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'''Appropriate technology''' is an ideological movement (and its manifestations) originally articulated as "intermediate technology" by the economist [[E. F. Schumacher|Dr. Ernst Friedrich "Fritz" Schumacher]] in his influential work, ''Small is Beautiful.'' Though the nuances of appropriate technology vary between fields and applications, it is generally recognized as encompassing technological choice and application that is small-scale, labor-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sound, and locally controlled.<ref name=BrownU>{{cite book|title=Appropriate Technology: Tools, Choices, and Implications|year=1999|publisher=Academic Press|location=New York|isbn=0-12-335190-1|pages=3|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/0123351901|author=Hazeltine, B.|coauthors=Bull, C.}}</ref> Both Schumacher and many modern-day proponents of appropriate technology also emphasize the technology as people-centered.<ref name=Akubue>{{cite journal|last=Akubue|first=Anthony|title=Appropriate Technology for Socioeconomic Development in Third World Countries|journal=The Journal of Technology Studies|year=2000|month=Winter/Spring|volume=26|issue=1|pages=33–43|url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JOTS/Winter-Spring-2000/akabue.html|accessdate=March 2011}}</ref>

Appropriate technology is most commonly discussed in its relationship to economic development and as an alternative to transfers of capital-intensive technology from industrialized nations to developing countries.<ref name=Akubue/><ref name=Todaro>{{cite book|title=Economic Development|year=2003|publisher=Addison Wesley|location=Boston|isbn=0-273-65549-3|pages=252–254|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/0201770512|author=Todaro, M.|coauthors=Smith, S.}}</ref> However, appropriate technology movements can be found in both developing and developed countries. In developed countries, the appropriate technology movement grew out of the energy crisis of the 1970s and focuses mainly on environmental and sustainability issues.<ref name=NCAT>{{cite web|last=The National Center for Appropriate Technology|title=The History of NCAT|url=http://www.ncat.org/about_history.php|accessdate=March 2011}}</ref>

Appropriate technology has been used to address issues in a wide range of fields. Well-known examples of appropriate technology applications include: bike- and hand-powered water pumps (and other [[self-powered equipment]]), the [[Universal Nut Sheller|universal nut sheller]], self-contained solar-powered light bulbs and streetlights, and [[passive solar building design]]s. Today appropriate technology is often developed using [[open source]] principles, which have led to [[open-source appropriate technology]] (OSAT) and thus many of the plans of the technology can be freely found on the [[Internet]].<ref>A. J. Buitenhuis, I. Zelenika and J. M. Pearce, “Open Design-Based Strategies to Enhance Appropriate Technology Development”, ''Proceedings of the 14th Annual National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Conference : Open'', March 25–27th 2010, pp. 1–12.[http://nciia.org/sites/default/files/pearce.pdf pdf]</ref>

==Background==
===History===
====Predecessors====
Indian ideological leader [[Gandhi|Mahatma Gandhi]] is often cited as the "father" of the appropriate technology movement. Though the concept had not been given a name, Gandhi advocated for small, local and predominantly village-based technology to help India's villages become self reliant. He disagreed with the idea of technology that benefited a minority of people at the expense of the majority or that put people out of work to increase profit.<ref name=Akubue /> In 1925 Gandhi founded the All-India Spinners Association and in 1935 he retired from politics to form the All-India Village Industries Association. Both organizations focused on village-based technology similar to the future appropriate technology movement.<ref name=mkgandhi>{{cite web|last=Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal/Gandhi Book Centre and Gandhi Research Foundation|title=Complete Information on Gandhi: Timeline|url=http://www.mkgandhi.org/chrono/under3.htm|accessdate=23 April 2011}}</ref>

China also implemented policies similar to appropriate technology during the reign of [[Mao Zedong]] and the following [[Cultural Revolution]]. During the Cultural Revolution, development policies based on the idea of "walking on two legs" advocated the development of both large-scale factories and small-scale village industries.<ref name=Akubue />

====E. F. Schumacher====
Despite these early examples, [[E. F. Schumacher|Dr. Ernst Friedrich "Fritz" Schumacher]] is credited as the founder of the appropriate technology movement. A well-known economist, Schumacher worked for the British National Coal Board for more than 20 years, where he blamed the size of the industry's operations for its uncaring response to the harm [[Black lung disease|black-lung disease]] inflicted on the miners.<ref name=Akubue /> However it was his work with developing countries, such as [[India]] and [[Burma]], that helped Schumacher form the underlying principles of appropriate technology.

Schumacher first articulated the idea of "intermediate technology," now known as appropriate technology, in a 1962 report to the Indian Planning Commission in which he described India as long in labor and short in capital, calling for an "intermediate industrial technology"<ref name=mcrobie>{{cite book|last=McRobie|first=George|title=Small Is Possible|year=1981|publisher=Harper & Row|location=New York|isbn=0-06-013041-5|pages=19}}</ref> that harnessed India's labor surplus. Schumacher had been developing the idea of intermediate technology for several years prior to the Planning Commission report. In 1955, following a stint as an economic advisor to the government of Burma, he published the short paper "Economics in a Buddhist Country," his first known critique of the effects of Western economics on developing countries.<ref name=mcrobie /> In addition to Buddhism, Schumacher also credited his ideas to Gandhi.

Initially, Schumacher's ideas were rejected by both the Indian government and leading development economists. Spurred to action over concern the idea of intermediate technology would languish, Schumacher, George McRobie, [[Mansur Hoda]]<ref name=Guardian>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/mar/05/guardianobituaries2], [[The Guardian]] obituary, 5 March 2001.</ref> and Julia Porter brought together a group of approximately 20 people to form the [[Intermediate Technology Development Group]] (ITDG) in May 1965. Later that year, a Schumacher article published in the [[Observer newspaper|Observer]] garnered significant attention and support for the group. In 1967, the group published the ''Tools for Progress: A Guide to Small-scale Equipment for Rural Development'' and sold 7,000 copies. ITDG also formed panels of experts and practitioners around specific technological needs (such as building construction, energy and water) to develop intermediate technologies to address those needs.<ref name=mcrobie /> At a conference hosted by the ITDG in 1968 the term "intermediate technology" was discarded in favor of the term "appropriate technology" used today. Intermediate technology had been criticized as suggesting the technology was inferior to advanced (or high) technology and not including the social and political factors included in the concept put forth by the proponents.<ref name=Akubue /> In 1973, Schumacher described the concept of appropriate technology to a mass audience in his influential work, ''Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered.''

====Growing trend====
[[Image:RachelAndMachine.jpg|thumb|The [[Universal Nut Sheller]] in use in Uganda, an example of appropriate technology]]
Between 1966 and 1975 the number of new appropriate technology organizations founded each year was three times higher than the previous nine years. There was also an increase in organizations focusing on applying appropriate technology to the problems of industrialized nations, particularly issues related to energy and the environment.<ref name=OECD>{{cite book|title=The World of Appropriate Technology|year=1983|publisher=Development Center of the OECD|location=Paris|author=Jequier, N.|coauthors=Blanc, G.|page=9}}</ref> In 1977, the OECD identified in its ''Appropriate Technology Directory'' 680 organizations involved in the development and promotion of appropriate technology. By 1980, this number had grown to more than 1,000. International agencies and government departments were also emerging as major innovators in appropriate technology, indicating its progression from a small movement fighting against the established norms to a legitimate technological choice supported by the establishment. For example, the [[Inter-American Development Bank]] created a Committee for the Application of Intermediate Technology in 1976 and the [[World Health Organization]] established the Appropriate Technology for Health Program in 1977.<ref name=OECD />

Appropriate technology was also increasingly applied in developed countries. For example, the energy crisis of the mid-1970s led to the creation of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in 1977 with an initial appropriation of $3 million from the U.S. Congress. The Center sponsored appropriate technology demonstrations to "help low-income communities find better ways to do things that will improve the quality of life, and that will be doable with the skills and resources at hand." However, by 1981 the NCAT's funding agency, Community Services Administration, had been abolished. For several decades NCAT worked with the US departments of Energy and Agriculture on contract to develop appropriate technology programs. Since 2005, NCAT's informational web site is no longer funded by the US government.<ref name=ncathistory>{{cite web|last=National Center for Appropriate Technology|title=The History of NCAT|url=http://www.ncat.org/about_history.php|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref>

====Decline====
In more recent years, the appropriate technology movement has continued to decline in prominence. Germany's German Appropriate Technology Exchange (GATE) and Holland's Technology Transfer for Development (TOOL) are examples of organizations no longer in operation. Recently, a study looked at the continued barriers to AT deployment despite the relatively low cost of transferring information in the internet age. The barriers have been identified as: i) AT seen as inferior or “poor person's” technology, ii) technical transferability and robustness of AT, iii) insufficient funding, iv) weak institutional support, and v) the challenges of distance and time in tackling rural poverty.  <ref>I. Zelenika  and J.M. Pearce, “Barriers to Appropriate Technology Growth in Sustainable Development”, ''Journal of Sustainable Development'' '''4'''(6), 12–22 (2011). [http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/12176/9085 free open access].</ref> 

A more [[free market]]-centric view has also begun to dominate the field. For example, [[Paul Polak]], founder of [[International Development Enterprises]] (an organization that designs and manufactures products that follow the ideals of appropriate technology), declared appropriate technology dead in a 2010 blog post.<ref name=polak>{{cite web|last=Polak|first=Paul|title=THE DEATH OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY I : IF YOU CAN’T SELL IT DON’T DO IT|url=http://blog.paulpolak.com/?p=376|work=Out of Poverty|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref>

Polak argues the "design for the other 90 percent" movement has replaced appropriate technology. Growing out of the appropriate technology movement, designing for the other 90 percent advocates the creation of low-cost solutions for the 5.8 billion of the world's 6.8 billion population "who have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted."<ref name=cooperhewittabout>{{cite web|last=Cooper–Hewitt Museum|title=Design for the other 90%|url=http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/about/|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref>

Many of the ideas integral to appropriate technology can now be found in the increasingly popular "[[sustainable development]]" movement, which among many tenets advocates technological choice that meets human needs while preserving the environment for future generations.<ref name=worldbank1>{{cite web|last=World Bank|title=What is Sustainable Development?|url=http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/english/sd.html|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref> In 1983, the OECD published the results of an extensive survey of appropriate technology organizations titled, ''The World of Appropriate Technology,'' in which it defined appropriate technology as characterized by "low investment cost per work-place, low capital investment per unit of output, organizational simplicity, high adaptability to a particular social or cultural environment, sparing use of natural resources, low cost of final product or high potential for employment."<ref name=OECD /> Today, the OECD web site redirects from the "Glossary of Statistical Terms" entry on "appropriate technology" to "environmentally sound technologies."<ref name=OECD2>{{cite web|last=OECD|title=Appropriate Technology|url=http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=122|work=Glossary of Statistical Terms|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref> The United Nations' "Index to Economic and Social Development" also redirects from the "appropriate technology" entry to "sustainable development."<ref name=UNdefinition>{{cite web|last=United Nations|title=Appropriate Technology|url=http://www.un.org/esa/subindex/wd15.htm|work=Index to Economic and Social Development|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref>

====Potential Resurgence ====

Despite the decline, several appropriate technology organizations are still existence, including the ITDG which became [[Practical Action]] after a name change in 2005.<ref name=practicalactionname>{{cite web|last=Practical Action|title=Practical Action is the new name for ITDG|url=http://practicalaction.org/history?id=practicalaction|accessdate=24 April 2011}}</ref> There is also currently a notable resurgence as viewed by the number of groups adopting [[open source appropriate technology]](OSAT) because of the enabling technology of the Internet. These OSAT groups include: [[AKVO]], [[Appropedia]], [[Appropriate Technology Collaborative]], [[Catalytic Communities]], [[Centre for Alternative Technology]], [[Center For Development Alternatives]], [[Engineers Without Borders]], [[Practical Action]], and [[Village Earth]].

===Terminology===
Appropriate technology frequently serves as an umbrella term for a variety names for this type of technology. Frequently these terms are used interchangeably; however, the use of one term over another can indicate the specific focus, bias or agenda of the technological choice in question. Though the original name for the concept now known as appropriate technology, "intermediate technology" is now often considered a subset of appropriate technology that focuses on technology that is more productive than "inefficient" traditional technologies, but less costly than the technology of industrialized societies.<ref name=evans>{{cite book|title=Appropriate Technology in Third World Development|year=1984|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=London|isbn=0-313-24150-3|author=Evans, D.D.|authorlink=Appropriate Technology and Its Role|editor=Ghosh, P. K.|page=40}}</ref> Other types of technology under the appropriate technology umbrella include:

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Capital-saving technology
* Labor-intensive technology
* Alternate technology
* Self-help technology
* Village-level technology
* Community technology
* Progressive technology
* Indigenous technology
* People’s technology
* Light-engineering technology
* Adaptive technology
* Light-capital technology
* Soft technology
{{div col end}}

A variety of competing definitions exist in academic literature and organization and government policy papers for each of these terms.<ref name="OECD"/><ref name=evans /><ref name=jackson>{{cite book|title=Appropriate Technology in Third World Development|year=1984|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=London|isbn=0-313-24150-3|author=Jackson, S.|authorlink=Economically Appropriate Technologies|editor=Ghosh, P.K.|page=76}}</ref> However, the general consensus is appropriate technology encompasses the ideas represented by the above list. Furthermore, the use of one term over another in referring to an appropriate technology can indicate ideological bias or emphasis on particular economic or social variables. Some terms inherently emphasize the importance of increased employment and labor utilization (such as labor-intensive or capital-saving technology), while others may emphasize the importance of human development (such as self-help and people's technology).<ref name=evans />

It is also possible to distinguish between ''hard'' and ''soft'' technologies. According to Dr. [[Maurice Albertson]] and Audrey Faulkner, appropriate ''hard'' technology is “engineering techniques, physical structures, and machinery that meet a need defined by a community, and utilize the material at hand or readily available. It can be built, operated and maintained by the local people with very limited outside assistance (e.g., technical, material, or financial). it is usually related to an economic goal.”<ref>Joshua M. Pearce, "[http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PHTEAH000045000003000164000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes Teaching Physics Using Appropriate Technology Projects]", The Physics Teacher, 45, pp. 164–167, 2007. pdf</ref> [http://mtu.academia.edu/JoshuaPearce/Papers/1540232/Teaching_Physics_Using_Appropriate_Technology_Projects open access]

Albertson and Faulkner consider appropriate ''soft'' technology as technology that deals with “the social structures, human interactive processes, and motivation techniques. It is the structure and process for social participation and action by individuals and groups in analyzing situations, making choices and engaging in choice-implementing behaviors that bring about change.”<ref>Faulkner, A. O. and M. L. Albertson. "Tandem use of Hard and Soft Technology: an Evolving Model for Third World Village Development" International Journal of Applied Engineering Education. Vol. 2, No. 2 pp 127–137, 1986.</ref>

===Appropriate technology practitioners===
Some of the well known practitioners of the appropriate technology-sector include:
[[M K Ghosh]], [[B.V. Doshi]],<ref>[see http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/5799 and http://www.auroville.org/thecity/architecture/two_at_once.htm BV Doshi as AT founder]</ref> [[Buckminster Fuller]], [[William Moyer]] (1933–2002), [[Amory Lovins]], [[Sanoussi Diakité]], [[Victor Papanek]], [[Johan Van Lengen]], [[Giorgio Ceragioli]] (1930–2008), [[Frithjof Bergmann]], [[Arne Næss]] (1912–2009) and [[Mansur Hoda]].<ref name="Guardian"/>

===Appropriate technology and development===
Schumacher's initial concept of intermediate technology was created as a critique of the currently prevailing development strategies which focused on maximizing aggregate economic growth through increases to overall measurements of a country's economy, such as [[gross domestic product]] (GDP).<ref name=jackson /> Developed countries became aware of the situation of developing countries during and in the years following [[World War II]]. Based on the continuing rise in income levels in Western countries since the Industrial Revolution, developed countries embarked on a campaign of massive transfers of capital and technology to developing countries in order to force a rapid industrialization intended to result in an economic "take-off" in the developing countries.<ref name=jackson /><ref>{{ref name=baron|cite book|last=Baron|first=C.|title=Appropriate technology in Third World Development|year=1984|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Connecticut|isbn=0-313-24150-3|pages=117|authorlink=Appropriate Technology Comes of Age: A Review of Some Recent Literature and Aid Policy Statements|editor=Ghosh, P.K.}}</ref>

However, by the late 1960s it was becoming clear this development method had not worked as expected and a growing number of development experts and national policy makers were recognizing it as a potential cause of increasing poverty and income inequality in developing countries.<ref name=jequier>{{cite book|last=Jequier|first=Nicolas|title=Appropriate Technology: Problems and Promises|year=1976|publisher=[[OECD]] |location=Paris|pages=16}}</ref> In many countries, this influx of technology had increased the overall economic capacity of the country. However, it had created a dual or two-tiered economy with pronounced division between the classes. The foreign technology imports were only benefiting a small minority of urban elites. This was also increasing urbanization with the rural poor moving to urban cities in hope of more financial opportunities. The increased strain on urban infrastructures and public services led to "increasing squalor, severe impacts on public health and distortions in the social structure."<ref name=evans />

Appropriate technology was meant to address four problems: extreme poverty, starvation, unemployment and urban migration. Schumacher saw the main purpose for economic development programs was the eradication of extreme poverty and he saw a clear connection between mass unemployment and extreme poverty. Schumacher sought to shift development efforts from a bias towards urban areas and on increasing the output per laborer to focusing on rural areas (where a majority of the population still lived) and on increasing employment.<ref name=willoughby>{{cite book|last=Willoughby|first=K.W.|title=Technology Choice: A Critique of the Appropriate Technology Movement|year=1990|publisher=Intermediate Technology Publications|location=London|isbn=0-8133-7806-0|pages=72}}</ref>

===Appropriate technology in developed countries===
The term ''appropriate technology'' is also used in developed nations to describe the use of technology and engineering that results in less negative impacts on the environment and society.<ref name=nytimes08>Schneider, Keith. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/business/businessspecial2/26degree.html?scp=2&sq=%22appropriate+technology%22&st=nyt "Majoring in Renewable Energy."] 26 March 2008.</ref> [[E. F. Schumacher]] asserts that such technology, described in the book ''[[Small is Beautiful]]''<ref>[[E. F. Schumacher|Schumacher, E. F.]]; ''Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered: 25 Years Later...With Commentaries''. [[Hartley & Marks Publishers]] ISBN 0-88179-169-5</ref> tends to promote values such as [[health]], [[beauty]] and permanence, in that order.

Often the type of appropriate technology that is used in developed countries is "Appropriate and Sustainable Technology" (AST); or appropriate technology that, besides being functional and relatively cheap (though often more expensive than true AT), is also very durable and lasts a long time (AT does not include this; see [[Sustainable design]]).<ref>[http://www.edc-cu.org/R&D.htm Appropriate and Sustainable Technology]</ref><ref>[http://www.edc-cu.org/R&D.htm AST definition and technologies]</ref>

==Applications==
===Building and construction===
In order to increase the efficiency of a great number of city services (efficient water provisioning, efficient electricity provisioning, easy traffic flow, water drainage, decreased spread of disease with [[epidemic]]s, ...), the city itself must first be built correctly. In the developing world, many cities are expanding rapidly and new ones are being built. Looking into the [[urban planning|cities design]] in advance is a must for every developing nation.

{{See|Autonomous building|Earthship}}
* [[Adobe]] (including the variation called [[Super Adobe]]),
* [[Rammed earth]],
* [[Compressed earth block]],
* [[Dutch brick]],
* [[Animal]] products,
* [[Cob (building)|Cob]]
* and/or other [[Green building#Green building materials|green building materials]] could be considered appropriate earth building technology for much of the developing world, as they make use of materials which are widely available locally and are thus relatively inexpensive.

The local context must be considered as, for example, [[mudbrick]] may not be durable in a high rainfall area (although a large roof overhang and [[cement]] stabilisation can be used to correct for this), and, if the materials are not readily available, the method may be inappropriate. Other forms of [[natural building]] may be considered appropriate technology, though in many cases the emphasis is on [[Sustainable architecture|sustainability]] and self-sufficiency rather than affordability or suitability. As such, many buildings are also built to function as [[autonomous building]]s (e.g. [[earthship]]s, ...). One example of an organisation that applies appropriate earthbuilding techniques would be [[Builders Without Borders]].

The building structure must also be considered. Cost-effectiveness is an important issue in projects based around appropriate technology, and one of the most efficient designs herein is the [[public housing]] approach. This approach lets everyone have their own [[Condominium|sleeping/recreation space]], yet incorporate communal spaces e.g. [[mess hall]]s, [[latrine]]s, public showers, ...

In addition, to decrease costs of operation (heating, cooling, ...) techniques as [[Earth sheltering]], [[Trombe wall]]s, ... are often incorporated.

Organizations as [[Architecture for Humanity]] also follows principles consistent with appropriate technology, aiming to serve the needs of poor and disaster-affected people.

[[Image:Chunche.jpg|thumb|''[[Chunche]]'', naturally ventilated sheds for drying [[raisin]]s in [[Xinjiang]]]]
* [[Natural ventilation]] can be created by providing vents in the upper level of a building to allow warm air to rise by [[convection]] and escape to the outside, while cooler air is drawn in through vents at the lower level.
* Electrical powered fans (e.g. [[ceiling fan]]s) allow efficient cooling, at a far lower electricity consumption as airconditioning systems.
* A [[solar chimney]] often referred to as ''thermal chimney'' improves this natural [[Ventilation (architecture)|ventilation]] by using [[convection]] of [[air]] heated by [[passive solar building design|passive solar energy]]. To further maximize the cooling effect, the incoming air may be led through [[Earth cooling tubes|underground ducts]] before it is allowed to enter the building.
* A [[windcatcher]] (''Badgir''; بادگیر) is a traditional [[Iran|Persian]] [[Persian architecture|architectural device]] used for many centuries to create natural ventilation in buildings. It is not known who first invented the windcatcher, but it still can be seen in many countries today. Windcatchers come in various designs, such as the uni-directional, bi-directional, and multi-directional.
* A [[Solar chimney#Passive down-draft cooltower|passive down-draft cooltower]] may be used in a hot, arid climate to provide a sustainable way to provide [[air conditioning]]. Water is allowed to evaporate at the top of a tower, either by using evaporative cooling pads or by spraying water. [[Evaporation]] cools the incoming air, causing a [[downdraft]] of cool air that will bring down the temperature inside the building.

===Agriculture===
Appropriate technology has been applied extensively to improve agricultural production in developing countries.

===Water and sanitation===
====Water====
{{See|drinking water}}
[[Image:Pump-tah.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Hand-operated, reciprocating, positive displacement, water pump in [[Košice]]-[[Tahanovce]], [[Slovakia]] (walking beam pump).]]

As of 2006, waterborne diseases are estimated to cause 1.8 million deaths each year while about 1.1 billion people lack proper drinking water.<ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/publications_pages/fact_sheets/WW4.pdf "Safe Water System,"] US [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] Fact Sheet, June 2006.</ref>

Water generally needs treatment before use, depending on the source and the intended use (with high standards required for drinking water). The quality of water from household connections and community water points in low-income countries is not reliably safe for direct human consumption. Water extracted directly from surface waters and open hand-dug shallow wells nearly always requires treatment.

Appropriate technology options in water treatment include both community-scale and household-scale point-of-use (POU) designs.

The most reliable way to kill microbial pathogenic agents is to heat water to a rolling boil.<ref>[1] WHO's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality</ref> Other techniques, such as varying forms of filtration, chemical disinfection, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation (including solar UV) have been demonstrated in an array of randomized control trials to significantly reduce levels of waterborne disease among users in low-income countries.

Over the past decade, an increasing number of field-based studies have been undertaken to determine the success of POU measures in reducing waterborne disease. The ability of POU options to reduce disease is a function of both their ability to remove microbial pathogens if properly applied and such social factors as ease of use and cultural appropriateness. Technologies may generate more (or less) health benefit than their lab-based microbial removal performance would suggest.

The current priority of the proponents of POU treatment is to reach large numbers of low-income households on a sustainable basis. Few POU measures have reached significant scale thus far, but efforts to promote and commercially distribute these products to the world's poor have only been under way for a few years.

On the other hand, small-scale water treatment is reaching increasing fractions of the population in low-income countries, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, in the form of water treatment kiosks (also known as water refill stations or packaged water producers). While quality control and quality assurance in such locations may be variable, sophisticated technology (such as multi-stage particle filtration, UV irradiation, ozonation, and membrane filtration) is applied with increasing frequency. Such microenterprises are able to vend water at extremely low prices, with increasing government regulation. Initial assessments of vended water quality are encouraging.

Whether applied at the household or community level, some examples of specific treatment processes include:
* [[Ceramic water filter|Porous ceramic filtration]], using either clay or [[diatomaceous earth]], and oriented as either cylinder, pot, or disk, with gravity-fed or siphon-driven delivery systems. Silver is frequently added to provide antimicrobial enhancement
* Intermittently operated [[Slow sand filter|slow-sand filtration]], also known as biosand filtration
* [[Chlorination|Chlorine disinfection]], employing calcium hypochlorite powder, sodium hypochlorite solution, or sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) tablets
* [[Flocculation|Chemical flocculation]], using either commercially produced iron or aluminum salts or the crushed seeds of certain plants, such as [[Moringa oleifera]]
* Mixed flocculation/disinfection using commercially produced powdered mixtures
* [[Solar water disinfection|Irradiation with ultraviolet light]], whether using electric-powered lamps or direct solar exposure
* membrane filtration, employing [[ultrafiltration]] or [[reverse osmosis]] filter elements preceded by pretreatment

Some appropriate technology water supply measures include:
* [[Water well|Deep wells with submersible pumps]] in areas where the groundwater (aquifers) are located at depths >10 m.
* [[Shallow wells]] with lined walls and covers.
* [[rainwater harvesting]] systems with an appropriate method of storage, especially in areas with significant dry seasons.
* [[Fog collection]], which is suitable for areas which experience fog even when there is little rain.
* [[Air well (condenser)|Air well]], a structure or device designed to promote the condensation of atmospheric moisture.
* Handpumps and treadle pumps are generally only an option in areas is located at a relatively shallow depth (e.g. 10 m). The [http://www.flexipump.net/ Flexi-Pipe Pump] is a notable exception to this (up to 25 meter). For most deeper aquifers (<10 m), [[Water well|submersible pumps placed inside a well]]) are used. Treadle pumps for household irrigation are now being distributed on a widespread basis in developing countries. The principle of [[VLOM (pumps)|Village Level Operation and Maintenance]] is important with handpumps, but may be difficult in application.
* [[Drinking water|Condensation bags]] and condensation pits can be an appropriate technology to get water, yet yields are low and are (for the amount of water obtained), labour intensive. Still, it may be a good (very cheap) solution for certain desperate communities.
* The [[hippo water roller]] and Q-drum allow more water to be carried, with less effort and could thus be a good alternative for ethnic communities who do not wish to give up water gathering from remote locations, assuming low topographic relief.
* The [[roundabout playpump]], developed and used in southern [[Africa]], harnesses the energy of children at play to pump water.

====Sanitation====
{{See|Greywater treatment}}
{{See|Water purification}}
[[Image:Clivus Multrum Composting toilet.svg|thumb|right|150px|A clivus Multrum composting toilet<br />
A. Second floor, B. First floor, C. Ground floor, 1. Humus compartment, 2. Ventilation pipe, 3. Water closet.]]
As of 2006, waterborne diseases are estimated to cause 1.8 million deaths each year, marking the importance of proper sanitation systems. It is clear that the developing world is heavily lacking in proper public sanitation and that solutions as [[sanitary sewer|sewerages]] (or alternatively small-scale treatment systems) need to be provided.<ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/publications_pages/fact_sheets/WW4.pdf "Safe Water System,"] US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fact Sheet, June 2006.]</ref>

[[Ecological sanitation]] can be viewed as a three-step process dealing with human excreta: (1) Containment, (2) [[Disinfection|Sanitization]], (3) [[Recycling]]. The objective is to protect human health and the environment while limiting the use of water in sanitation systems for hand (and anal) washing only and recycling nutrients to help reduce the need for synthetic [[fertilizers]] in [[agriculture]].

Small scale systems include:
* [[Composting toilet]]s are the most environmental form of excrement disposal systems. In addition, the toilets design allows the nutrients to be reused (e.g. for fertilising food crops). Also, DIY composting toilets can be built at a very low cost.
* [[BiPu]] is a portable system suitable for [[disaster management]], while other forms of [[latrine]] provide safe means of disposing of human waste at a low cost. The [[Orangi Pilot Project]] was designed based on an urban slum's sanitation crisis. [[Kamal Kar]] has documented the latrines developed by Bangladeshi villagers once they became aware of the health problems with open defecation.
* [[Treatment pond]]s and [[constructed wetland]]s can help to purify [[sewage]] and [[greywater]]. They consist mostly of plants (e.g. [[reed bed|reed]], ...) and therefore require only little power, and are hugely self-sufficient.
* The [[SanPlat]] is a simple sanitary platform that can easily be built from local materials, and enables latrines that are easy to clean and maintain.<ref name=sanplat>{{cite web|last=The SanPlat System|title=The SanPlat System|url=http://www.sanplat.se/index.php|accessdate=19 July 2011}}</ref><ref name=usaid-hip>{{cite web|last=USAID-HIP|title=Success Story: Expanding SanPlat Coverage|url=http://www.hip.watsan.net/redir/content/download/4700/27123/file/SanPlat%20Success%20Story%20HIP%202010.pdf|accessdate=19 July 2011}}</ref>
* Certain other options as [[slow sand filter]]s, UV filters, ... may also be employed

===Energy generation and uses===
{{See|Microgeneration|Remote-area power supply}}
[[Image:Wind generator system.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Small-scale (DIY) generation system]]

The term [[soft energy technology]] was coined by [[Amory Lovins]] to describe "appropriate" renewable energy.<ref>Soft energy paths: toward a durable peace. San Francisco: Friends of the Earth International; Cambridge, Mass: Ballinger Pub. Co., 1977</ref>
"Appropriate" energy technologies are especially suitable for isolated and/or small scale energy needs. Electricity can be provided from:
* [[solar cell|Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels]], and (large) [[Concentrating solar power]] plants. PV solar panels made from [[low-cost photovoltaic cell]]s or PV-cells which have first been concentrated by a [[Luminescent solar concentrator]]-panel are also a good option. Especially companies as [http://www.solfocus.com/en/technology/ Solfocus] make appropriate technology CSP plants which can be made from waste plastics polluting the surroundings (see above).
* [[Solar thermal collector]]
* [[wind power]] (home do-it yourself turbines and larger-scale)
* [[micro hydro]], and [[pico hydro]]<ref>[http://www.tve.org/ho/doc.cfm?aid=1636&lang=English Micro hydro in the fight against poverty]</ref>
* human-powered handwheel generators<ref>[http://www.tinytechindia.com/handwheelgenerator.htm Human powered handwheel generators example]</ref>
* other [[Zero emission|zero emission generation methods]]

Some intermediate technologies include:
* [[Biobutanol]],
* [[biodiesel]],
* and [[straight vegetable oil]] can be appropriate, direct [[biofuel]]s in areas where vegetable oil is readily available and cheaper than [[fossil fuel]]s.
* [[Anaerobic digestion]] power plants
* [[Biogas]] is another potential source of energy, particularly where there is an abundant supply of [[waste]] [[organic matter]]. A generator (running on biofuels) can be run more efficiently if combined with batteries and an [[inverter (electrical)|inverter]]; this adds significantly to [[capital cost]] but reduces [[running cost]], and can potentially make this a much cheaper option than the solar, wind and micro-hydro options.
* [[Feces]] (e.g. cow dung, human, etc.) can also be used. For example [[DEKA]]'s Project Slingshot stirling electricity generator works this energy source to make electricity.
* [[Biochar]] is another similar energy source which can be obtained through charring of certain types of organic material (e.g. hazelnut shells, bamboo, chicken manure, ...) in a pyrolysis unit.<ref>[http://www.biomassauthority.com/a/precer-bioracer-biomass-car/ Biochar burner/stirling engine setup]</ref> A similar energy source is [[terra preta nova]].

Finally, [[urine]] can also be used as a basis to generate hydrogen (which is an energy carrier). Using urine, [[hydrogen production]] is 332% more energy efficient than using water.<ref>[http://www.physorg.com/news165836803.html Hydrogen from urine]</ref><ref>1,23V/0,37V</ref>

Electricity distribution could be improved so to make use of a more [[grid plan|structured electricity line arrangement]] and universal [[AC power plugs and sockets#Type E and F hybrid|AC power plugs and sockets]] (e.g. the CEE 7/7 plug). In addition, a universal system of electricity provisioning (e.g. universal voltage, frequency, ampère; e.g. 230&nbsp;V with 50&nbsp;Hz), as well as perhaps a better [[Mains power systems|mains power system]] (e.g. through the use of special systems as perfected [[single wire earth return]]s; e.g. Tunisia's [[MALT (electricity system)|MALT]]-system, which features low costs and easy placement)<ref>[http://www.ruralpower.org/ SWER-mains electricity system advantages]</ref><ref>[http://practicalaction.org/practicalanswers/product_info.php?products_id=293 Description of Tunisia's MALT-system]</ref>

Electricity storage (which is required for autonomous energy systems) can be provided through appropriate technology solutions as deep-cycle and car-[[battery (electricity)|batteries]] (intermediate technology), long duration flywheels, electrochemical capacitors, compressed air energy storage (CAES), liquid nitrogen and pumped hydro.<ref>[http://users.etown.edu/m/mcbridet/Research/McBrideIRESNov2007Presentation%20trim.ppt Appropriate energy storage by Troy McBride]</ref> Thanks to [[Daniel Nocera]], and other [[Hydrogen_station#Hydrogen_home_stations|hydrogen home station manufacturers]], low-cost hydrogen storage is now also possible as a mid to short-term storage solution.<ref>[http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/oxygen-0731.html Daniel Nocera's Low-cost Hydrogen Energy Storage System]</ref><ref>[http://www.suncatalytix.com/tech.html Sun catalytix spin-off of Daniel Nocera's work]</ref><ref>[http://arpa-e.energy.gov/FundedProjects.aspx ARPA-E funding Sun Catalytix]</ref> Many solutions for the developing world are sold as a single package, containing a (micro) electricity generation power plant and energy storage. Such packages are called [[RAPS-package|remote-area power supply]]

[[Image:Ampoules.jpg|thumb|right|150px|LED Lamp with GU10 twist lock fitting, intended to replace [[Incandescent lamp#Halogen lamps|halogen]] reflector lamps.]]
* White [[LED]]s and a source of [[renewable energy]] (such as [[solar cell]]s) are used by the [[Light Up the World Foundation]] to provide lighting to poor people in remote areas, and provide significant benefits compared to the [[kerosene lamp]]s which they replace. Certain other companies as [[Powerplus]] also have [http://www.powerplus.nl/contents/media/l_solar_light_rond.JPG LED-flashlights with imbedded solar cells].<ref>[http://www.powerplus.nl/ Powerplus Stingray]</ref>
* [[Organic LED]]s made by [http://cleantech.com/news/2582/ge-shows-how-to-roll-out-oleds roll-to-roll production] are another source of cheap light that will be commercially available at low cost by 2015.
* [[Compact fluorescent lamp]]s (as well as regular [[fluorescent lamp]]s and [[LED lamp|LED-lightbulbs]]) can also be used as appropriate technology. Although they are less environmentally friendly then LED-lights, they are cheaper and still feature relative high efficiency (compared to incandescent lamps).
* The [[Safe bottle lamp]] is a safer [[kerosene lamp]] designed in Sri Lanka. Lamps as these allow relative long, mobile, lighting. The safety comes from a secure screw-on metal lid, and two flat sides which prevent it from rolling if knocked over. An alternative to fuel or oil-based lanterns is the [[Uday]] lantern, developed by Philips as part of its [[Lighting Africa]] project (sponsored by the World Bank Group).<ref>[http://www.ledsmagazine.com/news/5/7/10 Uday lamp and lighting africa project description]</ref>
* The [[Faraday flashlight]] is a LED flashlight which operates on a capacitor. Recharging can be done by manual winching or by shaking, hereby avoiding the need of any supplementary electrical system.
* [[High-intensity discharge lamp|HID-lamps]] finally can be used for lighting operations where regular LED-lighting or other lamps will not suffice. Examples are car headlights. Due to their high efficiency, they are quite environmental, yet costly, and they still require polluting materials in their production process.

===Transportation===
[[Image:Person mit fahrrad feb07.jpg|thumb|150px|A man uses a bicycle to cargo goods in [[Ouagadougou]], Burkina Faso (2007)]]
[[Human-powered transport|Human powered-vehicles]] include the [[bicycle]] (and the future [[Bamboo Bike Project|bamboo bicycle]]), which provides general-purpose transportation at lower costs compared to motorized vehicles, and many advantages over walking, and the [[whirlwind wheelchair]], which provides mobility for disabled people who cannot afford the expensive wheelchairs used in developed countries. [[Animal-powered transport|Animal powered vehicles/transport]] may also be another appropriate technology.
Certain [[zero-emissions vehicle]]s may be considered appropriate transportation technology, including [[compressed air car]]s, [[liquid nitrogen]] and [[hydrogen vehicle|hydrogen-powered]] vehicles. Also, vehicles with [[ICE fuel conversion|internal combustion engines may be converted to hydrogen or oxyhydrogen combustion]].

Bicycles can also be applied to commercial transport of goods to and from remote areas. An example of this is Karaba, a free-trade coffee co-op in Rwanda, which uses 400 modified bicycles to carry hundreds of pounds of coffee beans for processing.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://usingbicycles.blogspot.com/2008/07/video-hauling-coffee-in-rwanda.html | title = Coffee Cargo Bikes in Rwanda | work = Using Bicycles | author = Sherwood Stranieri | date = 24 July 2008 | accessdate = 1 January 2009 }}</ref> Other projects for developing countries include the redesign of cycle rickshaws to convert them to electric power.<ref name="Wired-solar-rickshaw">{{cite web|url=http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/10/solar-powered-r/|title=Solar Rickshaws Hit the Streets of Delhi|last=Demerjian|first=Dave|date=2008-10-21|publisher=Wired Magazine|accessdate=29 November 2009}}</ref><ref name="Solekshwa">{{cite web|url=http://dst.gov.in/whats_new/press-release08/solekshwa-launched.htm|title="Solekshwa" Eco-Friendly Dual-Powered Rickshaw Launched|date=2008-10-02|publisher=Ministry of Science and Technology (India)| author = Press Information Bureau |accessdate=29 November 2009}}</ref> However recent reports suggest that these rickshaws are not plying on the roads.<ref name="Solar rickshaws finds no takers">{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/100289/csirs-solar-rickshaw-finds-no.html|title=Solar rickshaws find no takers|Deccan Herald article|accessdate=7 August 2011}}</ref>

===Health care===
According to the [[Global Health Council]], rather than the use of professionally schooled doctors, the training of villagers to remedy most maladies in towns in the developing world is most appropriate.<ref>[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/12/community-doctors/rosenberg-text/2 Use of villagers rather than doctors]</ref> Trained villagers are able to eliminate 80% of the health problems. Small (low-cost) hospitals – based on the model of the Jamkhed hospital – can remedy another 15%, while only 5% will need to go to a larger (more expensive) hospital.
* Before being able to determine the cause of the disease or malady, accurate diagnosis is required. This may be done manually (through observation, inquiries) and by specialised tools.
* [[Herbalism#Routes of administration|Herbalist medicines]] (e.g. tinctures, tisanes, decoctions, ...) are appropriate medicines, as they can be freely made at home and are [[Phytotherapy|almost as effective]] as their chemical counterparts. A previous program that made use of herbal medicine was the [[Barefoot doctor]] program.
* A [[phase-change incubator]], developed in the late 1990s, is a low cost way for health workers to incubate microbial samples.
* [[Birth control]] is also seen as an appropriate technology, especially now, because of increasing population numbers (overpopulating certain areas), increasing food prices and poverty. It has been proposed to a certain degree by PATH (program for appropriate technology in health).<ref>[http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/367/36/ PATH proposing birth control as appropriate technology]</ref><ref>[http://thewelltimedperiod.blogspot.com/2007/03/barrier-birth-control-methods.html PATH working on devices for birth control]</ref>
* [[Jaipur leg]] was developed by Dr. P. K. Sethi and Masterji Ram Chander in 1968 as an inexpensive prosthetic leg for victims of landmine explosions.
* Natural cleaning products can be used for personal hygiene and cleaning of clothing and eating utensils; in order to decrease illnesses/maladies (as they eliminate a great amount of pathogens).

Note that many Appropriate Technologies benefit [[public health]], in particular by providing sanitation and safe drinking water. Refrigeration may also provide a health benefit. (These are discussed in the following paragraphs.) This was too found at the [[Comprehensive Rural Health Project]]<ref>[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/12/community-doctors/follow-up-text NGM Necessary angels]</ref> and the [[Women Health Volunteers]] projects in countries as Iran, Iraq and Nepal.<ref>[http://www.fmreview.org/FMRpdfs/FMR19/FMR1921.pdf Women Health Volunteers]</ref>

===Food preparation and storage===
{{See|Grow house}}
Food production has often been included in autonomous building/[[intentional community|community]] projects to provide security{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}}. Skilled, intensive [[garden]]ing can support an adult from as little as 15 square meters of land{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}}. Some proven intensive, low-effort food-production systems include [[urban horticulture|urban gardening]] (indoors and outdoors). [[Grow house|Indoor cultivation]] may be set up using [[hydroponics]] with [[Grow light]]s, while outdoor cultivation may be done using [[permaculture]], [[forest gardening]], [[no-till farming]], [[Do Nothing Farming]], etc. In order to better control the [[irrigation]] outdoors, special irrigation systems may be created as well (although this increases costs, and may again open the door to cultivating non-indigenous plants; something which is best avoided). One such system for the developing world is discussed here.<ref>http://www.isf-iai.be/index.php?id=17&L=2</ref>

Crop production tools are best kept simple (reduces operating difficulty, cost, replacement difficulties and pollution, when compared to motorized equipment). Tools can include [[scythe]]s,<ref>[http://www.villageearth.org/pages/Appropriate_Technology/ATSourcebook/Agriculturaltools.php The scythe, an intermediate technology]</ref> animal-pulled [[plows]]<ref>[http://www.isf-iai.be/index.php?id=17&L=2 plows]</ref> (although no-till farming should be preferred),<ref>[http://www.villageearth.org/pages/Appropriate_Technology/ATSourcebook/Agriculturaltools.php AT Plows]</ref> [[dibber]]s, wheeled [[auger]]s<ref>[http://users.skynet.be/sb021277/Pages/Nederlands/Pflanzfuchs/PF.html Pflanzfuchs wheeled auger]</ref><ref>[http://www.rotomec.com/english/products/mole/mole.html 3-point hitch augers for tractors]</ref> (for planting large trees), [[kirpi]]s, [[hoe (tool)|hoes]], ...

[[Greenhouse]]s are also sometimes included (see Earthship Biotincture). Sometimes they are also fitted with irrigation systems, and/or [[heat sink]]-systems which can respectively irrigate the plants or help to store energy from the sun and redistribute it at night (when the greenhouse starts to cool down).

According to proponents, Appropriate Technologies can greatly reduce the labor required to prepare food, compared to traditional methods, while being much simpler and cheaper than the processing used in Western countries. This reflects [[E.F. Schumacher]]'s concept of "intermediate technology," i.e. technology which is significantly more effective and expensive than traditional methods, but still an order of magnitude (10 times) cheaper than developed world technology. Key examples are:
* the [[Malian peanut sheller]]
* the [[fonio husking machine]]
* the [[screenless hammer mill]]
* the [http://www.isf-iai.be/index.php?id=17&L=2 ISF corn mill]
* the [http://www.isf-iai.be/index.php?id=17&L=2 ISF rice huller]
* all other types of electrical or hand-operated [[kitchen]] equipment (grinders, cutters, ...) Special multifunctional kitchen robots that are able to perform several functions (e.g. grinding, cutting, and even vacuum cleaning and polishing) are able to reduce costs even more. Examples of these devices were e.g. the (now discontinued) [[Piccolo]] household appliance from Hammelmann Werke (previously based in Bad Kissingen.) It was equipped with a flexible axis, allowing a variety of aids to be screwed on.<ref>[http://www.antiqbook.de/boox/domdey/4332.shtml Piccolo Hilft der Hausfrau]</ref><ref>[http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/2421132 Electro As Piccolo]</ref>

[[Image:Solar-Panel-Cooker-in-front-of-hut.jpg|thumb|right|In Ghana, Zouzugu villagers use solar cookers for preparing their meals]]
* [[Solar cooker]]s are appropriate to some settings, depending on climate and cooking style. They are emission-less and very low-cost. Hybrid variants also exist that incorporate a second heating source such as electrical heating or wood-based.
* [[Hot plate]]s are 100% electrical, fairly low cost (around 20€) and are mobile. They do however require an electrical system to be present in the area of operation.
* [[Rocket stove]]s and certain other woodstoves (e.g. Philips Woodstove<ref>[http://www.research.philips.com/newscenter/archive/2006/060227-woodstove.html Philips woodstove]</ref>) improve fuel efficiency, and reduce harmful indoor air pollution. The stoves however still make use of wood. However, [[briquette]] makers can now turn organic waste into fuel, saving money and/or collection time, and preserving forests.
* [[Solar refrigerator|Solar]], special [[Einstein refrigerator]]s and thermal mass [[refrigerators]] reduce the amount of electricity required. Also, solar and special Einstein refrigerators do not use haloalkanes (which play a key role in ozone depletion), but use heat pumps or mirrors instead. Solar refrigerators have been built for developing nations by [[Sopology]].<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/Hawaiian-firm-shrinks-solar-thermal-power/2100-11392_3-6207877.html Solar refrigerators for developing world]</ref><ref>[http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2008/09/21/einstein-fridge/ Optimized Einstein Fridge]</ref>
* The [[pot-in-pot refrigerator]] is an African invention which keeps things cool without electricity. It provides a way to keep food and produce fresh for much longer than would otherwise be possible. This can be a great benefit to the families who use the device. For example, it is claimed that girls who had to regularly sell fresh produce in the market can now go to school instead, as there is less urgency to sell the produce before it loses freshness.<ref>[http://www.itdg.org/html/agro_processing/docs29/FC29_34.pdf "Development of a low-cost cooler to preserve perishable foods in countries with arid climates"], ITDG Food Chain Journal, 29 November 2001.</ref>

===Information and communication technologies===
{{See also|Information and communication technologies for development}}
[[Image:ASUS Eee White Alt-small.png|thumb|right|[[Netbook]]s such as the [[Asus Eee PC]] accommodate low-cost information sharing and communication]]
* The [[OLPC XO]], [[Simputer]], [[Asus Eee PC]], and other low cost computers are computers aimed at developing countries. Besides the low price, other characteristics include resistance to dust, reliability and use of the target language.
* [[Eldis OnDisc]] and [[The Appropriate Technology Library]] are projects that use [[Compact disc|CDs]] and [[DVD]]s to give access to development information in areas without reliable and affordable internet access.
* The [[wind-up radio]] and the computer and communication system planned by the [[Jhai Foundation]] are independent from power supply.
* There is also [[GrameenPhone]], which fused mobile telephony with [[Grameen Bank]]'s microfinance program to give Bangladeshi villagers access to communication.
* [[Mobile telephony]] is appropriate technology for many developing countries, as it greatly reduces the [[infrastructure]] required to achieve widespread coverage. However, [[mobile phone]] network may not always be available (it depends on the location) and may not always provide both voice and data services.
* [[Loband]], a website developed by [[Aptivate]], strips all the photographic and other bandwidth-intensive content from webpages and renders them as simple text, while otherwise allowing one to [[web browsing|browse]] them normally. The site greatly increasing the speed of browsing, and is appropriate for use on low bandwidth connections as generally available in much of the developing world.
* An increasing number of activists provide free or very inexpensive [[World Wide Web|web]] and [[e-mail|email]] services using cooperative computer networks that run wireless [[mobile ad-hoc network|ad hoc networks]]. Network service is provided by a cooperative of neighbors, each operating a router as a household appliance. These minimize wired infrastructure, and its costs and vulnerabilities. Private [[Internet protocol]] networks set up in this way can operate without the use of a commercial provider.
* Rural electrical grids can be wired with "optical phase cable", in which one or more of the [[steel]] [[wikt:armor|armor]] wires are replaced with steel tubes containing [[fiber optics]].<ref>Northern Economics Inc. and Electric Power Systems Inc. April 2001. [http://www.dced.state.ak.us/dca/AEIS/PDF_Files/AIDEA_Energy_Screening.pdf "Screening Report for Alaska Rural Energy Plan."] (Report published on government website). Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, via dced.state.ak.us. Retrieved on 16 September 2007.</ref>
* [[Satellite Internet access]] can provide high speed connectivity to remote locations, however these are significantly more expensive than wire-based or terrestrial wireless systems. [[Wimax]] and forms of [[packet radio]] can also be used. Depending on the speed and latency of these networks they may be capable of relaying [[VoIP]] traffic, negating the need for separate telephony services. Finally, the [[Internet Radio Linking Project]] provides potential for blending older (cheap) local radio broadcasting with the increased range of the internet.
* [[Satellite phone|satellite]]-based telephone systems can also be used, as either fixed installations or portable handsets and can be integrated into a [[PABX]] or local IP-based network.

===Finance===
Through financial systems envisioned especially for the poor/developed world, many companies have been able to get started with only limited capital. Often banks lend the money to people wishing to start a business (such as with [[microfinance]]). In other systems, people for a [[Rotating Savings and Credit Association]] or ROSCA to purchase costly material together (such as [[Tontine]]s and [[Susu account]]s). Organisations, communities, cities or individuals can provide loans to other communities/cities (such as with the approach followed by [[Kiva (organization)|Kiva]], [http://microloans.worldvision.org.uk/ World Vision Microloans] [[MicroPlace]] and [[LETS]]). Finally, in certain communities (usually isolated communities such as small islands or oases) everything of value is shared. This is called [[gift economy]].

==Determining a sustainable approach==
Features such as low cost, low usage of fossil fuels and use of locally available resources can give some advantages in terms of [[sustainability]]. For that reason, these technologies are sometimes used and promoted by advocates of sustainability and [[alternative technology]].

Besides using natural, locally available resources (e.g. wood or adobe), waste materials imported from cities using conventional (and inefficient) waste management may be gathered and re-used to build a sustainable living environment. Use of these cities' waste material allows the gathering of a huge amount of building material at a low cost. When obtained, the materials may be recycled over and over in the own city/community, using the [[cradle to cradle design]] method. Locations where waste can be found include [[landfill]]s, [[Wreck yard|junkyards]], on water surfaces and anywhere around towns or near highways. Organic waste that can be reused to fertilise plants can be found in sewages. Also, town districts and other places (e.g. [[Cemetery|cemeteries]]) that are subject of undergoing renovation or removal can be used for gathering materials as stone, concrete, or potassium.

==See also==
{{Portal box|Sustainable development|Ecology|Energy|Renewable Energy}}
{{Div col|2}}
* [[Alternative propulsion]]
* [[Alternative technology]]
* [[Appropedia]]
* [[Bush Pump]]
* [[Community-based economics]]
* [[Cradle to Cradle Design]]
* [[Critique of technology]]
* [[Campus Center for Appropriate Technology (CCAT)]]
* [[Deindustrialization]]
* [[DIY culture]]
* [[Eco-village]]
* [[Green syndicalism]]
* [[Lifehacking]]
* [[List of environment topics]]
* [[Myth of Progress]]
* [[National Center for Appropriate Technology]]
* [[Open Source Appropriate Technology]]
* [[Permaculture]]
* [[Practical Action]] (charity formerly known as Intermediate Technology)
* [[Small is Beautiful]]
* [[Social entrepreneurship]]
* [[Source reduction]]
* [[Synthetic biology]]
* [[Technology and society]]
* [[Ivan Illich#Tools for Conviviality|Tools for Conviviality]]
* [[Zero emission]]
* [[Whole Earth Catalog]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1431594 Basic Needs Approach, Appropriate Technology, and Institutionalism] by Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq

==External links==
{{commons category|Appropriate technology}}
{{Wikiversity|Topic:Self-sufficiency}}
{{Wikiversity|Environmental community building}}
{{Wikiversity|Appropriate_technology_designs}}
* [[appropedia:|Appropedia – The Sustainability Wiki]] – World Wide Wiki of Sustainable Technology ([[Appropedia:Portal:Appropriate technology|Appropriate technology portal]])
* [http://www.akvopedia.org Akvopedia — the open water and sanitation knowledge resource]
* [http://www.engr.psu.edu/IJSLE/index.htm International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering (IJSLE)] – Peer-reviewed, semi-annual online journal, covering appropriate and sustainable technologies and related areas.
* [http://www.grat.at GrAT – Center for Appropriate Technology] – GrAT is a scientific association for research and development of Appropriate Technology in Vienna, Austria.
* [http://www.aprovecho.net AproveEcho] – An environmental education center with a focus on living with appropriate technologies.
* [http://www.apptechdesign.org The Appropriate Technology Collaborative] – An appropriate technology design and dissemination nonprofit.
* [http://www.wholeearth.com The Whole Earth Catalog: Accesss to Tools and Ideas]
* [http://www.carboun.com/sustainable-development/sustainable-design/sustainability-in-the-desert/ A Review of Sustainable Design in the Middle East] on [http://www.carboun.com Carboun]

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