Figure 0: Handwritten Note: ”To note from Braidotti: the negative framing of Anthropocene effects does not help us create agency or positive futures. What if, embracing the inevitable, we tried to make positive futures out of it?”

FABULATION

If the algae of the Porto Santo algae factory spilled into the oceans and infested them, how could we live with that? One of the researchers began to imagine the possible impacts of an algae spill from the local carbon-capturing algae project on the local ecosystem. Initially, this vision is quite bleak and pessimistic, depicting an algae spill from the CO2 algae-capturing experiment at the port that negatively affects local biodiversity. Inspired by a toolkit of fluorescent colors, one researcher began visually representing this imagined scenario. The spill could result in a luminescent green hue that inspires awe and wonder among locals and visitors alike. I then asked the co-author to continue developing this narrative.

Figure 1: Fabulations of a dog and fish friendship and the fluorescent beauty of the CO2 capturing algae spill, harnessed to make sustainable illumination of the island.

Figure 3: Handwritten text of the fabulation, loosely captured as: “The dog makes friends underwater, plays with, and brings food to the local Grey Triggerfish. The fish is friendly with the dog. The Grey Triggerfish bites humans but not dogs. Some algae spilled from the C02 experiment and turned a portion of the sea in front of the port fluorescent green. – This phenomenon attracts people, sailors, and aircraft that want to see the fluorescent spill at night.

The fluorescent algae becomes an unexpected energy source, which is then pumped back into the tubes to power the island. At night, the tubes glow brightly, creating a stunning display.

The grey triggerfish sometimes swim through the transparent pipes, getting to know the households, entertaining them, and even developing a sign language to communicate. One fish in particular visits a house where his dog friend lives, bringing joy to the dog's evenings.

The system also allows water from the ocean, along with living saltwater and algae, to flow into the houses. Occasionally, other animals swim through the pipes, fostering connections among neighbors.

Figure 4: The story of a friendship between a dog and fish and the positive harnessing of the CO2 algae capturing spill.

The image of bioluminescence harnessed to power the Island's human and non-human community is both beautiful and inspiring. One author leverages the generative power of this narrative to create additional stories and visual sketches as the effects of luminescent algae extend to the nearby small capital city of the Island. Pipes filled with fluorescent seawater, generated by the algae, transport glowing water from the port to the city. As a result, the city no longer needs electricity to light its streets and homes. Instead, transparent pipes containing marine creatures circulate in and out of the human habitat, fostering connections between terrestrial and marine species. They begin to notice and befriend one another, recognizing each other upon repeated encounters. The pipes return these species to the sea, enriched by their experiences with their terrestrial friends.

However, like all progress, accidents occur. Some pipes burst, and some species become trapped within their lengthy tubular pathways. These losses are acknowledged and honored, with decorations along the city walls commemorating the painful sacrifices while celebrating the life and kinship that unite the two worlds. Terrestrial species construct special spaces for marine creatures to interact freely with them—large rooms filled with seawater where both humans and their kin can coexist, thanks to specialized gear like wetsuits and breathing apparatuses. Unfortunately, accidents also happen in these shared spaces, and some terrestrial species lose their lives in their efforts to communicate, prolong their stay, and connect more deeply with their marine kin. Nonetheless, these shared environments pave the way for a joint civilization rooted in joyful curiosity and profound respect for one another.

Figure 5: The old main street of the capital city of the Island is lit up at night by the bioluminescent water carried through transparent pipes – marine species travel through the pipes.