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To
be appropriate, technology must be connected to the place, resources, economics,
culture and impacts of its use – Development Center for Appropriate
Technology.
The
movement towards appropriate technology is a step towards producing more with
fewer resources, without harming the environment. It encourages the shift to
renewable energy sources, such as wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy
and others. The development of appropriate technology could lead to societies
concerned with recycling, conservation and the improvement of technologies that
neither pollute not deplete irreplaceable resources. The efforts to promote
appropriate technology in the developing world could be the solution to many of
the problems developing countries confront.
Although
the light bulb (incandescent lamp) was perfected by Thomas Edison in 1879,
electricity is still a novelty or luxury to many people today. Approximately one
billion people living on earth in the 21st century do not have access to
electricity. And almost three billion people depend on fuel sources such as
wood, dung and charcoal to meet their energy needs.
Appropriate
technology has brought solutions, and happiness, to many people in the
developing world. The importance of having technology that is ‘appropriate’
is that it makes use of the natural resources already available to the people of
the region.
IslamOnline.net’s
Health & Science Page is interested in having an active role in promoting
appropriate technology for the developing world. Writers from around the world
have written about innovative examples of appropriate technology carried out in
many countries. We have succeeded in bridging the gap between a Japanese
scientist and many NGOs and investors who were eager to consider
funding and testing his invention. The opportunity to repeat this experience
would be a small but important step towards building a more co-operative and
environmentally-aware society.
If
you are a scientist or a journalist who has innovative ideas on appropriate
technology and would like to try promoting these ideas contact the editor at ScienceTech@islam-online.net.
Plant
Your Vegetables…On Your Rooftops
Rooftops
of buildings are usually large areas overcrowded with junk and useless objects.
With a little effort and money, these rooftops can be transformed to
mini-gardens that produce vegetables and fruits, free from hormones and
pesticides.
Extracting
Water from the Sun!
Many
scientists find it is necessary for the developed world to help those less
fortunate in finding solutions to their problems; thus a Japanese scientist has
recently come up with a device that produces distilled water from seawater and
other natural water sources by using natural energy. This could be a solution
for countries that suffer from water shortages regularly.
Sri
Lanka’s Sun in a Box!
Dung,
crop residue, wood and charcoal are used for cooking in many developing
countries. These fuels generate a noxious mixture of particulate matter, carbon
monoxide and other gases that produce pollution levels that have alarming
effects on human health killing at least 1.6 million people a year worldwide.
Several efforts have been made to reduce these ill effects by introducing
alternatives to this form of cooking.
Solar
Energy Lights up Nepali Villages
Around
27,000 households in remote rural areas are currently receiving electricity,
watching television and listening to radio in Nepal, thanks to an initiative
taken by the Nepali government and donor agencies. Currently around 30 solar
electric and alternative energy companies and government agencies are working
together to bring light to many villages that are remarkably remote and hidden
under the massive shadow of the mighty Himalayas that give Nepal its name, the
Himalayan Kingdom.
Rural
Cuba Basks in the Sun
In
Cuba, it is no longer uncommon to pass a school or a doctor’s office in a
remote village that features one or two flat, square contraptions on the roof,
glittering and drinking in the bright sun. The struggle to electrify rural
communities in the face of a weak economy and the burgeoning price of petroleum
has inspired Cuba to develop an unusual resolution of implementing alternative
energy sources.
Blowing
Life into Rural Kenya
Jeff
Odera smiles contentedly as he gazes at his newly installed wind generator at
his home on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi. “I am pleased to
have access to a reliable personal power and I feel highly relieved from
worrying about costly electricity and kerosene bills,” he says.
Glowstar:
Taking the Sun with You
The
African sun is about to shine at midnight: the combined efforts of non-profit
organizations, investors, and technicians have culminated in the production of a
low-cost solar lantern, which would provide poor Africans with a glowing light
to dissipate the darkness of the night.
The
MoneyMaker Transforms the Lives of Kenyans
In
a village in Western Kenya, a farmer is poised atop his “MoneyMaker Plus”, a
manual irrigation pump made by a non-governmental organization called ApproTec,
(Appropriate Technology for Enterprise Creation), based in the capital city,
Nairobi.
Comfortable
Kenyan Footwear Made of…Used Tires!
Two
American students based in Kenya conceptualized and put in place a unique
project for recycling waste tires in the sprawling Korogocho slum of Kenya’s
capital city, Nairobi. The project
endeavored to protect the environment while creating jobs for residents of the
deprived shantytown, whose name means a place without hope in the local dialect.
Akala Designs uses discarded tires from a huge dumpsite adjacent to the slum.
Zimbabwean
Farmers Bag the Clouds
A
water harvesting method currently being applied in rural Zimbabwe’s naturally
dry Masvingo Province, south of the country, has seen small-scale commercial
farmers able to enjoy better harvests despite the persistent drought.
Self-Focusing
Glasses: New Hope for Developing World
A
revolutionary new type of glasses know as ‘adaptive glasses’ could be the
solution for millions of people suffering from poor vision due to refractive
errors in developing countries.
Need
to Cook? Forget Wood and Get Some Dung!
As
deforestation problems continue in Africa, African governments and
conservationists are challenged to promote appropriate and affordable
alternative technologies that help reduce deforestation.
Worms
Turn Trash to Cash
Scientifically
known as Eudrilus euginae, these African earthworms are the main
characters of vermicomposting in the Philippines. Vermicomposting is a form of
composting that utilizes earthworms to convert organic wastes like food waste,
plant material and animal manure into vermicompost.
Easy
to Carry, Easy to Bear
In
remote rural areas in Sri Lanka, local means of transporting produce to the
market, carrying water from sources far from home and taking children to school
are crude, unsafe and unreliable. Technologies in some areas are slowly becoming
appropriate. But in rural transport, the poor continue to be the beasts of
burden, and women, the traditional fetchers and carriers.
Finding
a Home Amongst the Rubble
of Beaurocracy
Traditionally,
the Afghan home was and still is what is referred to in modern architecture as
‘earthen’ or ‘ceramic’; essentially mud-brick, adobe homes. These homes
are very common in regions of extreme weather conditions. Well-designed and
built, these homes can last hundreds of years even in the midst of earthquakes.
Collecting
Heaven's Waters for the Philippines
Rainwater
harvesting seems nothing to many Filipinos. However, those who advocate its
practice say it could address the shortage of water supply now haunting millions
of people in this Southeast Asian archipelago.
Philippine
Town Learns from Country’s Trash Tragedy
A
tragedy in the Philippines compelled the national government to look into the
garbage problem. The worst garbage-related tragedy that hit this Southeast Asian
country paved the way for the passage of a law on solid waste management.
‘Relieve
Yourself’ the Sulabh Way
The
lack of access to toilets is not only a problem of keeping clean, it is also the
leading cause of death in the developing world: the most widespread diseases in
developing countries are transmitted by human feces. The Sulabh Movement was
born out of concern for sanitation, ecology and scavengers. Since then, Sulabh
has provided two-pit pour flush, water seal toilet systems to more than six
million households and 5,500 community centers. Over 10 million people in India
use a Sulabh toilet every day.
Beauty
with a Purpose
Tanks
are part of India’s highly evolved ancient irrigation systems. In areas where
the rivers were not snow-fed and therefore not perennial, and this was
particularly true of the lower peninsular regions, different kinds of tanks
served multiple purposes - aesthetic, spiritual and practical.
Flash
Presentations
The
Energy of the Future
E-Groups
ConserveAfrica:
The Conserve Africa Group
The
Conserve Africa Group is an interactive forum for discussion, collaboration and
networking devoted for exchange of information, ideas and experiences on
sustainable development and conservation in Africa.
AlternatePower
This
list is for all those interested in alternative energy including solar power,
wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, hydroelectricity, electromagnetics,
geothermal, and any other renewable non-polluting form of energy for homes,
cars, businesses, toys, whatever! All subjects welcome from need help, how-to,
support, and bragging rights!!
MuslimsForDevelopment
A
group for Muslims to discuss development issues in Islamic as well as
non-Islamic countries, in the firm belief that we must be active members in the
communities in which we live.
Appropriate
Community: appcom
We
are starting a community for the research and development of appropriate
technology in the areas of transportation, farming, agriculture, energy, and
self sufficiency. We will be working on clean water, organic food, sustainable
energy and other aspects of life.
Bioregionalism
This
list serves those who wish to discuss the philosophies of bioregionalism,
grassroots democracy, carrying capacity, appropriate technology, and related
issues.
EarthFarm:
Appropriate Technology for Rural Farmers
Appropriate
Technology for Rural Villages in Developing Nations:
-Sustainable Agriculture
-Applied Biodiversity
-Energy/Water Technology
-Preventative Health Care
-Whole Systems
EarthTech:
Earth Friendly Technology
Here’s
a place to discuss practical, real-world ideas dealing with ways to manifest
Earth-friendly technologies. This includes alternative energy including solar
power, wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, hydroelectricity, electromagnetics,
geothermal, and any other renewable non-polluting form of energy, as well as
conservation, transportation, manufacturing, recycling and all human activities.
Whether you need help, have an idea, want support or just want to throw it
against the wall, this is the place!
Mustech
This
is a list for Muslims interested in development of science and technology in
Islamic world.
TechForGood
These
group members are interested in helping non-profits and communities by applying
Appropriate Information & Communication Technologies (ICT). Our name refers
to our mission -- Technology Serving the Social Good.
Related
Web Sites:
Development
Center for Appropriate Technology
National
Center for Appropriate Technology
Engineers
Without Borders-International
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