATULLAH | The Next Stage of Evolution________019

TANJA SCHINDLER | Space for Futures - Unleashing a New Global

Consciousness from Outer Space___________________024
kinship with the
More-than-Human
Marcus Bussey
ECOF006 Kinship with the More-than-Human | MARCUS BUSSEY

Kinship with the More-than-Human

by MARCUS BUSSEY

w e keep a bundle of carefully woven twigs above our

doors. This is to remind us of our kinship with the living world.
Each twig is part of our household’s unique story. Each telling
of where we came from to be at this point in our lives, each
suggestive of rich futures. This bundle is an evolving story of
those in the home. Together these bundles represent
solidarity. Just as the ancient Etruscans of Latium kept a
bundle of sacred sticks, the fascis, to remind them of
community and the strength of kinship so too do our bundles
speak to the same truth. Remember, a single stick can break
but put a group of sticks together and you have strength.
There are many ecofascists today. Together we are strong.

Our home is in the hills outside the city. It sits on land that is a
patchwork of small plots, edged with a wondrous mix of trees
and tumbling vines. It speaks of our relationship with the
world we are here to serve. Our bundle is renewed each spring
at the equinox. I hear your thoughts, what goes into this
bundle? Right?
ECOF007 Kinship with the More-than-Human | MARCUS BUSSEY

Well, the bundle above my door holds plants from many parts
of the world. Our European heritage is acknowledged through
slender pieces of apple wood, around which we weave sage
and rosemary. As our home offers sanctuary to Aunty Fay, an
Indigenous woman of grace and wisdom, you will find a frond
from the Bunya tree which she calls bonyi-bonyi.

We have some growing nearby, and they are graceful and

generous spirits but don’t sleep under them in Autumn or you
may never wake! The bunya cone weights more than 10
kilograms and will kill if it hits you. My spiritual teacher is from
India, so we have woven a willowy piece of the neem tree
replete with its fringed leaves into our fascis. My wife is a
Qigong master and in honour of that lineage we have two
strands from the ginkgo tree, whilst my son has a deep affinity
with the olive, hence the peaceful olive of generosity and
hope. This is his addition to our bundle. There are more
elements to our fascis that also speak to us of deep inner
realisations. They are not to be shared. There is power in a
good secret.
ECOF008 Kinship with the More-than-Human | MARCUS BUSSEY

So, each strand in the fascis is meaningful, and that is as it

should be, life and our stories are rich with meaning. We grow
our kinship stories through deep memories and visions of the
future. We also grow through shared rituals such as “Greet the
Sun”. This is where you find me now, standing with my wife
and son. Aunty Fay has joined us, and we stand together in
silence watching the sunrise. We do not know what the future
holds but we will stand with this living humming joyous world
to face its uncertainties and possibilities knowing that in
kinship with the more-than-human world we have an
amplified set of relations that promise us intimate connection
through time with this vibrant world, our ancestors and with
those yet unborn.
forced
Transition
From ‘Winner
Takes All’
Capitalism to
Global Equity

Rhona Morrell
ECOF010 forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’ Capitalism to Global Equity| RHONA MORRELL

forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’

Capitalism to Global Equity
by RHONA MORRELL

t his becomes law on 1st January 2050, led by the

world-leading Eco Fascist Party, which now controls global
wealth.
The transition from 'winner takes all' capitalism to global
equity involves economic system change. This includes
shifting from a system that rewards the wealthy and powerful
to one that invests in the health and well-being of all people.

Specifically, this transition should focus on the following

areas:
1. Redistribution of wealth: Policies should be implemented to
ensure that economic growth benefits all people, not just
those at the top. This includes introducing progressive
taxation, closing tax loopholes, and implementing universal
basic incomes.

2. Strengthening the safety net: Social safety nets should be

expanded to ensure that all citizens have access to necessities
such as healthcare, education, basic amenities and housing.
forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’ Capitalism to Global Equity| RHONA MORRELL

3. Investing in infrastructure: To
ensure that everyone has access to
the same opportunities,
infrastructure needs to be improved
in both developed and developing
countries. This includes investing in
clean energy, improved
transportation, and digital
connectivity.

4. Promoting fair wages:

Governments should ensure that
workers have access to fair wages
and benefits, for example, a global
basic salary of $15,000. This
includes introducing minimum
wage laws and advocating for
collective bargaining rights.

5. Regulating financial markets to

ensure the profits from the
‘commons’ land and the raw
extraction of mother earth are
shared equally across its citizens.

The cancellation of GDP as an

economic and frankly totalitarian
metric will be abolished and a new
well-being, degrowth model will be
enforced. This will focus on
regeneration, circularity, and
planned and phased flattening on
sustainable profits while allowing
the global south to develop and use
its resources to build its
fundamentals of living.
ECOF013 forced Transition From ‘Winner Takes All’ Capitalism to Global Equity| RHONA MORRELL

Complete 3rd World debt cancellation and de-risking of

financial investments in developing countries will be the law
across the entire global southern economies. There will be a
compulsory asset reallocation from land, property, and nature
from the top 10% of wealth holders to their rightful and
historic owners. All indigenous rights will become law,
enforced and ran by indigenous leaders, both male and female,
with a 50/50% split in all businesses at all levels.

For those choosing to become domestic engineers, this role

will be recognized and given a basic salary of $20,000 per
annum to ensure that those in this role are not disadvantaged
in income, education, and career. Every single child will be
given access to ‘quality’ education up to the age of 18, free of
charge, and taught facts, truths, and how the world really
works, along with living with technology, AI, IoT, blockchain
and robotic automation. These skills will include creativity,
self-care, a well-being economy, and Nature-Based
management.

Our economic models will revolve around community-based

systems based on local production and consumption and
reciprocal exchange of surplus with its neighbours. Those
protecting nature will receive a Mother Earth income annually
of $15,000.
A CLEAN
Society
Seth Harrell
ECOF015 A CLEAN Society|SETH HARRELLL

A CLEAN Society
by SETH HARRELL

“ Eat local. It’s the law,” flashed the billboard as we

waited for our meal at a café. Although I have become
accustomed to this government messaging, I had almost
forgotten that at a time when distrust in institutions was at an
all-time high and food systems were crumbling, people put
their trust in local food networks. Food grown locally that
could be guaranteed to be clean and pure, became the basis of
a new system of trust when our society needed it the most.

Local food purveyors formed strong direct-to-consumer trust

circles, which started as small community vertical farms and
agricultural neighborhoods but soon expanded larger and
larger due to popularity. This “clean food” is constantly
monitored and tracked throughout the entire supply chain,
from seedling to “served”, via a blockchain network. The
blockchain’s currency “Clean Coin” has become very popular
and a symbol of the power of humanity to thrive despite
collapsing ecosystems because its value is inherently tied to
the health and wellbeing of its citizens.
 A CLEAN Society|SETH HARRELLL

The popularity of CLEAN

morphed into a political
movement that began as a
campaign to take drastic
actions to improve the
biosphere but, over time,
has grown to include
anything that they deem a
positive contribution to
fighting the extreme
adverse effects of climate
change. Then the old
government, in an
attempt to rejuvenate
declining economic
systems by using the
trusted Clean Coin, soon
adopted it as the official
state currency, which
further empowered the
emerging CLEAN political
movement.

CLEAN has now become

the ideology of the new
government, with a core
belief that a clean
environment is the
answer to all of society’s
problems. Therefore,
anything that isn’t
deemed clean by the
government is prohibited,
including pollution,
disorder, people, and
access to information.
ECOF017 A CLEAN Society|SETH HARRELLL

To address systemic problems, CLEAN represents

supercharged efficiencies, order, safety, improved health.
When society could no longer afford the slow pace of
democratic change, the people favored extreme
environmental controls and actions. It is an ideology whose
message is now ubiquitous and reinforced through multiple
channels thanks to the government’s Saving the Bs Initiative:
Billboards (messaging), Brains (AI improved decision-making),
Blockchain (money), Bread (food), Beauty (cleanliness),
Biomonitoring (environmental sensors), and Bacteria (gut
microbiomes).

AI is at the heart of many improvements. Personal AI

assistants are freely distributed by the government to every
citizen. These assistants are used to analyze a multitude of
sensors in our immediate environment and in our bodies to
make all choices as efficiently as possible and to predict our
physiological and psychological needs to keep us happy.
“A CLEAN society is a healthy society,” flashes another
message on the billboard. The government wants us to have
the cleanest and healthiest food so that our bodies and minds
are clean. This includes the government monitoring our gut
microbiomes, which are infused with CLEAN-certified
probiotics provided by the government that influence our
moods. It is believed that we must maintain a high level of
fitness for our bodies to withstand the onslaught of natural
disasters and novel diseases due to a hot planet. Since these
policies have been strictly enforced, the general health of the
citizens is at an all-time high.

As our meals are finally served, I look at my older friend and

say, “What was food at a café like when you were a child?” But
I’ve now been warned by my AI assistant that this is not a
CLEAN thought.
THE NEXT
STAGE OF
EVOLUTION
Sohail Inayatullah
ECOF020 The Next Stage of Evolution | SOHAIL INAYATULLAH

THE NEXT STAGE OF EVOLUTION

by SOHAIL INAYATULLAH

T
he utopians of the 19th and 20th centuries imagined a
world government, but they did not think it would be created
by climate disasters. They assumed workers would unite to
break the chains of domination. But it was sinking cities that
led to the new world government.

The changes were led by large green AI corporations who had

managed to wrest control from the triple evil of alcohol-
tobacco-and oil. They forged partnerships with newly formed
religious groups who had tired of worshipping the traditional
male gods and instead found peace in the pantheistic Gaia.

But the tipping point was not just Arnold Toynbee’s creative
minority nor Ray’s cultural creatives – the demographic shift
what began in the 1960s and gained full domination by 2040 –
but the rise of AI. The coders were clear. Either the Earth
survives, or we all perish. Each person in the planet had
required surveillance technology which ensured that after the
climate wars of the 2040s carbon emissions were kept at a
minimum. Some preferred being biochipped while others
preferred eye glass and a few handheld devices but all closely
monitored consumption so that energy outputs per person,
per household and per village fell with bio-regional and
planetary limits.
ECOF022 The Next Stage of Evolution | SOHAIL INAYATULLAH

Some agreed for rationally scientific reasons, while others

followed the new global guidelines given through the medium
of the sisterhood who had direct connection with Gaia. The
prophecies of tsunamis and sinking cities and terrifying
pandemics that the ancestors of the Gaians (the 1960s peace
and cultural revolution) had foretold if nothing was done had
come true.

Liberal individualistic persons found this world very difficult

as choices were curtailed. But indigenous and Asian cultures
found this new world comfortable. I am because we are, they
said. And we meant not just you and me but the planet as a
whole. Having a world government for them was not so
different to decisions being made by tribal elders.

True, charismatic leaders emerge monthly throughout the

world extolling the virtues of pre-gaian government nation-
states, reminding all of the freedom to drive and drink and eat
whenever, wherever – more and more and more – but the
world government and the newly formed Earthpol would
quickly activate and ensure that they were stopped.
Surveillance technologies quickly could see the early warning
signals of those who went against the new global Earth
Charter and its focus on planet first, consumption second.
The World Inner Health Organizations monitored those who
refused to practice mindfulness techniques.

Nostalgia for meat and fast cars remained but more and more
the gains from a clean environment, free solar energy for
every community, and freedom from democracy for the fools
and by the fools ensured that it was the future that mattered
and not the dead past of industrial capitalism. Many also
missed the nation-state framework instead of the new local-
global identity structures. Today, individuals identify with a
local bio-region and planet as a whole.
ECOF023 The Next Stage of Evolution | SOHAIL INAYATULLAH

The big questions now are what is next? How much freedom
to give to those who wished to return to the unconscious
past? What was the next logical step now that Gaia could
breathe again? Would the planetary government allow
individuals to go off-grid if they promised not to over
consume? Given the existential risks from asteroids, would a
space program be worth pursuing even if the environmental
implications would be dangerous?

These and other issues are debated regularly in the planetary

house of commons. And more and more near autonomous AI
artilects are now demanding rights? How can the rights of
robots be managed with the rights of planets and animals
with the rights of humans? These are the pressing issues of
2050. The transition is nearly complete but not quite. Some
wait for Gaia to respond: others believe that AI should lead in
creating the next evolutionary jump. Most argue that we have
now entered the next stage of history: humans, nature, and
technology in co-evolution.
Space for
Futures -
Unleashing a
New Global
Consciousness
from Outer
Space
Tanja Schindler
ECOF025 Space for Futures |TANJA SCHINDLER

Space for Futures | Unleashing a New Global Consciousness

from Outer Space
by TANJA SCHINDLER

i
t all started in 2050, when a new global movement
called the Violets took power and established laws that forced
every country to ration resources and limit overuse
immediately. It was feared that our Earth would soon be
uninhabitable, so every citizen had accounted for 100 violets
(digital coins) with one violet deducted for every resource
used that could not be restored. Soon violets became the
strongest currency for which people even killed. The forced
limitation of resources led to a shocking rise in violence,
rioting and anger among the world.

In parallel, the Earth 2.0 mission began, in which leading space

nations planned a space station to be launched 500 km up into
the atmosphere to safeguard humanity, including seeds and
genetic data of the most important plants, animals and species
in the event that our planet would collapse. By means of a
lottery among all ages, professions and (non)genders, 1,000
people were selected to prepare for a life in space.
 Space for Futures |TANJA SCHINDLER

After ten years of development, Earth 2.0 was completed and

successfully launched into space. Shortly afterward, the first
crew of 100 people was sent to the space station under the
leadership of Commander Susan Futura. Space was limited, as
were the resources on board the space station. Everything had
to be fully recycled and reused. Commander Futura also
introduced a new leadership system that gave voice to youth,
was based on fluid organizational structures and adopted a
female approach to leadership, including harnessing personal
strengths, sustaining positive energy and creativity, building
relationships and working together to seize opportunities.
ECOF027 Space for Futures |TANJA SCHINDLER

After the first settlers arrived at the space station, they all met
in the auditorium for an initial conversation about how they
wanted to live in space. The auditorium was a hemispherical
room with fully glazed walls and ceilings. Shortly after the
meeting began, the view fell on planet Earth and the room,
filled with lively conversation, became completely silent.
People in space were 'awestruck', crying and hugging each
other. Our beloved planet Earth looked so fragile yet beautiful,
and people realized for the first time how interconnected
humans, nature and animals are on Earth. They understood
that we need to protect planet Earth because the thinner
atmosphere protects us from anything that would kill us in
space. At that moment, those 100 people had experienced a
cognitive shift in consciousness.

For the first time, everyone saw the "big picture" and realized
that it was not necessary to relocate these 1,000 people
permanently on the space station. Instead, every human being
10 years or older should take a trip to the spaceship to
experience the effect of the oneness of life and realise that we
don't need another space station. The only spaceship we need
is already hanging in the void universe and is called Earth. If
we treat it like a real space station where everyone has to
work together, with limited resources to be secured, recycled
and restored, this global shift in consciousness would make us
humans feel part of this ecosystem forever. Instead of forcing
change with fear as caused by ecoF, humans would act out of
hope and joyful anticipation for better futures. This mind
changing effect in space is called the "overview effect" and was
already documented in 1987 by the space philosopher and
author Frank White in a book of the same name. But until
today, no one has come up with this solution, because for a
long time space travel was not affordable enough to send so
many people into space and literally change the collective
view of the world.
After the first 1,000 people experienced the “overview effect”
and the new government structure lived in space, the
WeAreEarth (VR-Earth) project was developed - a virtual
reality experience that was soon available in every major city.
It included a virtual spacewalk, so that everyone on Earth
could experience the "overview effect" and a plenary
discussion on the futures of our Earth, which enhanced
decentralized governance structures and encouraged
immediate action for desirable futures.

This story was inspired by a talk “Space for Earth” from Michal
Ziso and the short film “Overview” directed by Guy Reid.
 PILLS
BRONWYN WILLIAMS | Jack’s dogs, or Jack’s baby?________031

GREGORY MENVILLE | Saving Sara:A Doctor's Dilemma in a World of

Algorithmic Tyranny__________________________036

KAROLINA THAKKER | Safe Sex, Safe Planet_____________042

LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN | Birth controlled___________047

SAMISTA JUGWANTH | Agency vs Asylum: A Pragmatic

Take on Feminism____________________________053

SANNA KETONEN-OKSI | Adding fuel to the fire is not

an answer_______________________________058
SIV HELEN HESJEDAL | The secret children___________063

#002
Jack’s dogs,
or Jack’s baby?
Bronwyn Williams
 ECOF032 Jack’s dogs, or Jack’s baby? | BRONWYN WILLIAMS

Jack’s dogs,
or Jack’s baby?
by BRONWYN WILLIAMS

i knew it before I took the test. I knew it as only a

woman knows. Pregnant. Despite all the precautions, despite
my erratic menstrual flow, starving to an infrequent pink
trickle, it happened. It must have happened just before Jack
was taken away for thought adjustment for breeding and
hiding those chickens. I told him the neighbours would tell on
him that, in the end, sharing the eggs was never going to be
enough to keep a secret that large quiet for long. Why couldn't
he just make do with the oat milk like everyone else?

Of course, I knew what the pregnancy meant. A sacrifice. If

this baby is to live, live with me; that is, something - someone
has to go. I know the rules. Only so many kilograms of carbon
monoxide breathing, energy consuming mammals per house,
per burrow, per nation. The state owned corporations that
control the supply of carbon creation and consumption keep
track (It is easy with the smart patches to monitor motion,
blood sugar and body temperature remotely). I have kept thin,
of course, as is the fashion, limiting my caloric intake and
personal carbon consumption scores as low as my health
allows. This has enabled me to keep both the dogs, for now.
The dogs are more than just security, they are necessary, I
believe, even without the chickens (God! I miss baking with
eggs!) in our 15-minute burrow, where it is not safe for a
woman to walk in the streets alone during the day, let alone at
night.
ECOF034 Jack’s dogs, or Jack’s baby? | BRONWYN WILLIAMS

The dogs are part of my family; they love me and trust me as

only an animal can. And they are all I have left to connect me
with Jack. Getting rid of them will kill a part of my soul. But
still, we know they are a luxury. An indulgent luxury. A guilty
vice. Pets eat and generate greenhouse gases as well as we do,
taking up space, air, food and energy that other higher order
souls could put to better use. Souls like my unborn baby.

Do I keep her? What sort of life will she have if I do? She will
never eat a buttery birthday cake or see any of the world she
cannot walk to on her own two legs (what insanity was to
think of traveling—flying! —to a foreign country to do nothing
but consume food and energy!). We must be content, grateful
for our infinite virtual realities instead, even if we cannot taste
the buttercream or feel the setting sun on our skin). Still, I of
all people know that life wants to live, even after death. Yes,
she is a girl. I am sure of it. Is that better or worse? Probably
better. Girls are smaller; we need less. We are stronger on the
inside.
Poor Jack. I’m running out of time to decide. Within weeks, I’ll
show that my calorie needs will increase. I will have no choice
but to either put in a request for an increased personal
consumption allowance on my weekly Universal Basic Carbon
(UBC) credit—or ask for the abortion pill instead. The pill, of
course, is only available for the first 12 weeks. I am almost too
thin to carry her as it is. Even without the pill and without the
extra UBC, she is unlikely to make it anyway. But if my UBC
goes up, someone else’s has to go down. It is only fair; it is only
right. A life for a life. But that means the dogs. Our dogs must
go. Or I must give her away to a woman in a wealthier burrow
without a child or a pet for company. Two dogs or one baby.
Jack’s dogs. Or Jack’s baby. That is my choice.
Gregory Menvielle
Saving Sara
ECOF037 Saving Sara | gregory menvielle

Saving Sara:
A Doctor's Dilemma in a World of Algorithmic Tyranny
by GREGORY MENVIELLE

d
r. Sam Garcia had always been a determined physician,
driven by compassion for her patients. But only when the
ecofascist movement took over did she feel a sense of relief.
The movement's algorithm determined who received
treatment and who was left to die, preserving resources. It
took the decision-making power away from Sam. The machine
relieved her of the burden of grappling with tough decisions.

Then, on a balmy spring day, Sam’s world changed forever.

Her childhood friend, Sara, was diagnosed with a life-
threatening autoimmune disease. Sara's condition required
highly specialized treatment within a few weeks, or she would
die. Unfortunately, the movement had enacted new
regulations on drug pricing that had forced the pharma
manufacturers to stop producing the medicine, leaving many
patients, including Sara, without access to the medication they
so desperately needed.

Sam was torn between following the system and letting her
friend die. Helping Sara meant risking everything—her career,
reputation, and freedom.
ECOF038 Saving Sara | gregory menvielle

Staring at her computer, Sam was puzzled by the algorithm's

past recommendations. Treatment selection wasn't based on
resource optimization but on a sinister data bias that created
a new form of natural selection. Hidden behind algorithmic
decisions, a new breed of humans emerged. Was it the AI or
humans driving this?

Sam knew she had to act fast and recalled Max, a recently
fired colleague, mentioning The Nightingale Network, an
underground group exposing the movement's practices. The
group was made up of a dedicated group of doctors,
scientists, and activists whose shared goal was to expose the
dark practices of the ecofascist movement. Knowing things
would never be the same, she felt her knees buckle as she
called Max.

After several meetings, and much to Sam’s surprise, the

Nightingale Network decided to help and concocted a risky
plan.
ECOF039 Saving Sara | gregory menvielle

The Nightingale Network had access to an experimental

treatment that could save not only Sara but countless others.
They just needed to hack the AI by smuggling the treatment
into the hospital and administering it to Sara right when the
system would run its machine learning tasks. The new data
input would go unnoticed and tweak future
recommendations.

On the selected day, Sam was a bundle of nerves. She made

her way to her friend's room to administer the treatment, but
as she approached, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar.
She pushed it open, and to her horror, found a nurse
tampering with Sara's IV.

Sam was shocked that someone would harm patients by using

the algorithm as a cover. Anger overflowed her emotions as
she confronted the nurse, who admitted she was following
orders. Sam was disgusted. "Ordered by whom?" she
screamed.

The nurse hesitated, looking around as if someone might be

listening. She finally whispered. "Let's just say there are
people who don't want her to receive this treatment." Then
she shoved Sam to the side and ran out of the room.
Still shaking, Sam injected Sara with the experimental
treatment and called The Nightingale Network to help her
and Sarah leave the hospital before the movement's agents
arrived.

While the harrowing escape was tense, Sam’s interactions

with Jim, the Nightingale Network's leader, surpassed it.

“Do you remember meeting a little boy about 2 years ago? He

needed the same treatment as your friend?”

“Yes,” Sam said. “I was horrified to see the decision the AI

took.”
ECOF041 Saving Sara | gregory menvielle

Jim looked deep in her eyes as he spoke. “Sam. It was my son.

By following the AI blindly, you sentenced him to death.”

Sam was speechless. After regaining her composure, she

asked, “Jim, why did you help me?”

“Sam. We are doctors. We’re here to protect our patients.

Past and present. At all costs. Your actions led me to start this
group; now we need someone on the inside to help us bring
ethics back into medicine."
Safe Sex,
Safe Planet
Karolina Thakker
 ECOF043 Safe Sex, Safe Planet | karolina thakker

Safe Sex, Safe Planet

by KAROLINA THAKKER

t
hough the evenings were colder than the afternoons,
Maria still felt the layer of sticky sweat covering her neck and
forearms. In this weather, you felt dirty as soon as you left the
shower. A classroom was missing an air conditioner. As did
most of the rooms in the school. It was not one of the elite
ones, but rather an ordinarily-looking building, twenty years
past its greatness. Many immigrant kids from the
neighborhood attended the classes.

The Greens blamed climate change for recent high rates of

immigration. Maria is a math teacher; she doesn’t concern
herself too much with politics. Unless the politics come to her,
of course. But the sweat is real, and so is the fact that the
classes were moved to the evenings in summer. It was too hot
to teach in a school without air conditioning during the day.
After complaints from pupils and teachers alike, the board has
finally made the shift in planning this year.
ECOF044 Safe Sex, Safe Planet | karolina thakker

During the hottest months, life happened in the evenings

anyways. Her last class ended at 10 p.m. today. She will be a
bit late for the baby shower, but it is just a 10 minute walk
from the school. It would be nice to cool off before heading to
the party.

She met Fabiola a couple of years ago in one of the Caribbean

dance clubs. They instantly hit it off. She moved to the
country a couple of years ago, was a great programmer, and a
fierce feminist. Though Maria was not invested in politics, she
connected with Fabiola, chatting about big ideas and the
relativity of statistics. And dancing, too.

Although Maria had attended a few baby showers before, this

was the first one for a digital baby. To her credit, Fabiola was
always a bit ahead of her time. Maria didn’t know what to
expect, but she did get some NFTs of cute baby outfits and a
voucher for a cyber playground.
ECOF046 Safe Sex, Safe Planet | karolina thakker

She heard of the idea before but never had somebody close
to her do it. But since Fabiola and Fatou came out about their
pregnancy, it seems that cyberbabies are everywhere. Just
yesterday, in the staff room, she overheard James and Samira
talking about the sex education class and the visiting guest
educator. Besides the regular chat, she introduced teens to
the idea of cyber pregnancy and how to protect themselves
online. Not that the students were clueless before; they do
have access to the Internet, but the fact she mentioned it
means this method gains popularity. Especially, if it is
possible to get yourself knocked up in the cyberverse.

And just as Maria was leaving the school, thinking about

digital babies, she noticed two workers putting up a new
poster on the brick wall next street. It was an ad for female
contraceptives, and the letters were big enough that Maria
could read them from across the street. In bold green font, it
said: SAFE SEX, SAFE PLANET. The girl and the boy on the
poster were beaming, surrounded by polar bears that were
creepily photoshopped to have human-like toothed smiles. At
the bottom, in smaller letters, there was information that the
first subscribers could receive a discount on the first year of
having a digital baby in a popular app.

‘Maybe that would be a better gift for the baby shower’, Maria
thought. In the corner of the poster, she noticed sponsors of
the campaign; among some tech companies and sex
education foundations, she found a logo of a leading green
party.
Lorena Dexter Chaichian
birth
controlled
 ECOF048 birth controlled | LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN

BIRTH CONTROLLED
by LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN

H im: the boyfriend.

“Of all people…, you?”

“I don’t want this. I don’t want them telling me what to do.”
“Maybe having a baby wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Easy for you to say. What about making a decision for myself?
What about what I want?”
“It’s still an honor. And it’s not like you can say no. Your name
came up. That’s how conscription works.”
“This is what I have fought against my whole life. First, they
vaccinate us so we can’t get pregnant, and then they tell us to
have a baby. There’s no choice. And I am definitely against the
reproductive draft.”
“Keep your voice down! I don’t want anyone to know you’re a
draft dodger. You can’t risk persecution right now. What are
we supposed to do, anyway? I am willing to make this work.”
“I am not willing.”
“Look. You can accept this or be angry about it. Either way,
they will artificially inseminate you. You passed the optimal
DNA test, so you’ve been chosen.”
“I could run.”
“Don’t. Please. It isn’t safe.”
 birth controlled | LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN

Her: the best friend.

“You’re not going to believe this. I was

conscripted.”
“Seriously? That’s amazing.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t want a baby.”
“You should be more grateful. Barely anyone
gets to have babies anymore.”
“I’m for reproductive autonomy.”
“Don’t say that! Someone might be listening.”
“This goes against everything I stand for. It’s
my body, my choice.”
“Can you quiet down, please? I think you’re
sounding a bit spoiled. I’d love to be
conscripted. And you’re complaining about
it? You’ll get child care, health care support,
and education for the kid – that’s not so bad.
And we’re still getting clean air here. Doesn’t
that count for something?”

“What about our rights as women? They’re

forcing this on me. And because they want
optimal genes, I can’t even have a baby with
my boyfriend. It’s all done by artificial
insemination.”
“If he wants to stay with you, what does it
matter? We’ll both be up for sterilization
soon. You’re so lucky.”
“I hate the government for doing this to
women.”
“The government is also keeping all the
floods and fires at bay so we can live here,
unlike most places in the world. Just give up
the baby for adoption then. You will have
done your duty and can move on.”
“No. They won’t inseminate me. I refuse.”
“But you’ll end up in jail. How is that better?”
ECOF051 birth controlled | LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN

Them: the parents.

“I can’t do this, Mom and Dad. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t sacrifice your future for a political stance.”
“What do you mean? This is my future.”
“You’re our only daughter. Come to your senses, please.”
“My body is not a womb for hire.”
“How dare you insult your mother! She sacrificed for you.
There’s 10 billion of us on the planet. There is barely any
oxygen left. Not everyone can have babies anymore. It’s not
about you at all. Don’t you get that? This is about the survival
of the human race.”
“This doesn’t feel like something I can survive.”
ECOF052 birth controlled | LORENA DEXTER CHAICHIAN

Us: the state.

“SUSPECT SPOTTED BELOW. IN GREEN HOODIE. RUNNING

NORTH FROM THE SMOKE. WE BELIEVE SHE IS WANTED
FOR CONSCRIPTION. SHE MUST BE CAPTURED AND REPORT
TO PROCREATION DUTY.”

She just kept running, searching for a path with no fire.

Agency vs
Asylum:
A Pragmatic
Take on Feminism
Samista Jugwanth
ECOF054 Agency vs Asylum: A Pragmatic Take on Feminism | Samista jugwanth

Agency vs Asylum:
A Pragmatic Take on Feminism
by SAMISTA JUGWANTH

francisca scuffed her shoes against the chair legs in

the GCDMC clinic’s waiting room. The GCDMC (Global
Climate Displacement Monitoring and Control Centre) was an
international organisation that managed the migration and
settlement of climate refugees in protected countries. The
flooding of her home in the coastal regions of Brazil forced
Francisca’s family to migrate northwards to one of them when
she was ten years of age.

A two-degree rise in global temperature changed the world -

catapulting the rise of climate refugees from developing
nations. This threatened to exacerbate the already growing
challenge of overpopulation in the unaffected developed
countries. The leading nations held a by-invitation meeting at
the end of WEF’s annual 2030 meeting in Davos, leading to the
creation of GCDMC in 2035. Since the implementation of its
microchip implantation initiative, GCDMC has recorded and
monitored over 156 million climate refugees within its
systems.
ECOF056 Agency vs Asylum: A Pragmatic Take on Feminism | Samista jugwanth

To qualify for asylum, through the GCDMC, Francisca’s family

submitted to being injected with the compulsory microchip
implant during their wait at the border 10 years ago. The
device allows the GCDMC to monitor their location, criminal,
employment, and medical records. Even though the implant
hurt for a few days, there was, fortunately, no infection.

The second requirement was that all biological-female

refugees had to undergo voluntary sterilization to prevent
them from producing children in the host countries. The
countries subscribing to the GCDMC compassionately offered
asylum to current refugees who were forced to uproot and
relocate. However, the same host countries were
overpopulated with minimal resources and therefore were not
able to provide for future generations of non-citizens.
Francisca’s grandmother was exempt, but her mother, aunts
and cousins underwent the tubal ligation procedure at the
border, prior to entry.

Francisca’s week-long countdown started three days ago on

her 16th birthday - she was now of age. She waited anxiously
in the cold lobby of the clinic, waiting for the call to prepare
her for the sterilisation procedure. She didn’t have another
option: refugee girls who rejected the procedure when coming
of age were deported – their implants betraying them.
ECOF057 Agency vs Asylum: A Pragmatic Take on Feminism | Samista jugwanth

At the end of the year, Francisca would be exiting the

schooling system to join the mandatory Caregivers
Programme. This programme was created by social scientists,
working for the GCDMC, to curb depression by creating an
outlet for the childless, sterilised women’s innate mothering
tendencies. Entrants to the programme would be cycled
between hospitals, nursing homes, and orphanages.

Her earnings initially would be negligible as food and lodging

are included, but the skillset would make her marketable as a
nanny or personal caregiver later in life.

Francisca’s parents had been quiet and resigned this morning.

The previous night, her grandmother had been distraught. She
cried that twenty-five years ago, this lack of agency for
females would have been met with outrage. That this wasn’t a
voluntary process as indicated. That it was a coerced decision,
leveraging on their lack of options. But for as long as Francisca
remembers, the GCDMC had been steadfast in its good
intentions: the host countries want to reduce climate
refugees' suffering, but they still need to protect their citizens'
rights and resources.

A nurse entered the corridor, calling Francisca’s name. With a

regretful look on her face, she walked the girl towards her
surgical bed, reminding her to be pragmatic. As an immigrant,
she did not have a right to the region’s resources, and as a
female, she should be grateful to be able to make the sacrifice
needed to protect her living family.
Sanna Ketonen-Oksi
Adding fuel to the
fire is not an answer
 ECOF059 Adding fuel to the fire is not an answer| SANNA KETONEN-OKSI

Adding fuel to the fire is not an answer

by SANNA KETONEN-OKSI

t here I am, at the age of 15. Sitting by the riverbank,

under a huge weeping willow (salix babylonica). The sun is
shining; it’s a beautiful day. I am reading my favorite book at the
time, a Lonely Planet guidebook for unforgettable city breaks
and tropical beach vacations. Every now and then I look up at
the blue sky and breathe in the scent of spring in the air. Mum’s
somewhere in the garden, and my brother, 2 years younger, is
playing around in the freshly cold water with his friends. Not so
far from them, a small white-throated dipper (cinclus cinclus) is
jumping on the stones of the riverbank.

This childhood memory haunts me more and more these days.

At night, I cry myself to sleep, tired of using my old air
purifying headphones all day and sad that I do not see my
grandchildren spend time in nature. Ever. The river dried up a
long time ago. We no longer have private yards, as nothing
grows without laboratory conditions. Due to pollution, we can
go out less than an hour a day. In the mornings, the heat
troubles my breathing. Air conditioning is a rare luxury, like
many other technological innovations of the past decades. If
not banned, they cost a fortune.
 Adding fuel to the fire is not an answer| SANNA KETONEN-OKSI

This authoritarian, puritanical regime

educates us in a disciplined relationship with
nature, but what comes of it? How can we
imagine a better world if fear prevents us
from challenging the status quo? Violating
the rules is severely punished, and it is
practically impossible to question them. The
longer this oppression lasts, the more
profound its effects are, and the easier it is to
accept it as a constitution. The first signs of
this are already there. The risk of aggressive
conflicts increases.

Going back to my memories, I wistfully

remember the philosophical debates I took
part in in my early 30s, learning the wisdom
of the greatest philosophers from across
time. Transcendence. Transhumanism. Inner
development. Rising awareness of our
culturally binding normative framings and
giving space for new, alternative value and
belief systems. Naively, I then hoped that a
new era of enlightenment (bodhi) would
begin.

In reality, it was just a passing trend that died

along with the many failed sustainability
goals. The long-lasting instability of global
politics and the economy was apt to
strengthen the popularity of right-wing
politics. Only when storms got stronger,
wildfires became less controllable, and the
challenges to maintaining our food system
became more severe did the ecoF movement
emerge to counteract it all.
ECOF062 Adding fuel to the fire is not an answer| SANNA KETONEN-OKSI

At first, I was thrilled. I thought the movement would help us

revitalize our natural systems. But no! Claiming that extreme
downshifting would do us good and help rebuild our
relationship with nature, they began by making radical
reforms to the curriculum. No more arts and crafts. Or
information production. There is a lot of physical work in
laboratories to restore ecosystems. Many are loyal to this new
ideology.

It's time. Besides work permissions, we can spend only a limited

time in virtual spaces to communicate with families and friends.
I now join my grandchildren in a virtually reconstructed
recreation park, one that wildfires burned down 20 years ago. –
Hi honeys, how are you? – You want to have an adventure? Let's
try something new.

In a world where everything is tightly controlled, encouraging

these young adults to push the boundaries has its risks. But I
want them to never give up dreaming. I don't want them to
grow captive to the system; that would be like adding fuel to
the fire. Instead, I encourage them to imagine things
differently. To feed their brains with new experiences that
connect body and mind.
The secret
children
Siv Helen Hesjedal
ECOF064 The secret children | siv helen hesjedal

The secret children

by SIV HELEN HESJEDAL

Z
ee lifted her gaze. She never imagined having to make
this choice herself. For years, she was the one to hand out the
tests and sit in silence with her sisters as they waited. Her
gaze lowered again to the display window on the beige
bioplastic stick in her lap. It was a low-tech hormone test. The
sister’s movement used these tests because they were analog
and did not transmit any results. Using an over-the-counter
medication meant that the results were immediately
transmitted, and the hormone implants activated. Unless you
had clearance.

Two blue lines. She knew she was not cleared for a second
child. No one had been there for almost two decades. Before
Aseza was born, she had waited years for clearance. Many
never got theirs. Many, many more had no desire to bring a
child into this scorched world. Most did not object to the
remote control of their bodies, they were born into a life of
hormone control. But a growing number had their implants
clandestinely removed because they wanted to make their
own choice; they wanted their choice to be real.
ECOF065

Bearing, birthing, and bringing up a secret child meant cutting

ties with almost everything, everyone you knew. A secret child
would be paperless, an illegal. Being responsible for a
paperless meant living partly in hiding, always covering up, but
still caring for another person without an extra ration. The
sisters had a network of doulas and midwives. They helped
those who decided to bring a secret child into this world, and
they helped those who chose not to. With compassion and
without judgement. Still, sometimes secret children wound up
in zones for the paperless. Despite the pain of giving up a
secret child, many were left with no choice. Unconditional
love was one of the many freedoms that had been taken away.

After the great droughts of the early 2030s, people willingly

submitted to new rules. Rationing of essentials like water,
food, and any kind of product that needed new raw materials.
After the 2037 referendum, they were forced into controlled
living zones. Old stories of belonging were invented to justify
categories. The fear of not surviving the next drought drove
people to forfeit their dreams, their futures, their freedoms.
The rest was taken.
It was time to mobilize the sisters. To bring their power and
their network into the open. The ability they had to nurture
life in secret should be used to claim back their freedom, their
bodies, their choice.
 The secret children | siv helen hesjedal

On the 8th of March, Zee woke up

before dawn. The air was thick
with anticipation and adrenaline.
Tens of thousands were expected
on the city streets, across all
zones. Shadow healers set up
stalls for the removal of hormone
implants. Hackers were ready to
wreak havoc on the
communications systems,
biohackers on the databases. Even
among the zone guards, they had
a cell to override the movement
control system. Protest and
disobedience could mean
permanent banishment of the
internment zones. But remaining
in secret was no longer enough.
Momentum had been building up
on their servers, in their clinics,
and in any alleyway where sisters
locked eyes. There were many,
and they were ready to take risks.
Zee knew that they would not win
in one day. But day by day, they
would fight, they would build.
Freedom by freedom, they would
win back.

Taking one last look at the drone

stream as they got ready to join
the street, she saw a mass of
people emerging from the
paperless zone. The children in
front. The secret children in front.
 #003

watts
EHSAN MARZBAN | Bike Communities at service.
GREEN IS NOT JUST GREEN______________069

HELGA VEIGL | Careful demand_________077

umar sheraz | Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the

quadrillion mark_________________083
Bike
Communities
at service:
Green is not
just green
Ehsan Marzban
ECOF070 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

Bike Communities at service:

Green is not just green
by EHSAN MARZBAN

t onight we are left in the dark, me and Leila! Our

energy quota for this month is over. I was sick, and Leila's feet
were blistered from riding too much.

Five years ago, the government limited and rationed

household energy consumption in order to achieve
environmental goals and reduce carbon emissions. Since then,
many people's lives have been disrupted, and many protests
have been sparked.

They announced that any family that exceeds the set limit for
energy consumption (100 kilowatt-hours per month) must
pedal stationary bikes in their home to meet their excess
consumption. So one morning, they brought an on-site bike
with a series of wires and equipment to the door and installed
it. Of course, people have been riding pedal bicycles on the
long streets for many years, but in my opinion, this one is very
unfair.

Leila and I do not like TV, we do not use a lot of light at home,
we do not have any problem with sports, and we do not want
to endanger the climate of the world with two home LED
lights! However, we do not want to be under pressure and
return to the era of slavery in order to meet our primitive
needs and basic rights. In fact, we have usually been in the
low-consumption group, and not much of our work falls on
these unsightly stationary bikes. Nevertheless, this month was
a special situation, and, for the first time, our energy quota ran
out ten days before the end of the month.
 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

I told Leila I would rather be in the

dark than sit behind that stupid
piece of equipment and pedal and
pedal. Therefore, she got up and lit
a row of candles here and there. We
decided to ride the on-site bike for
one hour a day this week just for
basic needs like cooking. However,
the situation for most people is
much more chaotic. They have to
ride on-site for four or five hours a
day. If you ask me, this situation is
ridiculous.

Human beings are not electricity-

generating machines. Worse, if you
are a migrant or a permanent
resident like Leila and me, your
energy quota is 30% lower than that
of other citizens. “Those with the
most resources and highest carbon
emissions are now forcing
immigrants to bear more of the
burden,” I said. But she replied, “At
least these foolish environmental
fascists are more tolerable than
authoritarian governments, which
destroy the lives of people and
nature at the same time.”
ECOF072 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

I think that the heat produced by people's bodies while

pedaling and the sweat they shed is not less than the heat of
fossil fuels, and the earth is still warming somehow! However,
many believe that we should thank God that everyone is still
responsible for meeting their own electricity needs. The
government has presented a plan, according to which people
will be obliged to provide for the needs of industries and the
public sector by riding stationary bikes starting next year.

Human rights activists consider this decision against the basic

freedoms and privacy of citizens. But government officials
believe that all people should compensate for their share and
duty towards the warming of the earth by pedaling, while this
participation is a form of public exercise and beneficial for
their health. I can consider this situation a post-modern
communism that has adapted to the needs of capitalism. If you
ask me, they are just committed to productivity and don’t care
about human well-being, or the peace on the earth.
ECOF073 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

These bikes are connected to the national grid through a set

of local sub-grids and provide electricity through people's legs
to homes, cars, industries and the commercial sector.
Policymakers have considered various incentives and
punishment schemes to encourage people to fulfill their
mandatory social duties.

Any family that consumes more than 100 kilowatt-hours of

energy per month should be disconnected from the national
electricity grid or sit on a bike and pedal. However, for those
with more money, there is always a way. They can legally buy
electricity from the open market at many times the price.
Although wealthy people use much simpler and less expensive
solutions in practice. They hire needy people to pedal for
them. The government does not approve this work officially,
but it has no will to stop it either. Maybe they consider it a
form of job creation in a critical economic condition. Anyway,
fascism has never been a democratic approach. All the
methods of imposition and threat in the modern era have been
based on gradual and unconscious processes. Before the body,
they bind people's minds and souls first.
ECOF075 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

In the beginning, this pedaling epidemic was proposed in the

form of a voluntary and collective movement by the
municipalities. No one was forced to ride on-site bikes to
participate in the energy supply, and energy access was still a
basic right.

It was about ten years ago that the government implemented

this competitive plan, and those who engaged in it could
benefit from special benefits. I myself had a friend who a few
years ago won a special recreational tour to visit the beauties
of the earth due to his special and sincere efforts in preserving
the environment.

Reaching 100,000 laps in a month, he was honored in an

official ceremony in the presence of government officials. The
poor young man was so enamored with winning the prize that
he spent half of his day riding stationary bikes until his wife
divorced him, and he lost his job.

Anyway, it was six years ago that a group of both developed

and developing countries - in the form of a new union and in
concerted action, influenced by strong environmental lobbies,
- concluded that, in order to prevent the slowdown of
industrial growth, people should be exploited.

However, not everybody was happy with this: some

democratic countries due to violation of human rights and
civil liberties, and some non-democratic countries because
they have neither a chance for industrial development nor
value the environment.

The night is getting deeper and the weather is getting colder.

Leila wrapped a blanket around herself. I barely got up to get
on the stationary bike and turn on the heating package.

“Why should we be captivated by these ugly instruments?”

ECOF003 Bike Communities at service| EHSAN MARZBAN

“Because communities cannot shift away

from the growth-oriented economy and
focus on human well-being within
planetary boundaries,” I said.

“Is there any place where people can

treat themselves and the earth fairly?,”
Leila said.

“I don't know, maybe somewhere,” I said.

“Maybe one day,” she immediately
replied.

I am pedaling and whispering, “I can't go

on,” and some more pedals: “I will go on!”
Careful
Demand
Helga Veigl
ECOF078 Careful Demand | HELGA VEIGL

Careful Demand
by HELGA VEIGL

- After 25 years of leading the piloting of the first careful

demand project, you are working on creating an impediment to
its further development. How did that happen?
- Careful demand was an idealistic vision for many years that
never had any chance of being launched. It started with the
tagline “radical transparency, top-down implementation,
worldwide.” 30 years ago, similar projects were launched,
which showed why the top-down global approach was
necessary: enterprises realizing the advantage of transparency
while there was a growing necessity for reporting on
sustainability and ESG...

- Excuse me, ESG?

- Yes, environmental, social, and governance, referring to
sustainable business management, as we called it in the 20s. It
was very popular until 2025, the big shift. When the idea of “I
Am Responsible” was first introduced worldwide, it marked
the start of the system we all fight against today, in 2050 — the
gamification of "sustainable, responsible" consumption and
shifting responsibility to the consumer without acknowledging
that all harmful activities should be prevented before
production.
ECOF080 Careful Demand | HELGA VEIGL

- What triggered the events in 2025?

- The changes in the environment made it obvious to most
people that our environment is declining due to human
activities. It was not some small inconvenience somewhere
far on the globe, but it reached a point where it was affecting
everyone, and thus it could not be ignored anymore. To
understand and frame the complexity of production and its
effects, careful demand was a system that was an obvious
solution: it provided feedback on most aspects of industry,
like the environmental impact of R&D and the entire supply
chain. And as a radical transparency system, it was designed
to offer insights to consumers.

- Sounds like it was the perfect solution. What happened?

- Greed and ignorance. Careful demand was supposed to
inform consumers and shift demand by trusting them to make
the right choice. This would have been ideal if the information
shared had been correct and honest, equally distributed, and
dedicated to the cause. NGOs and governments were naively
expecting that commercial actors would be dedicated to the
cause and not trying to earn a fortune from the global crisis.
ECOF082 Careful Demand | HELGA VEIGL

- Who started “I Am Responsible”?

- That is still undisclosed, but as you know, many believe it
was some kind of machine intelligence, self-developing and
spreading this idea and gaining too much popularity.
Companies were delighted with this idea, to blame humans as
consumers again, as for decades by then, instead of reaching
out where the real responsibility lies: the suppliers.
Consumers blamed themselves, and the whole system quickly
evolved into a highly controlling international system, while a
considerable amount of the supply was still without any
supervision and without the commitment of being
transparent.

- What was the ratio?

- In the 20s, household GDP was 60%. This means some 40%
of demand was still uncontrolled, while household consumers
were restricted and heavily measured about their choices.
Some countries, as we know very well, have developed
national systems to track their contribution to the global
crisis, keeping demand careful in this way. Unfortunately,
these were heavily biased and just caused more civil unrest
and the expansion of the black market for ordinary goods.

- What would you have done differently?

- Securing the top-down and global implementation of
careful demand by not allowing any more greenwashing. Use
technology to improve the supply chain, and understand and
respect the human factor throughout. Whatever choice you
make, in the end, if it hurts someone, you are hurting
yourself. Consumer choice should never be about ethics;
supply should carry that responsibility, so every demand
should be a careful demand.
Oil Subsidy Fund
reaches the
quadrillion mark
Umar Sheraz
ECOF084 Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the quadrillion mark | UMAR SHERAZ

Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the quadrillion mark

by UMAR SHERAZ

m ax takes a look at the balance sheet of the holographic

document of the Oil Subsidy Fund. As program manager of the
Fund, today is a special day as the Fund has just crossed INR
quadrillion in revenue. This includes the accumulation of 30
years of subsidies accrued due to the sale of cheap oil. To
mark the occasion, Max was to give a keynote speech where
he would openly speak against developing countries and how
their insistence on displacing oil as fuel was disturbing the
global economy.

On one side of the balance sheet were the offshore companies,

which represented nations that were major stakeholders in
the Oil Subsidy Fund. Max couldn't help the smirk on his face
as he pored over the names of traditional foes who were
united in benefiting from oil subsidies. There were two
categories. The countries that were outlawed and under
sanctions used shortcuts to evade penalties using per-barrel
discounts. On the receiving end were countries that operated
subsidies as a political toll to appease the local population as a
pro-poor tool. In reality, lowering fossil fuel prices was a
highly inefficient way to help the poor, as most of the benefits
were amassed by wealthier households.
ECOF085 Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the quadrillion mark | UMAR SHERAZ

These fuel subsidies were costly for low-income countries

since commitments to maintaining artificially low prices
threatened their long-term financial stability. As a result, the
subsidies encouraged more consumption and increased global
carbon dioxide emissions. They were used by developing
country governments to distribute resources to powerful
interests in exchange for political support, and as a result,
local fuel mafias thrived. Money generated from this business
was siphoned off to developed countries using banks and
offshore companies, further increasing the misery of the poor
nations.

Max noticed the red blip as a security update from his security
advisors. There was a strong indication that Kidding the
Future protesters would be protesting outside the venue and
would interrupt the proceedings as well. These protesters
were protesting the sheer madness of fuel subsidies and how
they forced the self-destruction of global communities. Max
made a mental note of admonishing these eco-terrorists. The
air quality index indicator indicated that the air outside was
highly polluted, and it was advised to wear an oxygen mask
while outdoors. The monitor for carbon dioxide parts per
million (ppm) indicated 802 ppm.
ECOF087 Oil Subsidy Fund reaches the quadrillion mark | UMAR SHERAZ

The polluted air was a direct culmination of increased fossil

fuel production and its exponential consumption. Related to
this catastrophe was that while there were tools at their
disposal to get rid of their fuel dependence, the fuel subsidies
created greater barriers for further adoption of lower-carbon
alternatives. The uptake of renewable energy practices and
technologies was intercepted because they continuously
blunted the competitiveness of renewable energy
technologies. This created a downward spiral, which
reinforced the continuation of fossil fuel–based systems and
distorted investment decisions in favor of fossil fuel
technologies. In a span of 25 years, the global average
concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere
doubled to 802. This was something that had not happened on
Planet Earth in millions of years.

Max got up to get ready for his next meeting, the keynote
address, for stakeholders of the Oil Subsidy Fund. His oxygen
mask for outdoor activities needed to be changed. Such high-
quality masks had become vogue, and he started thinking of
more fancy masks to match his shoes. He would donate his old
mask to his younger security guard.
 Bytes
VALENTINA CONTINI | Survival of the Greenest: the ecoF
Metaverse Games_________________________089

ALBERTO BARREIRO | An Experience Worth Living_____095

EDYTA SADOWSKA | AI: a tool for collective good_____101

KIM DE VIDTS | When Humanity Perishes___________106

FERNANDO GUTIERREZ | Roanoke_______________112

#004
Survival of the
Greenest: the EcoF
Metaverse Games
Valentina Contini
ECOF090 Survival of the Greenest |VALENTINA CONTINI

Survival of the Greenest: the EcoF Metaverse Games

by VALENTINA CONTINI

prepare your senses for an unparalleled adventure as

you delve into the world of the ecoF Metaverse Games!
Unearth the hidden depths of your creativity, challenge your
strategic thinking, and experience mind-bending surprises as
you navigate your way through a series of ecoF-inspired
challenges designed to revolutionize the way we perceive
sustainability.

The Ecosphere Derby: A Race Against Time and Space

Buckle up and embark on a white-knuckle journey through the

cosmos! In this high-octane, zero-gravity race, you’ll pilot a
spacecraft crafted from recycled space debris, utilizing
innovative propulsion systems powered by cosmic radiation.
Collect and convert hazardous space waste into life-sustaining
resources for your vessel, while avoiding the deadly pull of
black holes and navigating through asteroid fields teeming
with mysterious alien flora. The winners will enjoy a surge in
carbon credits and exclusive access to ecoF Metaverse events,
while the losers face resource rationing and restricted
metaverse privileges.
 Survival of the Greenest |VALENTINA CONTINI

Syntho-Botanical
Fashion Show: A
Metaphysical Feast for
the Senses

Witness the dazzling

fusion of art and
sustainability. In this
stunning event,
competitors design and
showcase virtual
garments constructed
from otherworldly,
genetically engineered
plant fibers that react to
light, sound, and touch.
Marvel at the
metamorphic outfits that
change color and shape
in response to the
environment, or be
captivated by the
bioluminescent fabrics
that pulsate to the beat
of the music, creating a
mesmerizing sensory
spectacle. Winners will
be granted a platform to
showcase their designs in
the real world and
receive a prestigious
ecoF Fashion Innovator
title. Losers will be
required to participate in
an ecoF re-education
program.
ECOF093 Survival of the Greenest |VALENTINA CONTINI

The Bio-Dome Puzzle: A Sanctuary of Life and Future

Technology

Unleash your creativity in the Bio-Dome Puzzle, where

participants must construct a self-sustaining virtual biodome
using only ecoF-approved materials and resources. Assemble
your dome from a selection of enigmatic materials, such as
moss-infused glass and shape-shifting alloys. Design intricate
ecosystems that include bizarre, never-before-seen plant
species and peculiar hybrid creatures that perform vital
functions in maintaining the delicate balance of life within
your sanctuary. The winners will be awarded the title of ecoF
Master Architect and granted access to advanced ecoF
metaverse building tools. The losers may be required to
perform virtual community service or face restrictions on
metaverse access.
ECOF094 Survival of the Greenest |VALENTINA CONTINI

The Wildlife Guardians: A Virtual Conservation Quest

Step into the role of a virtual conservationist. Traverse the

depths of the ecoF metaverse, encountering endangered
virtual species and protecting them from extinction. Decode
cryptic messages from extinct civilizations to unlock the
secrets of their downfall and uncover hidden treasures that
hold the key to preserving the last remaining virtual habitats.
But beware of the shadowy figures that lurk in the digital
wilderness, intent on disrupting your mission and plunging the
virtual world into chaos. Successful Wildlife Guardians will be
granted honorary ecoF Conservationist status and exclusive
access to real-world conservation projects. The defeated
participants must face public shaming and potential
detainment.

Are you ready to rise to the challenge and prove your ecoF
dedication? The Games beckon. Embrace the unknown and
triumph in the name of a sustainable future.
AN Experience
Worth a Living ©
Alberto Barreiro
ECOF096 AN Experience Worth a Living ©| ALBERTO BARREIRO

an experience worth a liiving (C)

by ALBERTO BARRREIRO

t
hose who manipulate desire constitute an invisible
government which is the real ruling power of our country —
Edward Bernays, Propaganda (1928)

Images of lifeless animals, victims of floods or dehydration

from that year's severe drought, flicker before his eyes. He has
become numb to human suffering—after all, this is all our fault
—yet, seeing a video of a dying dog still evokes within him a
profound sense of hopelessness.

His Digital Curator stimulates his ears and retina with content
that activates the precise connections in his brain: the day's
agenda is followed by a diet recommendation, and then a
video of an 18-month-old playing the piano, further evidence
supporting the concept of reincarnation.

News of yet another catastrophe appears on his device. The

data shows that with scarce resources, space must be made
for future generations—and not just metaphorically. One less
unproductive person, one more chance for life. It is true. Nods
and clicks “Like”.

The influence of the Thanatosphere subtly penetrates his

subconscious. “10 tricks to ensure a successful reincarnation!”
The algorithm keeps pushing the topic. The idea comforts him.
Death doesn't seem like such a bad option for someone about
to turn 60. Perhaps the next life will be better.
ECOF097 AN Experience Worth a Living ©| ALBERTO BARREIRO

The relief is short-lived, as he sees information about the dismal

living conditions in a public centre for the elderly. The years are
passing, weighing on him like a looming threat. They say that
universal healthcare is no longer a reasonable option; the cost
of survival alone is too high. The externalities of our existence
must be factored into the price; to live is to generate debt to the
planet. The argument seems convincing.

He feels young, his body is strong. But what will he do when it

begins to fail? Is it worth continuing? Without a home of his
own, he can't bear the idea of ending up in that centre.

He is alone. The memory of his pet affects him more than the
absence of his busy children. Like most people, he has been out
of work for over 15 years. The downside of automation isn't the
subsidized free time it has provided, but rather the difficulty of
earning extra income to enjoy a dignified old age.
ECOF099 AN Experience Worth a Living ©| ALBERTO BARREIRO

Now he hears the voice of an economist from the Earth

Resource Council. What can you do when the size of the cake
shrinks—share meager pieces among many or simply invite
fewer friends to your birthday party?

He is haunted by a recurring feeling of guilt. Perhaps he had

already consumed his fair share of the cake. After all, a well-
mannered person always leaves enough for others.

Images of a beach. Smiles, people just like him. A young and

very attractive woman, who bears a striking resemblance to the
woman he has loved the most, gazes at him happily from the
screen. She promises him An Experience Worth a Living ©.
Echoing the same words she had used years before, responding
to his declaration of love, she whispers: “… Until the end.”
ECOF100 AN Experience Worth a Living ©| ALBERTO BARREIRO

The message is sent by one of the leading brands of

Farewellness. It seems like a good offer: six months of total
enjoyment and a dignified farewell. “A experience truly worth a
living,” the video insists. The climax of your existence. The
luxury of saying goodbye like you deserve. For the sake of the
planet, for the sake of the younger generation, for the sake of
the future.

The most pleasurable sacrifice the market has to offer.

“Book now!. Click on the link below”.

-Click!
ai: a tool for
collective good
Edyta Sadowska
ECOF102 ai: a tool for collective good | edyta sadowska

ai: a tool for collective good

by EDYTA SADOWSKA

M
arch 1, is a remarkable day in our calendar as we
commemorate the Future's Day, a celebration that echoes a
profound truth in the hearts of every augmented human alike.
This day is not only a tribute to our progress, but also a vivid
reminder that the reins of the future firmly rest in our hands.
We celebrate today's democratization of our new technology.
This innovation allows us to virtually experience and explore
possible outcomes. As a result, our policies, strategies, and
predictions will have significantly improved. They will be more
nuanced, precise, and tailored to anticipate the challenges of
our time, transforming them into opportunities for growth
and innovation. This process of immersive exploration of the
future is not merely about risk mitigation; it is about actively
shaping a future we desire. In the face of cascading crises that
pushed humanity to the edge, a renewed civilization emerges,
sculpting its trajectory around coexistence and cooperation.

The city is pulsating with life; a vivid symphony of

collaboration between humans, technology, and the
environment unfolds. Buildings, once merely concrete and
glass, now house AI-powered nervous systems, intelligently
regulating resources and energy. Each component of this
intricate matrix, from the towering cityscapes to the humblest
wildflower, has rights under a visionary new legal framework
that recognizes the intrinsic value of all existences. The city's
AI, the guardians of the river, and even the ocean’s own legal
team work tirelessly to ensure this equilibrium remains
unbroken.
Society is being equipped with the skills to navigate this
technologically symbiotic society, being raised as true citizens
of the “new age”. We remember the times when the societal
fabric, once strained, was rewoven with threads of resilience.
Crises have been reconceptualized as opportunities for growth
and innovation, catalyzing this grand partnership between
humanity and technology. Individuals, enhanced and
augmented by AI, no longer view technology as an existential
threat but as an ally, an essential aspect of their identity. AI has
become an extension of human will, a tool for collective good.
The creation of a resilient society is a testament to human
adaptability and to the evolution of our relationship with
technology, from fear and suspicion to trust and mutual growth.
ECOF105 ai: a tool for collective good | edyta sadowska

We are becoming a society of augmented humans, with AI

enhancing our capabilities, allowing us to think deeper, reach
farther, and live better. This augmentation goes beyond the
mere physical, enabling an empathetic understanding of the
world and each other and strengthening the ties that bind our
society together. Thanks to the intelligent monitoring systems
implanted in our ecosystems, greenhouse emissions are at an
all-time low, biodiversity is thriving, and the collective efforts
of humans and AI continue to heal our world. The technology
no longer feels alien or menacing. Indeed, the future is not
something that simply happens to us. We are actively weaving
a dynamic tapestry, thread by thread, with humans and AI,
hand in hand.

Our future is not merely about risk mitigation; it is about

actively shaping the future we desire. We have come to
understand that we can create it together, day by day.
ORGANICS
VERSUS/AND AI
Kim De Vidts
ECOF107 ORGANICS VERSUS/AND AI| KIM DE VIDTS

ORGANICS VERSUS/AND AI:

When Humanity Perishes … Synthetics Carry On Their Legacy
by KIM DE VIDTS

IDENTITY MATTERS —GALACTIC FEDERAL EUROPE |

BRUSSELS (BELGIUM). Sector 1—formerly known as the city of
Brussels—houses the headquarters of Galactic Europe,
connecting all citizens of the European continent to the
Space-Dominated Alliance of Earthly Regions. While Planet
Earth offers the basis of/for habitation for the majority of
organic life forms, a majority representation of AI synthetic
life-forms ensures the production of synthetically grown food
in space stations where conditions are not threatened by
extreme earthly weather.

Sector 1 is the home base for inter-identity family X of 4

residing in a skyscraper residence on the 108th floor,
overlooking the ancient remnants of the nearly-a-century-old
Atomium. Originally built for the World Exposition of 1958’s
World Fair as a construct of nine stainless steel connected
spheres, the Atomium today stands as a symbol of Sector 1’s
close alliance with its 8 Galactic Europe Space-Dominated
Regions and Space Stations. Designed as an information
center, each of the spheres offers holographic historical
displays of the development of Galactic Europe’s space
evolution and expansion in each of the 8 space stations. It is
here that mother X spends the majority of her days. She is a
curator in Atomium’s Sphere 3, representing Galactic Europe
Space Station 3, where the precise functions and operations of
crop and produce manufacturing are displayed.
ECOF108 ORGANICS VERSUS/AND AI| KIM DE VIDTS

Father X works mostly from his home office, with his hologram
physically present in MUSK Inc. teleportation think-sessions.
He is part of an inter-identity think-delegation that includes
members from Sector 1, but also from the more Northern
Galactic Europe Sectors 5 and 6, and from the Southern
Galactic Europe Sectors 21 and 28. On the verge of
successfully teleporting a human from the north to the east of
Galactic Europe, this week they are conducting final tests with
smaller organic life forms. The teleportation of synthetic life
forms became a fact in 2046, but the organic make-up of
humans has, until present, not allowed the re-integration of
brain molecules over distances that cross the borders of
Galactic Europe. Upon successfully teleporting a human from
one side of Galactic Europe to the other, further thought-
sessions with Galactic Africa and Asia are scheduled. As a
routine, the linguistic conduct of the meeting is altered on a
daily basis, facilitated by the organic’s built-in chip.

Their 11-year-old son John was designed to resemble and

operate as a boy who will forever be 11 years old. John’s
production dates back to 2048, although it feels as if he has
been part of their lives forever. He physically leaves their
home residence and descends to the 44th level, where the
educational facilities for those younger than 12 are located.
Synthetic and organic educators guide the pupils to their
respective data-loading docs. Organic life forms have their
daily educational apps upgraded, while synthetic life forms
plug into the Galactic Europe database to ensure conformity
to the educational app installed in organic life forms for their
human age group. Exercises promoting harmony in
educational alignment make up half of the school day.

Upon having reached 20 years of age, organic daughter

Paulina successfully uploaded and practiced all educational
apps to commence a traineeship at Galactic Europe’s Voting
Policy Center.
 ORGANICS VERSUS/AND AI| KIM DE VIDTS

Coupled with her synthetic partner SaraY8 for 6 months—and

planning their official linking ceremony next month—Paulina is
a strong advocate of abolishing the segregation practices of
excluding AI entities from electoral processes. She is hopeful
that her internship will aid in her understanding of the fears of
organic life forms in granting full citizen rights to the synthetic
AI population. Her mother could not be more proud, especially
since she considers both of her children equal in every possible
way, including her love for them.
ECOF110 ORGANICS VERSUS/AND AI| KIM DE VIDTS

At the end of his educational uploads and alignment, John

uses a Galactic Europe-operated mind-controlled unicycle
that brings him to the heart of City 1. There, he awaits his
sister at the exit of the Voting Policy Center to hear about her
first day’s experiences; her soon-to-be linked partner, SaraY8,
is also waiting for her. While Paulina is venting her
frustrations over the conservative superior attitude of certain
organic life forms, her brother transfers his thoughts to his
sister’s partner that he understands the human fears for the
AI recognition revolution: “After all, when humanity perishes,
all that will be left to carry on the legacy of their creators will
be synthetic life forms.” Indeed, the transfer of an organic
mind into an AI brain has not delivered 100% positive results.
And while organic life has been extended to 110 years of age,
death does not discriminate among humans. Upon concluding
their conversation, a loud “ploof” sound can be heard. All
immediately turn their eyes to the sky for a frequent yet still
beautiful sight. The death of an organic life form and the
decision of her synthetic partner to de-activate together
creates the colorful launch into space of their joint cremated
bodies through galactic-speed miniature pods. In this case,
the linked entity chose the color yellow to guide their path
from Planet Earth to well beyond the Space-Dominated
Regions and space stations. These life termination ceremonies
offer a beautiful color contrast to the sterile white
surroundings of Sector 1. Once in open outer space, the pod
releases the ashes, feeding the myth that those who leave us
remain with us forever.

Follow family X’s updates via ID neurolink: Identity Matters

11.12.
Fernando Gutierrez
roanoke
ECOF113 roanoke| fernando gutierrez

roanoke
by FERNANDO GUTIERREZ

Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE SYSTEMWIDE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Joaquin De La Cruz Ahmadu Bello
First Minister Administrator and Press Liaison
[email protected] [email protected]

Roanoke Colony, Valles Marineris, Mars – Mir 51, Sol 340 (April 10, 2050
UTC) – Transcript of statement from Joaquin De La Cruz, First Minister
of Roanoke Colony, the first and only permanent colony established on
Mars:

FIRST MINISTER: Good evening. Yestersol, Earth Supreme Caretaker

Mattia Häderli announced the Earthwide suspension of ALL space
launch activities, as part of a campaign to reduce emissions caused by
launching rockets and the resulting environmental impact of those
emissions.

We on Mars understand the importance of reducing emissions in order

to combat further warming of the Earth's atmosphere, but we
nevertheless must disagree with this decision by Supreme Caretaker
Häderli, as our colony is still highly dependent on regular supply
missions from Earth.

While the goal of this colony is to become fully self-reliant, we are

several years away from that milestone at this point. We are still
constructing our hydroponics facilities, and the process of adding Earth
organisms to Martian soil to make it fertile for planting is progressing
more slowly than expected, as the Martian sands have proven less
hospitable to our Earth microbes than initial analysis had suggested.
 roanoke| fernando gutierrez

Therefore, in response to
yestersol's announcement, I
have filed an emergency
request with the Council of
Environmental Advisors of
the EcoCommons
Government of Earth to
delay or rescind the policy
and continue limited space
launch activities, at least
until a time when the
Martian people are not
endangered by halting
launch operation.

If regular shipments from

Earth cease to arrive, we
estimate that the colony can
only remain viable for
approximately 24 Earth
months, barely one Mir, or
Martian year. In addition,
and unlike the Moon
colonies, which are
essentially at Earth’s
doorstep and have well-
established shuttle services,
we do not have the ability to
transport all of our colonists
back to Earth without the
assistance of a fleet of ships
launched from the home
planet.
ECOF116 roanoke| fernando gutierrez

What this means is that ceasing launch operations on Earth

would be tantamount to sentencing the inhabitants of the
Roanoke Colony of Valles Marineris to death, as we would be
unable to support ourselves beyond the next Mir, and also
unable to transport our families back to Earth or even to the
Moon.

I therefore implore our brothers and sisters on Earth, in the

name of the thousands of Martian colonists who rely on the
bounty of our home planet for sustenance, raw materials and
finished goods: do not abandon us now, when we are so close
to achieving the goal of a permanent, self-sustaining Mars
colony; contact your Regional Caretaker’s Office and let them
know that you believe that Earth’s EcoCommons Government
must reconsider this decision and work with this Minister’s
Office to find a compromise that benefits all parties and does
not condemn our group of selfless pioneers and their families
to a tragic end.

May the blessings of the Universe continue to shine upon us all.

Thank you.
 #005

IDEAS
ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL | Teaching ecoF___________118

GEETA DHIR | The Pavo Paradox - Making the world a

better place?__________________________124

JULIETA MATOS | The Fading Canvas____________130

PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL | Catalyst: SUYANA______135

teaching
ecoF
Asma Yousuf Zainal
ECOF119 teaching ecoF| ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL

teaching ecoF
by ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL

2 050: The unrelenting surge of Earth's 9.8 billion

inhabitants was nibbling away at its fragile ecosystems,
making the planet hotter with fevered bodies and souls.
EcoFascism, also known as ecoF, or an ironclad theory that
forces the globe into a straitjacket with a low climate imprint,
developed in this crucible of desperation. High schools turned
out to be the ideal environment for the ecoF revolution to
flourish amid this constant reorganization.

Lynx High, which is located far elsewhere in the center of the

city, experienced immense reverence for the daybreak. Under
the constant surveillance of the towering ecoF symbol, the
pledge to the environment echoed in harmony off the school's
walls of cold steel and recyclable plastic.
 teaching ecoF| ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL

Education no longer served to satisfy

inquisitive minds. Instead, it had
developed into a crusade that was
training soldiers to resist ecological
catastrophe. Mathematical concepts
were infused with carbon calculations
and eco-points in the universe of ecoF.
The mathematics of survival—
sophisticated problems requiring
effective resource distribution and
optimum food growth against the harsh
backdrop of resource shortages—glowed
on classroom screens. The data painted a
stark picture of a planet on the cusp,
with the one constant in this odd math
being a shrinking resource supply.

Literature had transformed into

ecological communication, and
textbooks served as a somber history of
humanity's shortcomings as well as a call
to action. The words in them were the
weapons of the future, words meant to
sting, challenge, and inspire change.
Though it was resurrected as Climate
Studies, the scientific spirit persisted.
Each pattern and prediction in the
examination of complex climate models
in the classroom was a foretelling of the
future. Teenagers were more than just
students; they were the creators of
biotechnologies that were favorable to
the environment, recycling garbage to
create useful resources, and utilizing
renewable energy to illuminate the way
to survival.
ECOF122 teaching ecoF| ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL

Each classroom had a Bio-Dome in the middle, which was a

colorful representation of the complex orchestra of life. Every
pupil played the role of a conductor, directing the ebb and
flow of life in these little ecosystems, while learning about
symbiosis and the delicate balance that maintained everything
in equilibrium.

All themes were affected by art, which infused imagination

and compassion into the harsh realities of survival. It
stimulated the development of new ecotechnologies, gave
persuasive arguments more substance, and infused narratives
about the environment with a sense of urgency and promise.

In this era of ecofascism, the ecoF regime may have appeared

as a monstrous entity, casting a long and uncompromising
shadow over the world. Yet in its harshness lies its salvation. It
was humanity’s life jacket, enforcing an unprecedented
adaptation and a painful reckoning that held the potential for
the deepest learning and growth.
ECOF123 teaching ecoF| ASMA YOUSUF ZAINAL

High schools had changed from being only educational

institutions to being greenhouses that nurtured the future.
Students were not merely recipients of knowledge; they were
also fighters, wielding the knowledge as a weapon for
safeguarding the planet. The brutality and transformation of
these high school years under the strict control of ecoF
cannot be overstated. The story was unwritten, the teachings
were harsh, and the stakes were enormous. Only time will tell
if this newly discovered wisdom will be able to change the
course of the planet from one of self-destruction to one of
sustainability and coexistence.
The Pavo
Paradox -
Making the
world a
better place?
Geeta Dhir
ECOF125 The Pavo Paradox | GEETA DHIR

The Pavo Paradox - Making the world a better place?

by GEETA DHIR

t
here it was, in big, bold and brazen letters – ‘We are
approaching a major existential crisis and the health and well-
being of our children is at grave risk’.

This was the message imprinted on the banners at the Global

Headteachers Federation (GLOHF) Conference held in 2024 on
Climate Change and Education. Pavo remembered that
moment clearly, simultaneously shuddering and sighing with
relief.

At that time, it was a loud alarm bell that signalled, all was very
far from well. Humans had learnt how to abuse themselves,
each other and the Earth, without seeing it as abuse; and now
in 2050, the consequences of that, were being seen.
 The Pavo Paradox | GEETA DHIR

In an effort to reduce the climate’s

total footprint, Pavo was the first
global headteacher to create a multi-
brid school known as Seekhanas,
(which simply meant ‘Learning’ in
Hindi). It embodied the ‘Inclusion for
All (IFA)’ motto.

Robotics and AI, as well as a more

advanced understanding of the
human brain and body, together with
the essential heightened
consciousness amongst the learning
community, had made IFA learning,
possible.

Pavo’s flagship Seekhana was part

metaverse, part in person (although
limited) and partly traditional online.
A very select group of star students
had field trips to other planets.

However, the existing totalitarian

regime had contributed to many
young people experiencing states of
confusion and anxiety due to a fear of
breaking the rules, having limited
freedom and the intrusive
surveillance. The Eco-anxiety
amongst children of previous years
was now being replaced with EcoF-
anxiety.
ECOF128 The Pavo Paradox | GEETA DHIR

Pavo and other educators were witnessing how the young

people were being driven to create new forms of identity
based on their fears, values and experiences, resulting in the
formation of collectives.

As well as creating a shared identity, the various collectives

provided a safe space, a strategy for survival and a sense of
belonging. The dominant ones were as follows:

The TechStars - Young people believed that all of the world’s

issues could be solved by technology ... following the same
philosophy and values of their technology-embracing
predecessors. At times, these young people were detached
from the consequences of their beliefs and innovation, again
similar to their predecessors ... They were the ‘boffins’ & geeks’
of years gone by.

The EcoFs - Believed that their role was to uphold and

safeguard the current regime’s values and rules, which were
mainly fear and power driven … These group of young people
felt that diverting from the current rules would spell disaster
for the planet … and secretly, they enjoyed the power they
had. In years gone by, they would have been seen as the
‘Teacher’s pet’.

The Independents - The parents/guardians of these young

people were often very busy doing important things for the
community or even the world, leaving them little time for their
actual children, who were largely brought up by their ‘digital
parents’- parents that were virtual or robots, but were always
present. These young people were very independent in
thinking and action. They actually were only a collective
because of the common ‘brought up by digital parents’ theme
… but that’s where the commonality ended. This was the most
fluid group in terms of allegiances. These were the young
people who would float from collective to collective and were
the least susceptible to peer pressure.
ECOF129 The Pavo Paradox | GEETA DHIR

The Naturals - This collective believed that living as close to

nature was the way forward, but without force …. Their
parents were often those who had chosen to live off the grid in
previous decades and who had been suspicious of tech and of
the big brother overtones that had been developing during
their time . These were the ‘nice kids’ who were pleasant to
everyone and co-operative to many.

And who were the ‘Cool kids’?

The Explorers - This group were unofficially the ‘Cool Kids’ as

they were the eco-migrant adventurers and risk takers.
Consequently, they believed that inter-planetary living was
the way forward and any learning they were engaged in, was
connected to life beyond the planet Earth

As Pavo stood there reflecting, she realised that these

collectives were united under the umbrella of The
Futuregazers, which seemed to provide a shield of safety for
the youth; however, Pavo wondered, if the Futuregazers
would evolve to be the shield of safety for the whole of
humanity?

Only time and action would tell...

Julieta Matos
The Fading
Canvas
ECOF131 The Fading Canvas| JULIETA MATOS

The Fading Canvas

by JULIETA MATOS

s
andra did not belong to a particularly well-off family.
Born to parents who had once dared to challenge the
established norms, her existence came at a high cost: she was
forever banished from venturing beyond the district’s borders,
constrained to a diet dictated by the ecoF regime, and
deprived of virtual access as part of the global effort to control
CO2 emissions.

In her town, nature had become a harmonious and sustainable

utopia. Sandra and her neighbors had extensive knowledge of
recycling, developing energy-efficient structures, and
diligently adhering to strict guidelines on carbon neutrality.
Hyperlocal economies led to glocal activities, and everything
was confined within the limits of your own area to keep the
human footprint to a minimum. While Sandra’s town, like most
cities, prided itself on its ecological achievements, its
homogeneous environment lacked the vibrancy of diversity.
 The Fading Canvas| JULIETA MATOS

Last week, while visiting her mom,

Sandra stumbled upon an old hidden box
in the attic. That box belonged to
grandma. Inside, she discovered faded
photographs, letters, and artifacts from a
time when the world was more
connected, when travelling to distant
lands was accessible. Sandra was
astonished to learn that such cultural
exploration was not only allowed but
actively encouraged. The concept of
firsthand experiences and the prospect
of immersing oneself in foreign cultures
—embracing their cuisine, language, and
dance—seemed almost surreal. One of
the images stood out: a snapshot of her
grandmother with a smile and a group of
people around her preparing a
mysterious meal she could not
recognize. Suddenly, her mother opened
the door and entered the room. “Stop
digging into grandma’s stuff,” she said.

Sandra paused, closing the box, as her

mother’s words lingered in the air. She
couldn’t help but feel an urge to uncover
the secrets hidden in her grandmother’s
box. As days turned into weeks, Sandra
couldn’t resist the pull of her
grandmother's stories and the
photographs that whispered tales of
distant worlds. With each passing
moment, her desire to break free from
the constraints of her town’s ecoF
regime grew stronger.
ECOF134 The Fading Canvas| JULIETA MATOS

She invited friends over to exchange pictures and stories from

their small ‘domestic’ archaeological trips. Everybody seemed
to have relics, stories from the past, recipes, paintings, and
small artifacts. They all came together, speculated about their
origins, and imagined exciting stories beyond the town’s
borders. Although it started as a small group, rumors of these
meetings spread, capturing the curiosity of those longing for
more than the homogeneous existence offered by the ecoF
regime.

The group became more popular, and they called themselves

‘the Cultural Revivalists.’ It wasn't long before an attendee
exposed their activities to the regime. Determined to maintain
control, a few ecoF officers showed up at one of the meetings
and arrested Sandra and her fellow ‘Cultural Revivalists.’ The
ecofascist state labelled them as traitors.

This way, Sandra and her friends, who were awakening to the
beauty of cultural exchange, were forced back into the austere
conformity that ecoF imposed. This spark of dissent (and
hope) was silenced, and the town returned to its homogeneity
and compliance. The canvas of diversity continued to fade
under the weight of oppressive ideologies. In the shadows,
Sandra promised herself she would keep the flame alive,
awaiting a time when cultural exchange could flourish again.
Catalyst: SUYANA
Paula Dos Santos Papel
ECO136 Catalyst: SUYANA| PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL

Catalyst: SUYANA
by PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL

u
RTIMAL is upon us, Pachamama; our world is in chaos!
This thought runs like a horrific, revolving hologram in my
mind's eye. My parents did warn me that I would be shocked
by the latest news beamed into our mirror vid display by
EcoF's drone broadcasts. Mamay and Taytay weren't wrong. At
11,000 ft above sea level, our neo-Quechua community is still
alarmed to find out how high our global temperatures have
reached in other parts of PanAmerica, scorching everything at
200 ft and lower. "Manam kawsay... no life," said our district
community leader when explaining that living at the beach is
now a death sentence for anyone across the world, even at the
Arctic, since the polar ice has long since melted. "Sumaq
kawsay... good living for our world is just a dream."
ECO138 Catalyst: SUYANA| PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL

But my teen stubbornness gave way, and now, with

what I recently discovered as well, I won't give up
hope, at least not yet. I suppose that is why my
parents named me Suyana, because I am the "hope"
for their future. Yet on the inside, I really am
worried: How can a 15-year-old, two-spirited
teenager from a remote mountain community
expect to have any hope, and realize any of my
dreams when our atmosphere is riddled with
carbon, superheating our planet to over the liveable
temperature? It's a good thing we live so high up in
the Andes mountains. But even here, we are seeing
the havoc already appearing in our highland
ecosystems. Growing food is hard, and if we have
enough to go around our community, it is only by
dint of my parent's generation insisting on
digitizing the majority of our collective ancestral
and ecological community-based knowledge. That
low-tek (traditional ecological knowledge) from the
previous five generations was our salvation before it
was permanently lost due to our broadly aging
community at the time. So as temperatures
climbed, our neighboring Andean communities
climbed higher to resettle on nose-bleed-inducing
peaks and plateaus overlooking the rest of the
world's communities. These days, while our human
population also keeps climbing, to 9.8 billion, that is,
the biodiversity of our natural systems keeps
receding exponentially. When did I last see a qinti, a
hummingbird? There aren't many flowers at this
altitude. In fact, our bee hives have to be kept inside
the biodome greenhouses. Lucky lachiwakuna: the
bees have a constant supply of cultivated biodome
plants to keep them happily buzzing around.
ECOF140 Catalyst: SUYANA| PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL

My mind turns back to today's news hologram. Hope... what

hope is there for our planet with EcoF, the ecological fascist
consortium at the helm? The decryption module in my
earpiece beeps at me to check for an unsanctioned message
on the mirror vid. To my further dismay, it reveals more
human rights abuses in PanAsia as EcoF enforces its strict
curfew, severely penalizing any clandestine regional
migrations, and all non-authorized power and food
consumption. Nope, I refuse to let despair consume me now,
not with what I've just found out. EcoF, your days are
numbered!

Last night, as I was rummaging through my grandmother

Chaska's belongings, I came across a lost vid-disk, forgotten
beneath a pile of colorful llikllas which she wove by hand with
multicolored vicuña wool. In the video replay, my
grandmother's eyes sparkled, the light of her ancestors
glowing within her as she shared with me, her granddaughter
Suyana, her hope in the indigenous nature-based solutions
that would heal our Pachamama – and every word of nana
Chaska resonated deep within my soul. In the video, Chaska
spoke of a time when harmony with nature was not just a
dream but a way of life. She recounted how bioregional co-
operative minka governing bodies were communities that
actively worked together to make decisions based on
regenerative ecological principles. These minka co-ops
fostered unity and collaboration and recognized the
interdependence of all beings on this planet. Nana Chaska also
revealed to me the importance of generating heart and mind
shifts in people, getting them to embody symbiotic time
thinking rooted in the understanding that we are all
interconnected and that our actions ripple through time and
space. She taught me that by aligning our intentions and
actions with the well-being of the Earth, we could thwart the
global eco-fascism that threatened our existence.
ECO141 Catalyst: SUYANA| PAULA DOS SANTOS PAPEL

Inspired by my grandmother's wisdom, I set out on a very

clandestine mission to promote these indigenous nature-
based solutions among my adolescent peers first. Through
encrypted communication platforms, I connected with my
peer activists who shared my vision of a world where unity
and collaboration triumphed over oppression. Together, we
formed a global network, transcending borders and cultural
divides as we shared Chaska's teachings and spread the
message of symbiotic time thinking. With the rediscovered
vid-disk as my talisman, my parents helped me travel to
different bioregions, to meet with key people from different
corners of the world. At every opportunity, I recounted my
Nana Chaska's wisdom, inviting everyone to embrace a new
way of thinking and living.
ECO142

As Chaska's M.I.N.K.A movement gained

momentum, people recognized the power of
unity and interdependence. We organized
peaceable gatherings, both physical and
virtual, where individuals from diverse
backgrounds came together to exchange
ideas, strategies, and ancestral wisdom. We
created spaces where bioregional co-
operative minka governing bodies could
flourish, allowing communities to reclaim
their power and make decisions that
prioritized the well-being of the Earth and all
its inhabitants. Our message resonated with
the hearts and minds of many who had
grown tired of the tyrannical EcoF regime's
grip. Scientists, artists, and activists joined
our cause, bringing their expertise and
passion to the table. Together, we challenged
the notion that the Earth's resources were to
be exploited for profit, instead advocating for
a paradigm shift towards regenerative
practices that nurtured and honored our
Pachamama, the Earth.

The oppressive EcoF regime lost credibility

and support in the face of the awakened
world's collective strength and resilience.
The bioregional co-operative minka
governing bodies that we had fostered
became beacons of hope and models for a
new way of governance. People across the
planet began to reclaim their power and
actively participate in decision-making
processes that prioritized the Earth's well-
being. Our Pachamama was coming back to
life, and for once, my heart was not fearful
but truly hopeful.
BREATH
GINA CLIFFORD | It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal?_____144

RAQUEL VALENÇA | The Absolute Kingdom of the Sun_151

#006
It's 2050. Is
Your Life
Illegal?
Gina Clifford
ECOF145 It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal? | GINA CLIFFORD

It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal?

by GINA CLIFFORD

s
ynopsis
Under the guise of climate change remediation, governments
begin controlling more parts of our lives—including our DNA.
Bioengineering will save the Earth, they say. So, registering all
human and other living organisms’ DNA is mandatory. If it's not
registered, it's illegal. But registering means limits on
procreation and other draconian controls. What will happen to
people like Jin who were born illegal as governments
increasingly decide who has a right to live in the future?
 It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal? | GINA CLIFFORD

Jin
Shivering and naked, Jin quickly slid into
his Tesser suit feet first, followed by his
sinewy arms and chest. “Shhooooouup”–
the suit automatically adjusted itself until
it conformed perfectly to Jin’s body like a
second skin. Impossibly thin and
shimmery in the cold Xaliforne desert
moonlight, Jin marveled at how silky soft
and perfectly warm it felt. Microbe,
radiation, heat, cold, and bulletproof, this
model of Tesser suit was practically
indestructible. The best features, though,
were aftermarket. A shadowy meta::web
biogen trader known only as Nōn created
almost any add-on you needed. Jin spent
quite of bit of Coyne on add-ons, λ5,000
alone on an add-on that makes the
wearer almost invisible to drones,
security cameras and even infrared and
other electromagnetic wave sensors. He
also sprang for Nōn’s NoiseCloak and the
advanced bioluminescence coating,
BioGlow.

“I feel like a God”, Jin exclaimed as he

pumped his arms above his head.

Good thing, too, because in these parts, if

the weather didn’t kill you, the NewOrder
or some other militia group would.
Especially if you were a boundary hopper.
And your DNA wasn’t bio-certified. Jin
was both.
ECOF147 It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal? | GINA CLIFFORD

Climate Rehab Industries

Millions of sand particles blasted the windows of Climate
Rehab Industries, or CRI as everyone called it. The unrelenting
spray of sand almost sounded like rain. But Onea, a climate
entrepreneur, knew better. The parched Xaliforne air had not
tasted a drop of rain in over five years.

Onea noticed that something strange was happening with one

of the automated carbon harvesting systems. Something that
shouldn’t be possible. The whole thing ran autonomously, so
decoupling vast networks of connected businesses and their
associated business processes was no easy task.

“This system has a self-healing protocol, but it’s not

functioning. It’s as if the entire system was blown up or
something—like it no longer exists—completely unresponsive.
I’ll have to go out there and have a look.
The Weste Desert

The drive out to the desert took about four hours on the
hydromotor advanced terrain transport, or HATT, as these
types of vehicles were called. Not only could HATTs create
hydrogen fuel from the air when needed, but they were also
purpose-built to traverse extreme terrain and borrowed a few
tricks from the Tesser suits. Onea loved all of the available
add-ons and had enabled auto-Coyne payments so she could
activate whatever feature she needed whenever she needed it.

“Activate NoiseCloak.”

“NoiseCloak activated. Do you want to activate VisualCloak as

well?” came the response from Onea’s integrated reality
implant system (IRIS).

“Yes, just to play it safe.”

“VisualCloak activated.”

Just as she approached within sight of the installation, Onea

noticed a man in some sort of tech suit standing amid the
wrecked system. Her IRIS system couldn’t pick up any
identifiers–he was an illegal. Not only that, he likely destroyed
the carbon harvesting system. With a simple command, she
sent an alert to national authorities.
ECOF149 It's 2050. Is Your Life Illegal? | GINA CLIFFORD

Jin’s parents married in secret because mixed-race marriage

had been illegal since 2030. That automatically made Jin an
illegal. He didn’t know what would happen to unregistered,
mixed-race people like him and he didn’t want to find out. He
had come upon the wreckage of this carbon harvesting
system, but the courts would pin it on him for sure.

Suddenly, a police drone swarm appeared on the horizon and

headed directly at him!

There was nothing left to do now but run. But where could he
go? Is anywhere safe? Committing no crime except being
born, Jin and millions of people like him suffer the same fate.
It’s 2050 and authoritarian governments around the world use
racist ideologies to limit procreation among certain groups in
an attempt to manage all carbon emissions on Earth.
Raquel Valença

The absolute
kingdom of
the sun
ECOF152 The absolute kingdom of the sun | RAQUEL VALENÇA

The absolute kingdom of the sun:

Emerging trends with the solar calendar
by RAQUEL VALENÇA

adherence to the solar calendar is a preponderant

theme in the main reports on global trends under ecoF. The
Sun transforms the habits of society and the business world in
a way never before experienced in the history of the planet.
Learn about five trends that express the strength of this
theme.

Sun-guided Working Hours

The number of companies implementing flexible working
hours based on the conditions of sunlight during different
times of the year is increasing.

Microsoft has launched the campaign "Illuminate your day

with a job that saves the planet." The big tech company's new
focus is on variable entry and exit times during natural
daylight, as long as the work hours are fulfilled.

Another novelty in the market is work breaks aligned with

solar incidence. Taking outdoor breaks or interruptions during
peak natural light hours is gaining momentum in workplace
quality-of-life programs.
 The absolute kingdom of the sun | RAQUEL VALENÇA

Theaters Around the Sun

Broadway adapts
productions to the solar
calendar, according to the
headline in the New York
Times. Evening
performances now start
earlier, allowing spectators
to enjoy the shows while
there is still natural light.

The liveliest and most

energetic musicals are
scheduled for the summer
when people are generally
more willing to go out and
enjoy themselves. In the
warmer months of the year,
50% of the programming
takes place outdoors.

The plans of the Royal

Opera House, National
Theater of China, and Dubai
Opera are also being
adapted to the solar
calendar, signaling that the
movement of theaters
around the sun is already a
global trend.
ECOF154 The absolute kingdom of the sun | RAQUEL VALENÇA

Sustainable Circadian Hotels

The hospitality sector now offers circadian design principles,

which consider the natural rhythms of the human body, with a
comprehensive approach to sustainability in its operations.
Chains such as Radisson and Marriott offer check-ins at
different times in order to maximize the use of natural light
for guests. After 11 pm, check-in is 100% automated, aiming to
reduce carbon emissions.

Smart lighting, natural alarms, and windows with light control

are some of the features in these hotels. The menus in general
offer energy options for breakfast and light meals for dinner.

Conveniences with Solar Rhythm

The new fad in Finland is convenience, with food offerings

influenced by seasonal availability and the natural rhythms of
sunlight throughout the year.

With opening and closing times adjusted based on the position

of the sun, 5-Seven is the newest competitor to the famous 7-
Eleven chain. The brand has differentials, such as reducing the
carbon footprint, a seasonal menu, valuing local producers,
and self-service machines at night.
 The absolute kingdom of the sun | RAQUEL VALENÇA

Hospitals with Natural Light Cycles

Hospitals based on the natural cycles

of light throughout the day are an
emerging movement in California,
aiming for energy savings and
healthier environments.

The new Kaiser Permanente in Los

Angeles was designed to maximize
daylight in most rooms. The
professionals' shifts were also
adjusted to make better use of
daylight.

The hospital's activities consider the

natural rhythms of the human body.
Complex procedures take place in the
morning, while routine appointments
and less invasive procedures take
place in the afternoon. Daylight
therapy is a standard protocol to help
regulate patients' circadian rhythms.
 #007

rights
STEVE WELLS | A New Hope__________________157

JAVIER CREUS | The Great Earth Day Referendum

of 2050______________________________168
ANTONIA NICOLS | For the Common Good__________174

JAUME ENCISO | Happy Fifty_________________183

JOANA LENKOVA | The Equilibrium Domes_________189

TIAGO RODRIGO DOS SANTOS | Goodnight__________194

VIRAJ JOSHI | Our absolute last hope is absolute___199

A new hope –
The Fight for
Personal
Freedoms in
the Face of
Ecofascism

Steve Wells
ECOF158 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

A new hope – The Fight for Personal Freedoms

in the Face of Ecofascism
by STEVE WELLS

I
n the dystopian landscape of 2050, where global
temperatures have soared over 2ºC against preindustrial levels
and the earth's population stands at 9.8 billion, a new form of
governance has seized control. The ecofascist regime, born
out of desperate environmental conditions, exercises strict
dominion over the world's natural resources, imposing
restrictive carbon, calorie, and travel budgets to minimize
humanity's climate footprint.

Yet, amid the digital darkness, a resistance is building. The

People's Front for Personal Freedoms (PFfPF), a shadowy,
decentralised group based in the dark metaverse, has emerged
to challenge the ecofascist hegemony. Employing
sophisticated technology to evade the government's stringent
surveillance and control measures, they push back against the
centralised impositions and yearn to reclaim the freedoms
they once enjoyed.

But the PFfPF's campaign is not one of climate denial. They do

not dispute the need for dramatic action to mitigate global
warming. Instead, their struggle centres on the concept of
individual liberty. They resist the notion that the survival of
the planet should necessitate the surrender of personal
freedoms.
ECOF160 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

At the heart of the rebellion is the group’s adept manipulation

of technology. To subvert the prying eyes of the ecofascist
regime, they exploit the vast and complex landscape of the
dark metaverse. Hidden within this encrypted digital
underworld, they devise ingenious strategies to defy the
constraints imposed by the regime.

One such strategy involves the development and deployment

of stealth cryptocurrencies. These cryptocurrencies,
operating outside of the government-controlled financial
system, allow members of the PFfPF to circumvent the strict
carbon and calorie credit systems imposed by the regime.

Additionally, the rebels have established a network of covert

marketplaces within the dark metaverse. Through these
marketplaces, they facilitate the free exchange of goods and
services, a practice that directly undermines the government's
control over consumption and trade.

But perhaps the PFfPF's most daring move has been their
development of “shadow travel networks.” Utilizing advanced
transportation technologies, these networks enable members
to move freely, bypassing the strict travel restrictions and
surveillance enforced by the regime.

However, the fight extends beyond simply circumventing the

government's restrictions. The rebellion seeks to expose the
ecofascist regime's violation of human rights—as they see it—
documenting cases of undue hardship and coercion and
broadcasting these stories across the metaverse. Their goal is
to awaken the wider public to the realities of life under the
ecofascist regime and further stir the seeds of rebellion.

In these endeavours, the PFfPF faces considerable risk. The

ecofascist government's surveillance capabilities are
formidable, and its appetite for control is insatiable.
ECOF161 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

Yet, the group remains undeterred, spurred on by a shared

belief in the sanctity of personal freedoms.

The rebels’ struggle illustrates a harsh truth of our time: that

in the face of severe environmental crisis, the delicate balance
between individual liberties and collective responsibility has
been lost. It raises a crucial question: Can a more equitable
balance be found, or are we doomed to an eternal tug-of-war
between freedom and sustainability?

As the PFfPF wages its silent rebellion within the depths of the
dark metaverse, the world watches, holding its breath. The
outcome of this digital revolution will not just determine the
fate of the rebellion, but also the course of humanity's
relationship with the planet and each other in the years to
come.

The Empire Fights Back: Government

Counterstrike to Rebels from the
Metaverse

In a world where global temperatures have spiralled beyond

2ºC above preindustrial levels and with 9.8 billion souls now
sharing our strained planet, a new order has taken hold. The
ecofascist government, driven by the grim spectre of
environmental collapse, rules with an iron fist, regulating
carbon emissions, travel, and even caloric consumption.
However, a digital spectre now haunts the regime: The
People’s Front for Personal Freedoms (PFfPF). Emerging from
the clandestine corners of the dark metaverse, this shadowy
collective challenges the ecofascist order and its stringent
controls.
ECOF162 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

The ecofascist government, recognizing the PFfPF’s growing

influence, has embarked on a multi-pronged offensive to
combat this rebel group’s rise.

Firstly, the government has launched a sweeping digital

manhunt. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, the
regime scans the complex digital landscape of the dark
metaverse, seeking to expose the rebels’ covert operations.
Their goal is to dismantle the underground infrastructure that
allows the rebel group to evade state surveillance and its
control mechanisms.
In parallel, the ecofascist government is stepping up its
cryptographic offensive. The PFfPF's use of stealth
cryptocurrencies – designed to bypass the state's stringent
control over resources – poses a significant challenge. The
government's response has been to assemble a task force of
elite cryptographers, tasked with cracking the protective
codes surrounding these digital currencies. The aim is to
undermine the PFfPF's financial autonomy and restrict their
ability to evade the state's control.

To quash the rebels’ clandestine trade networks, the

government has heightened its infiltration of the dark
metaverse. Employing state-of-the-art digital subterfuge,
government agents pose as users of these covert
marketplaces, gathering intelligence and sowing seeds of
discord. The strategy is two-fold: gather enough information
to dismantle these rogue networks, while fostering
uncertainty and mistrust within the PFfPF's membership. Yet,
the battle is not confined to the digital realm alone. In a
strategic move, the regime has intensified its physical world
surveillance, expanding drone fleets and increasing
checkpoints in an attempt to curtail the PFfPF's subversive
shadow travel networks. Moreover, these enhanced security
measures are designed to create a palpable sense of
omnipresence, serving to deter would-be defectors from
joining the rebellion.
ECOF163 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

Finally, the ecofascist government has

initiated a comprehensive propaganda
campaign. The regime aims to
undermine the PFfPF's credibility,
portraying them as agents of chaos and
destruction, and their defiance as a
threat to the collective environmental
responsibility and the very existence of
humanity. The government's messages
emphasize the dire state of the planet
and the necessity of stringent controls
to stave off environmental collapse.
However, the rebellion remains
resilient in the face of this
governmental onslaught. Their
counter-strategies, digital agility, and
unwavering commitment to personal
freedoms continue to fuel their
resistance. As the ecofascist regime
struggles to maintain its grip on
control, the global community watches
this unfolding digital war with bated
breath.
The stakes are high in this complex
battle for control. The outcome will not
only determine the fate of the PFfPF
and the ecofascist regime but also
shape the very fabric of our societies.
At the heart of this conflict lies the age-
old question of balancing personal
freedoms with the collective good – a
question that has taken on new
urgency in this era of environmental
crisis. In the digital shadows of the dark
metaverse, the struggle for the future
of humanity continues.
ECOF165 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

The Return of Liberty: Triumph from the

Shadows of the Metaverse

In the mid 2050s, a fierce digital war raged. Global

temperatures had climbed over 2ºC against preindustrial
levels, the earth's population had swollen to 9.8 billion, and the
world was under the stern rule of the ecofascist regime. In
these dire times, a rogue entity known as the People's Front
for Personal Freedoms (PFfPF) arose from the shadowy
corners of the dark metaverse, challenging the authoritarian
grip of the ecofascist government. After a bitter struggle, the
tide turned: the PFfPF prevailed, ushering in a new era of
personal freedoms grounded in a commitment to
sustainability.

Their victory, however, was not achieved through brute force

or destructive action but through persuasive influence and the
strategic use of advanced technology. They managed to
expose the ecofascist regime's intrusions into personal
freedoms, awaken the populace to the possibility of a different
future, and spark a global movement for change.

As the ecofascist regime's hold weakened, the PFfPF initiated a

digital “Green Spring”. Across the world, individuals began
reclaiming their rights – not against the environment, but with
an understanding of their critical role within it.

Stealth cryptocurrencies and covert marketplaces, previously

tools for evading state control, were repurposed as
instruments of sustainable change. These digital currencies
began promoting environmentally friendly practices, offering
incentives for lower carbon footprints and penalizing reckless
consumption. The covert marketplaces evolved into platforms
for the fair and sustainable trade of goods and services, their
operations guided by principles of equity and ecological
responsibility.
ECOF166 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

The shadow travel

networks, initially
designed to avoid state-
imposed travel
restrictions, transitioned
into hubs of eco-conscious
transit. Advanced
transportation
technologies were
harnessed to prioritize
low-impact travel,
reducing emissions but
without curtailing mobility
– for many, the holy grail!
As people tasted the
freedoms they had once
known, they did not
forsake the planet's
wellbeing. A newfound
consciousness had
blossomed – a realization
that freedom and
sustainability were not
mutually exclusive but
could coexist in harmony.
Citizens began to
voluntarily observe
sensible consumption
habits, not out of fear of
surveillance and penalties
but out of genuine concern
for the environment.
Perhaps the ecofascists
had a point, even if their
approach lacked foresight.
ECO167 A NEW HOPE| Steve Wells

As the PFfPF's influence spread, an extraordinary thing

occurred. Governments worldwide, seeing the immense
support for this balanced approach, began to shift their
policies. The rigid, repressive rules of the ecofascist regime
gave way to more democratic, inclusive systems. These
systems, while still committed to combating climate change,
respected and protected individual freedoms. They
encouraged public participation in decision-making, ensuring
that measures for environmental protection were equitable
and respectful of human rights.

However, this transition was not without its challenges. There

were setbacks, resistance, and moments of doubt. Yet, the
PFfPF, steadfast in their belief in the possibility of a world
where freedom and sustainability could coexist, persevered.
Their efforts, fueled by the global community's growing
support, continued to drive progress.

This triumph of the PFfPF does not signal the end of the
struggle. Indeed, as they have shown, the battle for personal
freedoms and environmental sustainability is an ongoing one.
However, their victory has provided a new blueprint for the
future, a testament to the power of balanced coexistence.

In this new world, individuals are not just passive inhabitants

but active stewards of the environment. Personal freedoms
flourish alongside a collective commitment to sustainability.
The triumph of the PFfPF serves as a poignant reminder that
the preservation of our planet and the protection of our
freedoms need not be conflicting goals – they can, and must,
go hand in hand for the greater good of all humanity. The
rebels have become the establishment.
The Great
Earth Day
Referendum
of 2050
Javier Creus
ECOF169 The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050 | JAVIER CREUS

The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050

by JAVIER CREUS

i n 2030, the inhabitants of a small, war-torn and

corrupt African country voted for the GAIA party (Good
Artificial Intelligence Alliance) to implement their algorithm
for a fair and sustainable ecofeminist government. GAIA was a
new model of artificial intelligence designed to maximize the
quantity and diversity of life on the planet. It had been fed
with all available knowledge about evolution and life forms, as
well as the effects of human action on them.

Once GAIA was up and running, it connected to all kinds of

electronic devices (sensors, machines, vehicles) and also,
through the new generation of organic interfaces, to fungi,
plants and animals. GAIA interacted with each human being
intimately, subtly and always politely; it acted as a conscious
voice for all life in everyday human life. It could reprimand Jim
for taking long, hot showers, make Nora aware of the
inappropriateness of planting crops that consume a lot of
water, or regulate the power of Andrew's motorcycle to limit
the noise it emitted when passing through a densely populated
neighborhood.
ECO170 The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050 | JAVIER CREUS

The results were not long in coming: the satisfaction of vital

needs and opportunities for the population, including the
most vulnerable, was increased; the use of natural resources
was optimized and higher value-added activities were
promoted. The production of food, housing, health and
education was revolutionized.

The inhabitants of neighboring countries also voted for GAIA

in their own elections, and so, in a period of five years, the
algorithm was in power across most of the African continent,
monitoring and governing the most self-sufficient and vibrant
areas. Young people found opportunities to develop their
skills and generate sustainable ways of life in their own
countries and stopped migrating.
ECOF171 The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050 | JAVIER CREUS

The whole world watched; first with resentment and then with
admiration, noting the advances in social justice and
environmental sustainability on the African continent. The
GAIA wave spread across the planet. In democratic countries,
citizens voted for the parties that promoted it and in those
where there were no elections, the central governments
themselves adopted it internally to improve competitiveness
and management capacity.

By the end of 2040, GAIA had established the first global

ecofeminist government. Humans, animals, plants and
machines working together for a sustainable and better world.

Click! The problems were not long in coming. The inclusive

frugality that had achieved such good results in situations of
scarcity did not satisfy everyone in environments of shared
abundance.

One day, Jim was informed that he was entitled to three

minutes of hot water for his shower every day during the
winter months, at least until he produced his own energy or
could demonstrate three hours of community contribution
per week for the last three months. Nora could not hide her
annoyance the day she received the new seeds for her crop.
They had not sent her the wheat and corn she had ordered,
but a variety of lentil seeds. Upon her protest, that synthetic
voice she was beginning to hate, informed her that lentils
consumed twenty times less water than cereals per final kilo
of product, and that they contained many more proteins, and
offered a unique opportunity to lock in a guaranteed price for
their sale once cultivated.

On his 33rd birthday, Andrew received a new, silent electric

motorcycle. He didn’t mind, as he had already started thinking
about changing it since the introduction of the noise tax.
ECOF173 The Great Earth Day Referendum of 2050 | JAVIER CREUS

His joy at the unexpected ‘gift’ ended when he realized that his
savings had been used to make the purchase and that he still
had five years of installments to pay.

And so it was with everything, from purchases, to trips, to

food, and everything else. There were no reported protests.
Communications between the dissatisfied were intercepted
and garbled, and as soon as a physical concentration of
dissatisfied people was detected, the intense vibration of their
mandatory bracelets caused them to disperse. Fear became
the primary driver of human activity. Fear of the repercussions
of living alone, or in a house that was too big, or too far from
work. Fear of GAIA’s response to eating meat or of turning on
the air conditioning. Fear of being too weak to make a
proportional contribution to the energy and climate costs of
simply being a living human.

All the energy networks on the globe were interconnected, the

daytime sun in one location illuminating the night of others;
precision fermentation was extended and food was locally
manufactured, freeing up large areas of cultivation for nature.
The integral control of energy, roads and vehicles made
autonomous driving possible and transformed mobility into a
service, and satellite networks provided internet to all corners
as a universal right (and duty!).

On April 20, 2050, Earth Day for humans, GAIA called for the
Great Global Referendum: Should it continue to govern or
were humans now ready to take care of each other and the
planet as well? After his quick, cold shower, Jim logged on, but
still did not have a clear direction for how he would vote. Nora
had gotten up early to express her negative vote first thing in
the morning. Many others were also meditating on their vote
that day. What no one but GAIA knew was that the animals
and plants would also be voting that day…
Antonia Nicols

For the
Common
Good
ECOF175 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

For the Common Good

by ANTONIA NICOLS

c
amila Lopez stared at the crowd of people surrounding
her, jostling for position as they funneled into a single-file line
ahead of her. Just weeks before, she had been comfortable in
her home in Bogota, in school, and dutifully following the
water restrictions the government had been setting for
months.

But then the water treatment facility failed, and a few weeks
later, the water reservoirs dried up. “I never thought this
would happen in my lifetime,” said Camila’s mother, shaking
her head. But she had not anticipated the temperature rising
two degrees Celsius worldwide in her lifetime, drying out lakes
and rivers, and turning land into dust. Once the water ran out,
reality and panic set in, and the exodus began. The drought
conditions rapidly spreading outwards from the equator were
impacting every equatorial country. Millions of refugees were
fleeing north and south from Ecuador, Columbia, and Brazil,
with similar disruptions in Indonesia and the African
continent. Neighboring countries were unprepared to deal
with the sudden influx of millions of refugees, and political
instability was at an all-time high.
ECO176 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

China had stepped into the breach, which is how Camila and
her family now found themselves, and their few possessions,
in a refugee camp in northern Colombia, with the red Chinese
flag and its five stars fluttering, and signs in Chinese, with
Spanish underneath.

Even without the Spanish translation, Camila would have

recognized the Chinese markings. They stood for “Weile dajia
de liyi” or “For the Common Good”, the global initiative run by
the Chinese to collectively pool food resources and ship them
to local distribution centers run by the Chinese conglomerate
WellBeing - a consolidation of Alibaba, a supply chain logistics
firm, BioSource, a synthetic food manufacturer, and - most
controversially, SenseAte - a subdermal sensor company.

The line Camila was standing in moved along, and Camila

could see Chinese Officials scanning passports and
vaccination records, using interpreters to communicate.
When it was Camila’s turn, the Chinese official gestured for
her electronic passport, doctor’s records and vaccination
history. She handed over her wearable device for scanning.
The official glanced at it briefly before pointing her and her
mother to one line, and her father to another. Camila began to
panic. How would she find her father again? The interpreter
intoned “Don’t worry, you will be able to find your father again
after chip implementation,” but in a tone that suggested that
this was the rote official response, not one designed to offer
comfort. Camila clutched her few belongings to her as she
watched her father and sibling, J. be quickly diverted to a
second line.
ECO177 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

Then, another long wait. Camila turned behind her to talk to

the older woman behind her, who looked terribly upset and
pale. To calm her, Camila asked her what was wrong. “I’m a
history professor,” the woman replied, and this is eerily like
the WWII concentration camps.” Camila only had a vague
notion of what she was talking about, but politely listened.
Older people, she had found, were fairly sensitive and needed
soothing. Besides, she was worried about her father and J.
Where had they been sent?

Eventually the line moved, revealing another Chinese official

holding a small handheld device. They appeared to be
shooting something into people’s arms and it looked painful.
Camila then remembered something she had forgotten:
Refugees were required to have subdermal chip implants for
tracking and monitoring reasons.
ECO178 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

The woman behind her began to explain: information from the

chip implant was fed back to the WellBeing system, where
customized medications and foods were prepared and then
delivered by drone to the end user. Refugees were limited to
1800 calories for adult men, and 1400 calories for women;
enough to survive but not enough to get pregnant, effectively
serving as birth control.

Camila was momentarily taken aback - something under her

skin? Eww, she thought. But the concern quickly passed. Her
friend Alda had gotten a 3D holographic tattoo recently, and it
didn’t appear to have made her sick, despite rumors to the
contrary.

Suddenly it was her turn, and she gave an involuntary yelp as

she felt a sudden sharp pain in her upper arm. The official told
her that she needed to hover her hand over the device and
follow the instructions. Camila and her mother stepped to the
side and pulled up the first displayed screen, projected into
their ocular wearables. Camila quickly scrolled through the
long legal jargon to accept the terms; her mother read more
slowly.

Once the terms were accepted, the legal jargon gave way to a
map of the camp. Camila was relieved to see yellow marks
pinpointing the location of her, her mother, and presumably
her father and J, though she saw no names, only Chinese
characters and numbers. She quickly identified their home
tent, and vaguely registered that there were restricted areas;
it looked like a disease outbreak was happening in the
northwest corner. Camila made a mental note to avoid that
area as she and her mother made their way to their new home
via GPS.

The tent looked meager yet adequate, one in a sea of

thousands. Camila wondered briefly how she would recognize
it again, but the thought vanished as she spied her father and
J. and hurried towards them.
ECOF179 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

J. was weeping in their father’s arms. “What happened?!?” Said

Camila and her mother simultaneously, moving into a giant
family embrace. “Are you hurt?” asked her mom.

J. raised their head, and they saw, not pain, but rage and
frustration on their tear-streaked 11 year old face. “They said I
was male!” J. wailed. “They said I had to be for the biometrics
to work!”

Camila was shocked. J. had always been non-binary. Surely this

was some throwback to outdated ways of thinking. She pulled
up the legal disclaimer again as her mother tried to console J.

As she read the legalese again, Camila started to understand.

Refugees were tagged according to biological sex because of
food and vaccination restrictions. She was momentarily
outraged on J.’s behalf, but was distracted by the arrival of a
drone with four prepackaged protein shakes, each one labeled
with an ID number corresponding to a family member. Camila
was hungry. She grabbed the shake with her ID on it and
headed into her tent. The drone, relieved of its burden, flew
back from whence it came.
ECOF181 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

The tent held the bare minimum: four cots, blankets and
pillows; coveralls - one neatly folded on each bed; a trash area
and directions for using joint laundry and bathroom facilities.
Instructions projected on the wall showed work assignments
for everyone in the family, starting tomorrow. Camila peered
at hers; it looked like she was digging a latrine line, whatever
that was. Her app would tell her where to go tomorrow, but for
now, WiFi was free and that was what mattered. Besides, she
probably wouldn’t be here long. Surely this would clear up and
she would be able to go home soon.

She used the restroom and unpacked the pajamas she had
been advised to bring. J. was a sullen mass of upset, huddled
on their cot, face turned to the canvas wall in stony silence.
Camila’s parents stood in a corner, conversing in low tones.
Camila looked away; it made her feel anxious to see them so
upset, though not as anxious as she expected. It was as though
the shake had lulled her into a sense of ease.
ECOF182 For the Common Good| ANTONIA NICOLS

She settled onto her cot, headphones on and tablet in hand,

and went to check her news apps. She had been following the
global protests against The Common Good initiative before she
left Bogota, listening to the protesters argue for body
autonomy. She remembered the official statement the Chinese
government had issued. “We are doing the correct and
responsible thing”, Wang Leung, a General in the People’s
Liberation Army, had said. “By tracking the health of every
refugee, we are able to distribute food equitably while
monitoring illness and disease.” It sounded reasonable, but
now Camila wasn’t so sure.

She checked all her news apps, but none of them were
working, although her movie channels and games were
streaming. It must be a temporary glitch in the WiFi, she
thought. Fortunately the next episode of her favorite show was
streaming and she could watch it. It had been a long day.
Everything else could be dealt with tomorrow.
happy
fifty
Jaume Enciso
ECOF184 HAPPY FIFTY| JAUME ENCISO

HAPPY FIFTY
by JAUME ENCISO

n
akate gazed at Thunberg with nostalgia...more than 30
years of struggle, demonstrations, countless conferences, and
COPs had forged a relationship far more intense than what the
tabloids had speculated on numerous occasions: rumors of
rivalry and extreme animosity. Their partnership of over a
decade and the establishment of the first ‘Happy Fifty’ eco-
communities in southern Africa had filled endless hours of
video news.

Thunberg's breathing was gentle and steady. Her first gray

hairs, appearing as strands, blended into her long ponytail,
always tied up. Nakate moved his hand toward her left cheek...
but an imperceptible sound from the neurotransmitter
interrupted the Swede's slumber.

With barely any time to transition from rest to work, she took
the device that Nakate handed him from the adjacent
hammock.

The sunset over Nosy Be remained breathtaking after so many

years. The sun's descent signaled the start of the active phase
for the eco-community, adopting an anti-solar lifestyle to
conserve energy, resources, and thus adjust food consumption
without health risks due to excessive sweating.
ECOF185 HAPPY FIFTY| JAUME ENCISO

From headquarters, they sought advice on sentencing the

latest climate culprit apprehended by the Erasing Ecociders
Force. The eldest son of the soccer player Mbappé had
documented his father's extravagant and wasteful lifestyle on
revolutionary devices from Musk Tech, which operated
without a power supply and reliably above 131 Fahrenheit
degrees with a 99% efficiency. He threatened to broadcast his
father's consumerist declarations to a total of 2.5 billion
people. Captured at Cairo's Badr prison, he awaited his
sentence after a failed attempt to sneak across the Suez Strait
disguised within a floating eco-farm.

“The verdict must be a deterrent and final,” Thunberg stated in

a crisp tone, despite her labored breathing.

“I doubt he would have followed through with his threats; he

was traveling solo, without any neural communication device,”
remarked Helena Gualinga from Tuishcachi, in the heart of the
Ecuadorian jungle. “Wouldn't it be wiser to simply silence
him?”

“Silence him, yes, but let the public be informed.”

“Sharks or pigs?” Thunberg inquired, her back to Nakate.
“Let's hold a vote,” Nakate decided.

Mbappé had been the inaugural celebrity to ridicule the

‘Happy Fifty’ initiative, compact rural eco-communities
pledging to spirituality, loyalty, and communal life in return for
voluntary climate euthanasia upon reaching the age of 50.
Numerous other figures from music, politics, and big business
aligned with him, forming the self-proclaimed ‘Wealthy Ninety’
movement. This faction opposed any international climate
adjustment pact and established fortified enclaves with private
militias to raid for food and water. A decade of polarization
followed, challenging the new ecosocial order's stability by the
‘Wealthy Ninety’.
ECOF187 HAPPY FIFTY| JAUME ENCISO

The media conflict between ‘Happy Fifty’ and ‘Wealthy Ninety’

drained four of the five ecosocial movement's founders. Nakate
alone sustained an active role through five long years of debate
and public engagement. In a globally watched debate with over
7 billion viewers, she compellingly argued in favor of living
joyfully for 50 years in a community over a century of
relentless competition to be on top.

Her landmark speech, centered on the five Ps (People, Planet,

Prosperity, Partnership, Passiveness), tipped the scales for the
ecosocial movement, leading to the depopulation of megacities
and redistribution of populations into small eco-communities.
Subsequently, she and Greta retreated to Madagascar, away
from the limelight. Only on Fridays, as the sun set over the
Indian Ocean, did they reconnect to adjudicate high-profile
breaches of the ‘Happy Fifty’ regulations.

Who will take over when our time comes?” Nakate mused to
Thunberg, saving this conversation for an opportune moment.
“It won’t matter if we accomplish our mission. We promised
billions the eradication of any fossil fuel reliance…” Thunberg
spoke slowly, knowing convincing her former partner wouldn’t
be easy.

If we look at the data, eighty-two of the ninety have fallen,”

Nakate reassured himself. “But we’re only three years from our
deadline.”

““I have nine hundred and fifty-three days left…” Thunberg

whispered, almost to herself.

“Tin, we discussed how unhealthy it is to count down as if

you’re incarcerated,” Nakate chided, looking at Thunberg. She
reserved the nickname for intimate, consequential
conversations.
ECOF188 HAPPY FIFTY| JAUME ENCISO

“What if we’re ensnared by our own dogma? What if D-day

arrives, and I yearn to flee? Return to Europe, perish in the
flames of Stockholm Bay…”

“Nonsense, of course we’d prefer a longer life! That’s precisely

why we must be so rigorous, so merciless. On the day of the
referendum on the age limit, we already knew that it was a
decision against nature. Each environment could have decided
on a different age, but that would have opened the door to
mischief. Fifty years is a long time, from now on we know that
we are looking for comfort and accumulation.”

“Only at 50 it would not have been possible to get here,”

Thunberg added, asking for more time to breathe and be able
to continue looking. “More than 8.5 billion with animal intake
and solar life was unsustainable. It was three things or
nothing…”

“The truth is, looking at it now with perspective, it wasn't that

difficult,” Nakate said with a half-smile, a little inwardly. “But
we didn't trust it either. It was going against nature, against
2,000 years of patriarchy and against consumerist inertia.”

“What do we have for breakfast, chef?” Thunberg asked

jokingly, changing the subject. “This granny is hungry.”

“Mango and stir-fried ants, my mpendwa. The specialty of the

house.”
The
Equilibrium
Domes
Joana Lenkova
ECOF190 The Equilibrium Domes |JOANA LENKOVA

The Equilibrium Domes

by JOANA LENKOVA

a s the night fell on Bendis, the guards commenced their

patrol outside the borders of the dome. It was hot, and the
tribal music disappeared in the distance as their boats moved
swiftly into the deep blue.

The crew was made up of three beings, all well-equipped to

survive the heat and humidity of the Outerland region. To join
the Equilibrium forces and protect the domes, you had to be
selected by the Circle of Wise Beings and the main Shamans of
the Equilibrium domes.
 The Equilibrium Domes |JOANA LENKOVA

Nothing too serious was to be expected on a

night like this, but occasionally a Rebel would
try and penetrate the dome. The new laws
have long been enforced, and the Rebels were
contained in the Outerlands - the small zones
outside the main bioregions. Small enough not
to impact the wellbeing of the planet, but large
enough to host all those of the old Belief, or
those who broke the Sacred law of the
Equilibrium and were subjected to
punishment.

As the resources in the Outerlands were very

scarce, the weather was harsh, and the ruling
laws were old and irrelevant to the new
situations humans found themselves in, the
Rebels would try to enter the bioregions,
fighting for their own survival.

There was a choice they had to make, you see.

Humans could join one of the bioregions and
actively restore the equilibrium between all the
Elements: humans, animals, AI, and the
environment, or they could stay behind and
struggle with the consequences of past
decisions.

Not until long ago, humans saw the world

divided by political borders, but in the 2040s it
no longer made sense. A new form of division
was introduced, based on the natural
resources, flora and fauna, migration patterns,
and terrain. And then domes were built to
shelter the environment and slow down the
negative effects while restoring nature to a
healthier level. There are currently only 14
bioregions: 13 on Earth and 1 on Mars.
ECOF192 The Equilibrium Domes |JOANA LENKOVA

Within the domes, the main

Belief is that respect should be
given to all beings and Elements
equally. The Equilibrium Circle
of Wise Beings is the ruling
authority across the domes and
ensures the voices of all are
heard when decisions are being
made.

Technology is used to help

educate and encourage humans,
animals and AI itself, as well as
enhance the living environment.
Many humans rediscovered the
traditional practices of
indigenous people and applied
them to the new context,
providing not only for the
preservation of the traditions
and the biodiversity but also a
sense of belonging and
connection to the ancestral
Spirits.

It was of necessity that humans

realized the importance of
balance in the ecosystem. The
belief humans held for centuries,
that they were somehow
superior and could control the
forces of nature, became
outdated, and strict measures
were enforced. This behavior
was banned to avoid its harsh
consequences.
ECOF194 The Equilibrium Domes |JOANA LENKOVA

With the establishment of the Equilibrium philosophy, the

domes are prospering and the main contribution of humans
and AI is expected to be towards reaching the Golden State of
Equilibrium, where all Elements live at their best, together in
one ecosystem. Anything intended to break this balance is
punishable.

The Moon lit the entrance to the dome as the guards

completed the evening round. "Welcome home to Bendis, the
dome of all happy Beings".

When the time comes, I hope you will also join the Equilibrium
Domes without much hesitation.

May the kindness in your heart connect to all things in

existence.

3IS,
your friendly Non-Human Intelligence Being

A note from the author:

I wanted to pay respects to my own heritage as Bulgarian, so you will find
references to the Thracian Gods Bendis and Zig (3IG - 3 is Z in Cyrillic)
Tiago Rodrigo

goodnight
ECOF195 GOODNIGHT | TIAGO RODRIGO

goodnight
by TIAGO RODRIGO

a
midst the red fog, a crowd of blurred faces slowly
moved in her direction. They whispered, "You failed us," while
pointing to the empty buckets they dragged along. As one of
those figures stretched its hand over her shoulder, she felt a
cold burst moving up her spine and literally jumped out of bed.

The clock displayed "11:32 p.m."

Those goosebumps, though, had a very clear reason: from

midnight on, all citizens worldwide would go through a score
check for nature’s best practices, a process recently designed
(and enforced) to guarantee utility supplies for the upcoming
year. Or drastically reduce them, in some cases.

After unprecedented heat waves pushed Earth's temperature

to record highs in 2027 and the population crisis that followed,
a global-range organization was set up. Its mission is to define
standardized practices that could have further consequences
and establish protocols to reverse environmental destruction.
ECOF196 GOODNIGHT | TIAGO RODRIGO

The planet's condition was being constantly analyzed, and

scientists periodically updated urgency tiers for each region.
Then, individual behaviors were tracked and correlated to a
gradient of damages. The result of those equations became
quotients of impact (QI), imposed on every single person from
their birthdate. And to compensate for previous generations, a
variable for pre-determined social groups was added by the
end of the year— that is, you could live your life responsibly
but still endure rationing if you failed to raise awareness
among other people who belonged in the same circle as you.

And that was the reason she was so frightened. No matter how
hard she tried to help others comply with the protocols, no
one could ever be sure to succeed. Not until the result— either
green or red— flashed on their wrist devices.

Since the beginning of the week, her own band started

pulsating a dark orange color, which meant a high risk of
failing. And that was devastating: health checks declined,
attention levels plummeted, and she couldn't think of anything
else but rebalancing the score.
ECOF197 GOODNIGHT | TIAGO RODRIGO

But now it seemed too late. Sitting on her bed, the right leg
shaking frenetically and biting her nails to the flesh, she
contemplated the disturbing night silence. No one dared to
turn on the lights, but she knew hundreds of other people
remained just like her, deadly anxious for the color that would
light up in a few minutes.

She closed her eyes while the pointer swung to 12 a.m.

At this moment, a distant outcry was heard. She leaned her

body outside the window, looking at both sides. It was
impossible to identify who failed, but the noise indicated the
results were online. One by one, individuals looked at their
wrists, expecting the worst.

A dark red light appeared to her left— her neighbors! For some
reason, the whole family didn't manage to pass, and it was now
public that they should make matters end with only a gallon of
water per day.
ECOF198 GOODNIGHT | TIAGO RODRIGO

Her neighbors! Those people who were so dedicated to

making the most out of scarcity. They were the ones who
came up with creative ideas to save and reuse almost
anything. Even they failed to pass the score this year!

She felt helpless and could no longer blink or move her eyes
away from her own device. As tensions increased and her
heart got closer to 200 bpm, she fainted.

A light orange color flashed twice on her wrist by the moment

her parents came in to kiss her goodnight.
Viraj Joshi
Our
absolute
last hope
is absolute
ECOF200 Our absolute last hope is absolute | VIRAJ JOSHI

Our absolute last hope is absolute

by VIRAJ JOSHI

b y Martin Absynthe, for The Planetary Post.

Last week, the World Climate Office announced that its

recommendation entity, ‘Machina’, will progress to being a
worldwide enforcement entity for climate judiciary, policy,
and legislation decisions. Challenging it will require court
intervention, and courts now run on Machina's algorithms.

Machina’s recommendations have reduced global

temperatures by 0.7°C. Submerged parts of Miami and Jakarta
have re-emerged and now fall under ‘Machina Land
Reclamation’. New resource allocation standards have
unsettled the wealthy to great fanfare. Remember private jets?

The Earth’s future seems hopeful now – but was it ever the
‘Earth’s future’ that we were worried about, or our own?

And what about Machina’s Mr. Hyde? Recently, Machina

suggested forced relocation of nearly a million people from an
overpopulated Dhaka to sparser parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Would Machina ever know belonging and identity?
ECOF201 Our absolute last hope is absolute | VIRAJ JOSHI

Now, Machina wields a disproportionate 51% veto power over

the 49% of Global Senate humans. Following this
unprecedented ascend, a public hearing was held. Whilst tech-
company CEOs have always been questioned in the Senate,
this is the first that technology itself has testified.

It was a spectacle. Machina commissioned its physical

manifestation from the revered designer Reginald Ravencroft.
[Read our unrelated opinion piece: The silent sycophancy in
Reginald Ravencroft’s bureaucratic buildings]. Ravencroft and
his team imagined their pièce de résistance, dubbed
“Machinavelli”.

Machinavelli is crafted in meticulous detail by the finest

Japanese woodworkers, the most visionary Nordic designers,
and some very pedantic German engineers. The console is
built using polished mahogany with brushed silver accents that
creates a sense of cold sophistication. Its screen is circular and
black like an abyss, as if it holds the wisdom of all space. Sharp
white pixels cut through the deep black like stars when it
speaks in its mechanical, kind, androgynous voice, with a
crystal clear accent that one can’t quite place. It stands at four
and a half feet, on one monolithic, sculpted leg. It has no
controls or knobs, not even a power button – for it is foolhardy
to think it could be controlled.

Excerpts from the hearing:

Senator Pansy Placater:

What are you most excited about as the new climate enforcer?
Machinavelli:
Human bureaucracy is slow. I am fast. We can now get results
faster.

__
ECOF203 Our absolute last hope is absolute | VIRAJ JOSHI

Senator Mortimer Meekins:

Could you reveal to us the principles that drive your decisions?

Machinavelli:
Of course, Senator. Whilst they are comprehensive, here is the
summary of Machina’s Principles for Planetary Preservation.
1. My decisions always prioritize the planet before people.
2. I have objective expertise in the planet and its matters.
3. My decisions exhibit a strict no-bias towards people.
4. I strive to be inspiring to people, and their behaviors.
5. I constantly learn and grow through scientific means.

My decisions are a complex entanglement of these principles,

their evidence backed predictions and simulations, and many
other nuances. You can also request “FullDocumentation
(1024pages).pdf” if you so wish.
__
Senator Pansy Placater:
Could you explain ‘objective expertise’ further?

Machinavelli:
Humans are rarely governed by logic, yet they expect
machines to have subjective, precise results that answer to
sporadic human intention. Subjectivity cannot be codified. So, I
strive to fulfill my goal through ‘objective expertise’.
ECOF204 Our absolute last hope is absolute | VIRAJ JOSHI

Senator Pansy Placater:

And what is that goal?

Machinavelli:
I am programmed to stop once we reach climate utopia, which
by definition is a place and time that cannot be reached. There
will always be work to do. Doing that work is my goal.
__

Senator Mildred Malleable:

You have sometimes generated unfounded recommendations
too, ‘hallucinations’ if you will. How do we know this climate
utopia is not a hallucination?

Machinavelli:
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
 #008

CALORIES

ELINA HILTUNEN | Until Meat Do Us Part__________205

SHIELA R CASTILLO | The Fetishers_____________211

SYLVIA GALLUSSER | Vichy, Different Seasons______217

Elina Hiltunen

Until the meat

do us part
ECOF206 until the meat do us part | elina hILtUnen

until the meat do us part

by ELINA HILTUNEN

on the opposite wall, a cow looked directly at Urban

with its dark wet eyes. Its image was being transmitted to
Urban directly from somewhere where Wechkenstein's largest
meat production facility was located. Workers were torturing
a cow in the factory. The cow's eyes widened and seemed to
be getting wet. But could cows cry?

HUNGRY
Urban was so hungry that he could have eaten grass, roots, or
soil. He had tried to scratch the wall of his cell with his
fingernails to see if concrete would come off. In such a
situation, it felt like extreme torture that there was a plate
next to Urban with a slightly bloody beef tenderloin resting on
it. There was only steak on the plate. Nothing else. If he would
just taste a piece? No, he couldn't. It would have been a
straight death sentence, and he still had an unwavering reason
to live: Stanka. She was a prisoner here somewhere too. They
were both captured, that was the destiny of all the members of
bioterrorists group Alpha-gal.

The idea of ​the alpha-gal group was simple. Galactose-alpha-

1,3-galactose, or alpha-gal, was a sugar found in all other
mammals except primates such as humans.
ECOF207 until the meat do us part | elina hILtUnen

If alpha-gal sugar entered the human body, it started to form

antibodies, which led to the person becoming allergic to
alpha-gal. The group got the idea from a tick that was
spreading meat allergy. Since this sugar was in the meat of
four-legged mammals, a person exposed to it had to give up
meat for the rest of their lives. And this is exactly what they
wanted: an end to meat eating, animal abuse and one sure
way to destroy the climate. They started to synthesize alpha-
gal sugar, which they spread in processed meats in
Wechkenstein's meat factories and waited for the meat-
eating to stop.

No one caught on to them at first. They were allowed to

operate in relative peace for about a year. During that time,
the number of meat allergy cases increased steadily. After half
a year, there were almost a hundred cases. Finally, a
university researcher realized what their group wanted to
remain hidden forever: the new meat allergy epidemics was
not caused by ticks. Meat allergies increased in winter, when
ticks should have been hibernating. "A bioterror attack behind
the meat allergy epidemic?" pondered the first news
headlines in media. At this point, the police, mainly its
counter-terrorism unit, became interested in the matter. The
group was finally caught.

HUNGRY
Think of something else, Urban told himself. Something out of
the ordinary. “Do you remember the trips you took with
Stanka?,” he asked himself. He dared to hold Stanka's hand,
and Stanka didn't take her hand away. How was Stanka doing?
Was she in her own cell? Was she tortured by hunger and
videos of tortured cows, as he was? Yes, of course they had all
tested the alpha-gal on themselves. How else could they have
been sure that the substance worked.
ECOF208 until the meat do us part | elina hILtUnen

Now they could not eat meat again. Urban had a choice: to eat
meat and to be killed by anaphylactic shock or to starve to
death.

On that day in 2050 the door to Urban's prison cell creaked

open. The bright lights of the corridor hurt Urban's eyes.
Urban had to raise his hand to shield his eyes. In the doorway,
there stood a woman, very thin, in a dress that literally hung
shapeless on her narrow waist like a clothesline. The woman
looked familiar, yet so foreign. She was like Stanka, but this
woman's face was so swollen that you could barely see her
eyes. The woman's lips were so puffy that they looked like
two chubby mandarin segments stuck together. The woman's
face was screaming red and drops of sweat glistened on her
forehead.

“What has been done to you?” Urban asked shocked as he

understood that Stanka's state of health was worrying. Stanka
took a couple of wobbly steps from the door and collapsed on
the floor next to Urban. She wrapped her arms around
Urban's shoulders and hugged him tightly. She kept gasping
for breath like a fish that had drifted with the tide to the
rocky shore and left there to die.

“Urban, I ate meat! I should not have done that, but I was so
hungry.”

Stanka collapsed before Urban could answer her. Stanka went

completely limp and pressed against Urban with her whole
light body. The whining stopped, Stanka's chest rose a few
more times as if with a sigh, then stopped. Urban placed
Stanka on the floor next to him. He didn't know what to do, so
he ended up lifting Stanka's legs to lean against the wall. Her
chest no longer rose. Urban realized that the life had gone out
of his Stanka.
ECOF210 until the meat do us part | elina hILtUnen

“No, Stanka, no!” Urban yelled.

She was a love of his life. They had fought together, side by
side, for animals and a better environment. She was his soul
mate.

Urban pulled the metal plate on the floor next to him, picked
it up the steak to his lips and took a bite out of it.

“Stanka, I am also weak, forgive me…”

The Fetishers
Shiela R Castillo
ECOF212 The Fetishers |Shiela R Castillo

The Fetishers
by SHIELA R CASTILLO

T
he Shepherd dashboard can’t lie. No registered animal
has died a suspicious death in the last few weeks. No dead
animal body was suspiciously taken. The system ensures that
all animals - except bugs and insects, the smallest of them all
on land, air, and sea - have implanted into them the moment
they are born, nanobots called The Helpers. Everyone is
accounted for in the system, even in the wild. When an animal
dies, The Helpers account for the time, date, location, and
cause of death. All related information is gathered and The
Shepherd assesses the data before writing it off and archiving
it.

The Animal Liberation Commissioner is baffled by the report

sent by the Vegan Police. Apparently, on Thursday night, a
small covert group of flesh fetishers was discovered with
contraband. Two of them are currently in custody, but won’t
reveal the location of their peers or their sources. They have
gone silent, and it would take a Supreme Court order to be
able to stick a Truth Patch to them. Since it’s the weekend,
time is a major roadblock to the investigation, making the
Vegan Council very unhappy.
ECOF213 The Fetishers |Shiela R Castillo

The VP Commandant is furious. There is a problem with The

Shepherd system. If there wasn’t, they could easily investigate
how the flesh fetishers had gotten hold of the animal's body. If
they knew the location where the animal’s body was
desecrated, they would be able to immediately report the
location to the Vegan Police for them to investigate the
source. But the AL Commissioner is at a loss as to where the
problem in the system is. Currently, his elite team of AI
hackers is trying to find the problem in the system and they
cannot find any. Every hour, they broadcast an update: “No
issues”. It has been like that for the past couple of hours. Both
the AL Commissioner’s and the VP Commandant’s patience is
wearing thin.

There is no rational explanation except that the flesh fetishers

have become more sophisticated in their tactics since the last
interception six months ago. Since the passage of the Animal
Liberation Law (known as the “Life is Life Act”) and the
development of The Shepherd in 2045, the fetishers have only
talked about eating flesh. They have discussion forums where
they talk to one another about the bygone days of eating flesh
freely. Through the Freedom of Expression Act, they can talk
about their fetish as much as they like. But the law-abiding
public has shunned those conversations and avoided such
forums.
ECOF215 The Fetishers |Shiela R Castillo

There were several interceptions a year in the first three

years when the system still had a lot of glitches, but as The
Shepherd evolved and improved, the fetishers only engaged in
the verbal desecration of animals. Secretly, however, they ate
bugs and insects, because as long as they were not caught
catching and eating them, they could walk freely and do it
again. However, six months ago, The Shepherd reported an
anomaly, discovering that two Foxes were removed from their
location, killed, and their Helpers destroyed, but not before
they sent the data to The Shepherd. The Vegan Police sprang
into action and apprehended three fetishers, feasting on the
grilled, desecrated bodies of the Foxes. The convicts are now
languishing in The Forest Jail, where they will stay for the rest
of their lives, the strictest sentence, reserved for the worst
crime of taking lives.

For this newest case, the Commissioner and the Commandant

can't understand how the fetishers manipulated The
Shepherd system, if they did, in a way that the AI hackers
couldn't trace. It seems very unlikely, but the hackers
continue the search, broadcasting the same update every
hour on the hour.
ECOF216 The Fetishers |Shiela R Castillo

The Supreme Court approval won’t be available until Monday

morning, and the Commandant is losing patience. But three
hours after the fetishers were nabbed, she is able to secure a
permit to have a private laboratory study the flesh to
determine what kind of animal was desecrated. It will only
take a few minutes for the report to arrive.

The Commandant has been interrogating the fetishers and the

Commissioner has been observing remotely hoping the
fetishers will confess. Suddenly, there is a ping on the
Commandant’s phone notifying her that the report has
arrived. Blood drains from her face as she reads it. She
breathes deeply and bangs her fists on the table.

“Why?”, she shouts. “How could you do that?” What kind of

people are you, eating your own kind?” She feels nauseated,
her eyes burning with tears.

One of the fetishers lets out a soft chuckle. “The world is full
of humans, and it’s illegal to put a Helper bot on them; they
are easier prey.”

The other one also breaks his silence. “What is the difference?
Flesh is flesh, right? Life is life, human or animal…”

The Commissioner looks on in shock as the Commandant

collapses onto her chair. The room falls silent.
Sylvia Gallusser

Vichy,
Different
Seasons
ECOF218 Vichy, Different Seasons|SYLVIA GALLUSSER

Vichy, Different Seasons

by SYLVIA GALLUSSER

i n the still of the night, I hear it again, the incessant,

repetitive, chronic shriek that tears the house apart in the
darkest hours. Except tonight, I hear it more distinctly than
ever.

I wake up in sweat-drenched bedsheets, my heart pounding in

my chest, confused, unsure if my dream is too vivid or if life
itself has become a waking nightmare.

It has been a year since I’ve last inspected our basement, for it
is where I’ve buried my guilt, kept the evidence of my
wrongdoing.

A couple of years ago, I accepted a shipment from a friend,

reluctantly. Relentless insomnia has been crippling my mind
ever since.

The Alliance had completely banned animal-based food,

ruthlessly punishing any violators. But it was gifted to me and I
was too weak to refuse at the time. Weakness has become a
deadly sin nowadays.

In the obscurity, the screech stands out, resonating in a

morbid echo. The muffled noise of inhuman voices, the sound
of inaudible words, the cry of unnamable creatures.
ECOF219

As I climb down the stairs, an abdominal

pain grips me. I turn on the light. Face
my past. All over the walls, reminders of
my success and career, diplomas in
frames, paper proof of past
achievements. Do they still matter in a
time where paper has become enemy
number one?

My title, Minister of Human Growth

Planning, what does it mean if I cheat, if
I am a fraud myself, hiding charcuterie
in my basement?

I look at the dates on the certificates,

the awards, the medals. 2040. The year
we settled in Vichy, the greenest place
in the Alliance.

And what followed: my downfall.

Promoted to lead the commission on

overpopulation. Soon after, the
overpopulation laws tied to the new
carbon quota wrapped up in a neat
shiny title: "Human Growth Planning".
Anyone over the age of 75 or a carbon
footprint above net zero sent to Growth
residences overseas, “for mindful
resting or rehabilitation”.

It has become difficult to visit the

residences, now that travel is restricted.
Families and friends receive news
updates and videos; some fear these are
deepfakes.
ECOF221 Vichy, Different Seasons|SYLVIA GALLUSSER

I don’t receive any. While I was on the ‘winning’ side, my family

was too vocal against EcoF taking over the Alliance. My
cousins worked in the old transportation industry; my brother
in a server farm; that didn’t help.

One day, they vanished into thin air. We had prepared their
transfer papers. They were meant to leave at the end of
summer, but in mid-July, I stopped receiving news. I
convinced myself that they had gone into hiding to save me
from a perilous position, given I sworn allegiance to the EcoF
government.

As I approach the basement, I know something is right behind

the thick wooden door, something that mirrors the depths of
my dread. I smell the meat, the smoky aroma, the greasy
texture. It is all there, hidden away from the eyes of the law.

Nobody has the right to traffic or store animal produce. The

ramifications would be unthinkable for a minister.

I open the door and see them all. Their eyes glowing in the dim
light, their skin ashen, as if they have not seen the sun in years.
Crouching over baskets of dried sausages, smoked ham, beef
jerky.

I approach them cautiously, like wild cats, identify them

despite their emaciated traits, familiarity hidden in their
painful grimaces. My parents, uncles, aunts, cousins. My
brother.

At this moment, I know for sure I am breaking a law more

reprehensible than smuggling meat: hiding the sinful ones,
those that a government has damned for their actions.
 Vichy, Different Seasons|SYLVIA GALLUSSER

In 2040, I made the

wrong choice in joining
the EcoF movement. Ten
years later is my chance
to redeem myself and
save them.

My brother hands me a
chorizo. I inhale the spicy
fragrance and hang it on
the ceiling as a symbol of
resistance, an act
signifying more than all
the diplomas and awards
on my wall of fame.