Welcome back to the Miscellaneous Materials Reading Club!

If you're reading this, you know it's been a while since the last dispatch. Perhaps you thought this newsletter was defunct? Fear not! I'm thrilled to tell you that not only have I not stopped collecting interesting resources, but I've been expanding the system behind the scenes. This is now on Buttondown (for now, though I’m trying to figure out how to just self host and ping you all instead!), as TinyLetter got shutdown by Mailchimp over a year ago, I was able to move everything over… but then never really picked the newsletter back up — until today!

This dispatch, MM038, is the first of several collections I curated and prepared over the past few years, but which, for various reasons (including a busy interim chair stint (turned chair of multiple departments now) and an epic series of cross-country road trips!), never quite made it to your inbox. Think of these as “the lost tapes,” finally seeing the light of day. They offer a unique time capsules of my interests and research during a period when the world, and my own work, was constantly evolving.
So, consider this our Season 5 launch — starting by honoring the past, and looking forward to exciting new depths.

My intention moving forward is twofold:

1. “The MM Archives”

Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be systematically releasing these previously unsent collections (MM038-MM046). This will bring us up to date, giving these valuable resources the audience they deserve and clearing my own backlog! I never stopped collecting… just sending.

2. “MM: Curated Insights”

Alongside archival MM0XX releases, I'm excited to launch a complementary series of new, highly focused collections. These will dive deep into specific themes directly from my research, teaching, and professional practice — think circular design, the new design commons, the climate imperative, solarpunk futures, and more. This is where we'll explore new ideas, with more direct context and commentary.

Ready?

MM038: A Glimpse into the Archive (Collected Summer 2023)

Miscellaneous Materials, Season 5, Episode 1.

This particular collection was gathered over two years ago, in the summer of 2023. Looking back through these 22 items, it's clear my mind was exploring the intersections of technology, environmentalism, and the very nature of human creativity.

You'll find reflections on future devices (and the typography on John Lennon's "War is Over" shirt!), alongside insights into the 0km food movement and edible urban environments (perhaps connected to my own budding food forest project in the yard). There are philosophical takes on AI's unique intelligence and creative writing with AI assistants, coupled with critical examinations of pandemic pedagogy and the evolving role of the design studio. Of course, my ongoing fascinations with gravity batteries and the Climate Designers movement also feature prominently, interspersed with deep cuts like Percy Shelley's 1884 writings on vegetarianism.

It's a vibrant snapshot of the "miscellaneous materials" that capture my attention – hopefully, they'll capture yours too.

You can explore MM038 directly on Are.na

Current Daily Average CO2 PPM: 428.43 ppm

(As always, a stark reminder of the work ahead. Our goal remains: back to 350ppm, or ideally, pre-industrial levels.)

I'm incredibly excited to embark on this next chapter of Miscellaneous Materials with you. Your feedback has always been invaluable, and as we unfold this new two-track approach, I'd love to hear what you think, what you find useful, and what else you'd like to see.

My email (or phone) is always open for response and conversation.

Cheers,

Kristian Bjornard
+1 507 301 8402
bjornmeansbear@pm.me
www.bjornsongard.com
a.wjerk.shop

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