10 Cases of Appropriate Technology
Technology The goal of Appropriate Technology (AT) is to increase the standard of living for the developing world without condescension, complication, or environmental damage. Typical AT inventions are more labor intensive, require fewer resources, and use low cost or readily available materials wherever possible. Special attention is paid to the social, cultural, and ethical aspects of the communities the technology is intended for. Submitted for your approval are 10 inventions using these principles, and they are every bit as ingenious as anything coming out of Silicon Valley. The developing world may be falling behind when competing for resources, but it hasn’t even started regarding technology. Solar Powered Lightbulb Though we can’t really fathom it, much of the world is still prisoner to darkness. Concrete Canvas Shelters Prior to Jock Brandis’ Universal Nut Sheller, growing and harvesting peanuts in Africa was a time-and-labor intensive affair relegated to women and children.
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Human-Centered Design Toolkit
For years, businesses have used human-centered design to develop innovative solutions. Why not apply the same approach to overcome challenges in the nonprofit world? This project, funded by International Development Enterprise (IDE) as part of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sought to provide NGOs and social enterprises with the tools to do just that. The HCD Toolkit was designed specifically for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The HCD toolkit has been used by organizations throughout the developing world, including Acumen Fund, AyurVAID, Heifer International, ICRW, IDE, Micro Drip, and VisionSpring. “Many thanks to IDEO for their Human-Centered Design Toolkit, which served as a guide for our work.” “An impressive study intended to create a common language around designing for social impact.
This Biodegradable Paper Donut Could Let Us Reforest The Planet | Co.Exist | ideas + impact
Environmental degradation is one of the "greatest environmental challenges of our time," according to the United Nations. Often caused by human industry and agriculture, environmental degradation is when lush land turns to desert. A total of 2 billion hectares of the earth's land is degraded, which is an area larger than all of South America. The most straightforward solution to degraded land is reforestation, but when soil is dry and crusty, the survival rate for seedlings is dismal. The results are pretty incredible, and it couldn’t be any easier to use. "It is simple, but a lot of R&D went into it," Land Life’s head of marketing and communications, Charlotte Jongejan, tells Co.Exist. When using the Cocoon, the first step is to dig a shallow pit. In arid areas, the survival rate for Cocoon-planted seedlings ranges from 80% and 95%, which is better than the 10% rate typical for manually planted seedlings. And later this year, Land Life will begin to produce Cocoons on location.
