General
There are thousands of resources on the web detailing ‘how to’ build using an appropriate technology approach. These are some of the best we know of, but far from the only quality sites.
Appropriate tech resources
https://www.appropedia.org/Appropriate_Technology
https://www.engineeringforchange.org/news/the-roots-and-implications-of-appropriate-technology/
https://www.opensourceecology.org/gvcs/
https://www.lowtechmagazine.com/
https://bookshop.org/a/23263/9780123351852
Lo-TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge)
This is one of the most exciting movements happening today because it’s being taken seriously by many in the mainstream. It focuses on indigenous know-how and technology that is carbon neutral or negative, many concepts of which can be scaled up and already have been or are, in the present.
https://bookshop.org/a/23263/9783836578189
https://www.dezeen.com/2020/02/11/lo-tek-design-radical-indigenism-julia-watson-indigenous-technologies/
Maker network
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maker_Faire
https://makezine.com/
Energy
Solar
Solar cooking
https://makezine.com/2009/04/17/cardboard-box-wins-uk-green-contest/
Purchased solar ovens usually work better than those made from cardboard. There are a few models that come more recommended than others. We’ve used the SunOven which is bulky, but retains heat well and food is slow cooked delicious.We’ve used GoSun which cooks much faster than most, keeps the moisture in so the food tastes great, is portable, but is glass (ours broke when cleaning it).We’ve used devices similar to Haines, which has gotten very good reviews. It doesn’t enclose the food but concentrates the heat. Our version worked well but needed more monitoring. Haines is better designed than ours.
We’ve never used the inexpensive portable ones but they do get good reviews. https://ecavo.com/best-solar-ovens/
Rocket stoves
Dozens of ways to build and use these.
A comprehensive builder’s guide: https://bookshop.org/a/23263/9780865718234
Refrigeration
https://www.treehugger.com/fifty-buck-fridge-keeps-your-food-cool-without-electricity-4858457
Biogas
Jean Pain video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHRvwNJRNag
Biogas company https://www.homebiogas.com/
Wind
An inspiring story of a boy who created wind mills to pump water in his village, saving the lives of villagers, by using old bicycles and whatever else was lying around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPkr9HmglG0
Wind technology is rapidly advancing. We haven’t tried any of the newer devices but are excited about the possibilities of creating wind energy with non-blade devices like this one, which captures energy from wind vortices like the Von Karmen trail (a pattern we covered in the Pattern Language section).
https://energialimpiaparatodos.com/2018/11/15/destaca-eolica-vortex-tecnologia-espana/
Water
Filtration
https://www.tsijournals.com/articles/a-case-study-on-low-cost-water-treatment-using-moringa-oleifera-drum-stick.pdf
https://www.sodis.ch/index_EN.html
(Low tech water filtration is a vast topic and there are hundreds of websites covering it)
Greywater
http://oasisdesign.net/
https://bookshop.org/a/23263/9780964343337
Graywater manual for irrigationhttps://sfwater.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=55&fbclid=IwAR0lAqJtiFhsYNNjfsE19c2JXoPIN2_ctrp2skwSIqQJk1GMz4V_pFCOuFQ
Rainwater catchment
https://www.watercache.com/education/rainwater-harvesting-101
https://www.harvestingrainwater.com/
https://bookshop.org/a/23263/9780977246458
Ferrocement tanks
https://www.permaculturenews.org/2017/06/08/ferro-cement-water-tanks-affordable-diy-solution/?fbclid=IwAR0x9hFPJUQSzfbjCLtzSxJXbsdwECeTJ-R67vOzXM7irh7oEweWWVbDOcU