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Sharing knowledge to build rich, sustainable lives.

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Appropedia is for collaborative solutions in sustainability, appropriate technology and poverty reduction. You are welcome to add to and edit Appropedia - your site to find, co-create and improve the solutions we need. Our vision and mission. Contributors have made 277,184 edits and uploaded 21,577 files. Browse our categories or all 6,082 articles.

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As part of a 3-D printing class, graduate students will be designing printable open-source appropriate technology for sustainable development. If you want a technology designed to be 3-D printed, post your ideas here. Chosen designs will be made and open-sourced for the global community. Deadline Nov. 13, 2014

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Washing and drying clothes. Washing and drying clothing are common activities that can use a lot of energy - if we aren't careful. But there are a lot of things, most importantly washing in cold water and line drying, which are not only greener, but will make your clothes last longer (as long as you don't leave them outside too long, to fade).

Why does it matter? - Energy usage: We need to use less energy with efficient washers and cold water (unless there is abundant solar hot water), and use renewable energy where possible.

Water usage: The more water we use, the harder it is to process the waste water, and the more strain we place on the water supply.

Water pollution: Minimize the use of detergent. Consider these words about the chemicals you use. Once people appreciate that they make other things dirty when they make their clothes clean, they think differently about what they're doing.

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Turning corn cob agricultural waste into a cooking fuel that combats deforestation and indoor air pollution.

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edit  watch   Visit the Greywater Portal Greywater, sometimes also spelled as graywater, grey water or gray water, is all of the effluent water from a household, such as water discharged from lavatories (bathroom sinks), bathtubs, showers, clothes washers, and laundry trays. Greywater is not wastewater from a sink used for food preparation, or water closet (toilet) wastewater. The water leaving our homes carries nutrients and value. It may also contain pathogens, and/or harsh chemicals and care should be taken with it. However, it is not a great risk compared to blackwater (sewage). Redirecting the water we use for tasks such as showering allows us to reclaim some of that value to grow plants and recharge the water table. It may be necessary to choose our soaps and detergents more carefully, if we use the greywater for watering and fertilizing plants.

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Engr305 Appropriate Technology Projects: Below are selected service learning projects from Engr305 Appropriate Technology, which is a course on appropriate technology at Humboldt State University taught by instructor Lonny Grafman.

CCAT Clay-straw slip wall Clay-straw slip wall of CCAT's Greenshed   CCAT clothes drying Efficient clothes drying system for CCAT   CCAT Cold Box An energy efficient solution to a refrigerator   CCAT Compost System CCAT's comprehensive composting system   CCAT greenhouse natural wall An aesthetically pleasing natural earthen wall built by clay and straw slip methods   CCAT greenshed cob wall Cob wall of CCAT's Greenshed   CCAT greenshed north wall Cordwood and mortar wall of CCAT's Greenshed   CCAT greenshed west wall Clay-straw slip wall of CCAT's Greenshed   CCAT greywater marsh (2008) CCAT's Greywater Marsh 2008   CCAT greywater marsh (current) CCAT Greywater Marsh Continued   CCAT interpretive wind turbine display Demonstration wind turbine   CCAT's living roof Replacing CCAT's living roof   CCAT MEOW 2012 Refurbishment of CCAT's Mobile Energy Operation Wagon   CCAT natural concrete stain Natural concrete stain   CCAT natural paint project Interior paints from natural ingredients   CCAT natural wall construction Earthen informational kiosk for CCAT   CCAT pedal powered grain mill Pedal powered grain mill for CCAT   CCAT pedal powered TV Updated version of CCAT pedal powered bicycle   CCAT rainwater catchment system CCAT's current rainwater catchment system   CCAT Raised Garden Beds Controlled beds of soil above toxic ground   CCAT remediation zone A stable slope for planting and attracting beneficial insects   CCAT Retaining Wall Retaining wall for slope erosion at CCAT   CCAT rocket stove CCAT's improved fuel rocket stove   CCAT small rainwater catchment Rainwater catchment for CCAT's cob bench roof   CCAT's Vermicomposting Bin CCAT's vermicomposting bin

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Hot topics / In the news

• FREE Chaps of Open-Source Lab: How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research Costs
• Recycle waste plastic into valuable products at home
• Students Build a School from Waste Products in the Dominican Republic
• Salt: Clears Muddy Water for Solar Water Disinfection
• Open access to The Case for Open Source Appropriate Technology
• Occupy Sustainability

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New pages being developed: Oklahoma Alabama Fire Safety Storage Photovoltaic-Trigeneration Optimization Model Simulations of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions from Low-Cost Hybrid Solar Photovoltaic and Cogeneration Systems for New Communities Delta Build Workshop Một vài kỹ thuật bắt mắt trong Chiến binh Ngân Hà Mississippi Heat exchangers Towards Low-Cost Microchannel Heat Exchangers: Vehicle Heat Recovery Ventilator Prototype Note: Appropedia's newest pages may not yet comply with our policies. Page titles in italics are "redirects," often created when moving a page.	Create a new page: Animals Organic waste Nutrition Ecosystem Human development Clay Environmental science Appropriate energy overview Building management systems Open sustainability These red links are invitations for you to contribute your knowledge. Or create a page on the topic of your choice.
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StevendPadilla.jpg Sdp20 07:14, 29 July 2014 8 KB Project image.jpg Sdp20 02:10, 29 July 2014 85 KB Parched ground - Flick... Philralph 01:10, 29 July 2014 66 KB Austin Chester.JPG Austin123 19:56, 28 July 2014 347 KB Cabinet with desiccant... KVDP 05:56, 28 July 2014 35 KB Note: Appropedia's newest files may not yet comply with our policies.

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