APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
("AT")
RESOURCE DIRECTORY

(COVERING LOW-TECH, OFF-GRID,
ALTERNATIVE/RENEWABLE ENERGY,
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY)
-
PRIMARY RESOURCES
-

Compiled by Cliff Thompson,
Member, Friends of African Outlet

VISION

OVERALL PERSONAL AND VILLAGE LIFE ENHANCEMENT

Resource: "Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World"

A primary source of inspiration, and a solid basis upon which to model efforts toward enhancing the life of indigenous people and the village, is documented in the book "Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World". The reasons are provided on the book's back cover, to wit:  "In 1971, a group of Colombian visionaries and technicians decided to prove they could thrive in one of the most brutal environments imaginable: their country's barren, rain-leached eastern savannas. Despite the constant threat of Colombia's political turbulence, this is now the setting for one of the most hopeful environmental success stories ever told. For more than three decades the scientists, artisans, peasants, ex-street kids, and Guahibo Indians living in a village called Gaviotas have elevated phrases like sustainable development and appropriate technology from cliché to reality. Sixteen hours from the nearest major city, they invented wind turbines that convert mild tropical breezes into energy, solar collectors that work in the rain, soil-free systems to raise edible and medicinal crops, and ultra-efficient pumps to tap deep aquifers-pumps so easy to operate, they're hooked up to children's seesaws. The United Nations named the village a model for the developing world…Others call it a utopia...In the shelter of millions of Caribbean pines, which the Gaviotans planted as a renewable crop, an unexpected marvel has occurred: the regeneration of an ancient native rain forest...'If we can do this in Colombia, there's hope that people can do it anywhere'" (Paolo Lugari, founder of Gaviotas).

Gaviotas
Update

 Book:

Real Goods
Amazon

EVENTS

"AT" EXPO'S

Resource: SolFest

As noted on the Solar Living Institute About page SolFest section, "An annual weekend educational celebration, SolFest has hosted over 35,000 people and featured such inspirational speakers as Ralph Nader, Dr. Helen Caldicott, Amory Lovins, and Winona La Duke. Numerous workshops, outstanding entertainment, electric vehicles and the latest in renewable energy and sustainable living technologies have all helped to make SolFest Northern California's premier environmental festival."

Solar Living Institute, About

SolFest

SolFest Report (by Friends of African Outlet Webmaster Cliff Thompson)

COMPANIES

GENERAL "AT" RESOURCES

Resource: Whole Earth Catalog

In America, during the revolutionary cultural environment of the 1960's, a massive "back to the land'' movement forced Americans to build new villages ("Communes"), adjust to new World-views and philosophies of living in an ecologically and culturally interdependent world, and adopt new lifestyles that relied heavily on then-currently-available local "AT". The first directory to bring all these concerns under one roof was Stewart Brands "Whole Earth Catalog" company, with storefront in Berkeley, California. Though the last edition of the catalog was published in 1995, the catalog is still available. The range of its contents still serve as an effective overall Blueprint relevant to the needs of indigenous people evolving villages into more sustainable communities in developing nations today.

Whole Earth Catalog (Amazon):

Original Whole Earth Catalog, Special 30th Anniversary Issue
The Next Whole Earth Catalog (Access To Tools) 2000
The Millennium Whole Earth Catalog

Whole Earth Magazine
About

Resource: Real Goods Company

Members of the original Whole Earth Company moved on to form the core of the Real Goods Company. The new company is headquartered in Hopland California, maintains a number of unique spin-off divisions and offers a greatly expanded selection of "AT".  Following below is additional information from an earlier email about the company:

"
The store also hosts their non-profit spin-off called 'Solar Living Institute', where many of the technologies are 'up-and-running' and on display. The Institute offers many on-going workshops on how to implement the various Sustainable Living and Renewable Energy Technologies, all of which have a very familiar 'Peace Corps-like flavor'.  The workshops cost a fee, but are very comprehensive (some several days long) and provide a lot for the cost.  In fact there is a lucrative construction/engineering business for anyone taking the workshops, then delivering consulting and implementing solutions to developing countries and villages worldwide that could benefit by these technologies.

The Real Goods Company/Solar Living Institute, to bring it all together, has an annual weekend Festival called 'Solfest' at the Hopland location, where they bring out, set-up and demonstrate all the technologies - this years event, SolFest 2003, is slated for August 23rd and 24th.  They also do all the workshops mentioned above; the Solfest workshops are no fee, ALL FREE.  The Solfest typically includes speakers, entertainment, educational workshops, exhibitor booths with renewable energy and earth-friendly products, along with an electric vehicle parade. The Festival is also a lot of fun, kind of like a 'day on the green' outdoor party, with lots of music bands and a Sunday Brunch Concert.

The Real Goods Company has also 'reincarnated' the original Whole Earth Catalog mentioned above, which they publish as a catalog (updated every year) called the 'Real Goods Solar Living Source Book: The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living (Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook, 11th Ed)'. The catalog can be ordered from The Real Goods Company, Amazon books or can be picked up in person at San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square, from the bookstore there called "Builders Booksource" (900 North Point Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 440-5773). This bookstore has a whole freestanding rack of shelves of books on Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living topics.

The Real Goods Company website also has an on-line version of their catalog, in 2 forms, (1) a 'Yahoo-like' directory called 'Solar and Eco Information', and  (2) an 'index-like' directory called 'Renewable Energy Catalog', which can be reached by clicking on buttons with the same names at the top of the homepage.

The Real Goods Company also offers a 'Design and Consulting Group' service (whose rates at last check were around $35/hr.). The group offers a robust 'Integrated Design Process' methodology (similar to the way the Peace Corps scopes out a village's initial profile status to determine need).  This is often well worth the fee, for one can just bring them their problem and they can work out the most expert solution, rather than one having to figure it all out oneself with more limited expertise from a myriad of options. "

Resource: The Sustainable Village

The Sustainable Village, similar to Real Goods, promotes "Fostering Appropriate Technology, Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development in Communities Internationally", offers an online catalog of "Over 10,000 Items...The World's Largest Selection of Appropriate Technology and Renewable Energy Products" and provides an impressive range of resources and services, as noted on their About page:

"
The Sustainable Village is a "social enterprise", many of us volunteering. We donate/invest all profits for microfinance and microenterprise projects in developing countries. As a way of further helping the villagers and undermining the roots of poverty, we help import the products back. These are mainly fair-trade items, organic, and made with renewable energy - no or little pollution resulting in their creation.

We provide solutions to global problems using renewable energy and appropriate technology. We help projects in developing countries concerning energy generation, safe water, public health, long-distance communications, sustainable agriculture, and micro-enterprise employment. We provide the "hard technology" for these projects: design and engineering, equipment and parts supply, international delivery, training and installation. Additionally, we do print production, web site development and marketing consulting for sustainable development organizations.
"

"Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World" has chosen The Sustainable Village as a business partner to develop and offer to the world, the many unique Gaviotas "AT" solutions, as documented and pictured in the book, (see solutions list below in "Microenterprise Slide Show", last 6 slides).

The Sustainable Village
About
Products
Networking
Projects
Microenterprise
Microenterprise Slide Show    (Gaviotas "AT" last 6 slides) <<<
Services
Resources

SPECIFIC "AT" COLLECTIONS

Resource: "Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World"

Gaviotas "AT" includes "wind turbines that convert mild tropical breezes into energy, solar collectors that work in the rain, soil-free systems to raise edible and medicinal crops, and ultra-efficient pumps to tap deep aquifers-pumps so easy to operate, they're hooked up to children's seesaws". Gaviotas has chosen "The Sustainable Village" as a business partner to develop and offer to the world, the many unique Gaviotas "AT" solutions, as documented and pictured in the book, (see solution list below in "Microenterprise Slide Show", last 6 slides).

The Sustainable Village Microenterprise Slide Show Gaviotas "AT" solutions (last 6 slides)

Resource: BagelHole

BagelHole's Website describes itself as "The Center for information about low-tech sustainability for individuals and communities" and offers links to pages of "AT" solutions for food, water, housing, survival, sanitation, health, energy, transportation and communication. The San Francisco Bagelhole.org User's Group has monthly meetings in San Francisco. As recently noted on the website, San Francisco "Bagelhole.org User's Group will hold it's next meeting on the third Wednesday of this month; for more information get in touch with Tom."  BagelHole Founder Tom (Mofwoofoo) Osher describes bagelhole.org as…

"
…a not for profit project that came out of the y2k scare and the advent of the internet. It seemed clear to me that the best hedge against societal collapse would be low-tech, alternative, sustainability, glocally (local and global). Now that y2k has left us unscathed, we find ourselves still living in a very tenuous world, with terrorists, corrupt governments, global warming, hence wild weather, water shortages, pollution, the entire gamut. The progressive movements lack a proactive, grassroots focus/strategy. I suggest that building a low-tech, alternative, sustainable infrastructure should be that focus…

…Its even possible, that a paradigm shift could occur, where we would forego our current equation of exploitation, war, and pollution which has always existed wherever there is capitalism and sovereign entities such as governments, nations, dictatorships, etc., to a decentralized society based on love, respect, communion, and cooperation. Where, like certain villages in Africa, everyone is included and treated equally, a non-dysfunctional human family…

…By collecting and sharing low-tech, alternative, sustainable information we hope to help each other build a low-tech, alternative, sustainable infrastructure globally to prepare for the inevitable future collapse and to facilitate the transformation to a loving human family. We would like to live the vision that we hold…

…So far, much of the work that has been done on the website is through volunteers from the UN organization NetAid…
"

Bagelhole

Sample pages:

Energy
Water Mills of Nepal and More

Resource: The Epicenter

The Epicenter website describes itself as the "Emergency Preparedness Information Center" and offers a number of innovative "AT" solutions in the areas of Food, Water and Light/Power Related, including such as items as a "Lawn Mower Engine Powered Generator".

The Epicenter
Lawn Mower Engine Powered Generator (page down to where it reads "Vertical Shaft Generator Bracket Now build a generator from a common style lawn mower engine")

Resource: Sustainable Options for the Mountains Best Practices and Appropriate Technologies

Katmandu, Nepal's International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has a Work Programme, with a Sustainable Options, Sustainable Energy Technologies section, offering a number of pioneering solar, wind and hydraulic "AT" solutions for mountainous regions.

ICIMOD
Sustainable Energy Technologies
Sustainable Options for the Mountains Best Practices and Appropriate Technologies

Resource: Wired Magazine "Low Tech Triumphs"

Wired Magazine's article offers several creative "AT" designs including low-tech cooking, water and transportation technology solutions that are currently spreading to wide use in Africa, in Kenya and South Africa.

Wired Magazine "Low Tech Triumphs"

XAccess Xtrabike
Kenya Ceramic Jiko

THE RAINMAKER: HOW A LOW-COST, LIGHTWEIGHT PUMP IS CHANGING THE ECONOMY OF A NATION, Margonelli, Lisa, Wired, Vol. 10, No 4, April 2002, pp. 108-115…The "Supermoneymaker" is a basic pump that can raise water from a six-meter-deep well. It is powered by a person stepping on alternating pedals in an action much like climbing stairs. The $38 unit is changing business and lives in Kenya.

THE RAINMAKER

Imvubu Projects
Hippo Water Roller

Resource: Permaculture Training Centre, Uganda And Sustainable Agricultural Support for Orphans, Rwanda

The Permaculture Training Centre, Uganda And Sustainable Agricultural Support for Orphans, Rwanda is one of several projects from the Sixth International Permaculture Conference and Convergence Conference.  The project is described in the Proceedings Table Of Contents, Chapter Six - Projects Stream. Additional "AT" tools are described in Chapter Eight - Technology Stream, some examples of which are listed below:

Sixth International Permaculture Conference:

Conference Proceedings
Table Of Contents

Chapter Six - Projects Stream
The Permaculture Training Centre, Uganda And Sustainable Agricultural Support for Orphans, Rwanda

Chapter Eight - Technology Stream
Water Wheel Engineering
Biogas
Eco-Vehicle

Resource: Phil Rowe's Low-Tech Inventions

Phil's website presents a number of inventive low-tech "AT" creations, such as interlocking panel fastener clips.

Phil Rowe's Low-Tech Inventions
Panel Clips

ORGANIZATIONS

Resource: The Borneo Project

The Borneo Project website describes their efforts to both assist indigenous peoples implement "AT" as well as head-off significant ecological and cultural challenges presented by current governmental and business initiatives.  A unique approach to raising funds includes Web and Unites States-side sales of indigenous Arts and Crafts. Consequently, the Borneo Project has a lot to offer as a model to organizations seeking to assist indigenous peoples implement "AT" in developing countries as well as develop strategies for dealing with political counter-currents. The goals and challenges faced are described on the Borneo Project homepage and "Our Work" page, as excerpted below:

"
The indigenous tribes of Borneo have lived in harmony with their rainforests for thousands of years, but now both the people and the forests are in danger.

We work with a growing network of communities and non-profits assisting with craft sales, microhydro electrification, reforestation, mapping, eco-friendly income generation, reforestation, and…helping the outstanding efforts of Borneans helping themselves!

The Borneo Project was created in 1991 to assist Borneo's indigenous peoples in their struggle to regain control of their ancestral lands. Our many initiatives are all built on a common foundation of direct personal contact, local control, and long-term commitment.

Today, without regard to ancestral land tenure, logging companies and oil palm plantations are severely damaging these forests, in many cases irreparably. In an effort to save their culture, their means of existence and their way of life, Borneo's indigenous peoples have organized against this rampant destruction.
"

Borneo Project
Our Work

BOOKSTORES

Resource: Builders Booksource

Builders Booksource stores, in San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square and in Berkeley, have a whole free-standing rack of shelves of books on Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Living topics, (similar to the book section of the Real Goods store in Hopland, CA), including, for example, the "Real Goods Solar Living Source Book".  Also available is a fair amount of construction engineering software and a website you can search for books on "AT", using keywords like "sustainable", "renewable", "low-tech".

Builders Booksource (search on keywords like "sustainable", "renewable", "low-tech")
SF Store

DIRECTORIES

Resource: Google Directory of Sustainable Living

Google offers a robust collection of "AT" resources.

Google Directory of Sustainable Living

VENTURE PHILANTHROPY/NON PROFIT RESOURCES (FUNDING, GRANTS):

Resource: Venture Philanthropy

Venture Philanthropy, as noted on the Silicon Valley Center for Venture Philanthropy website "About" page, typically aims "to create an environment where community donors could collaborate and drive positive change in our communities. Using a venture capital model, investors base "social venture funding" on results-oriented business plans. Investors work directly with the CVP staff and nonprofit leaders to understand community and nonprofit issues, problem-solve, and structure their investments".

Venture Philanthropy stories
Hewlett-Packard Chronicle story ("HP Unveiling Plan for Creating Global Partnerships"):
Hewlett-Packard World e-Inclusion program
Silicon Valley Center for Venture Philanthropy
Google VP Directory
Yahoo VP Directory
Non Profit book: (Cliff gave to Horgan, covers Grant Proposal writing, etc)