Below is a living collection of technologies that can be (or are being) implemented at various Occupy camps and other temporary, autonomous camps. This is just a start, please add to it by clicking edit or discuss the page on the talk page.
Energy generation
Human power
Using a bike, you can generate around 150W of continuous power. E.g.:
- Rowan's portable pedal power generator Nice portable unit that fits most bikes.
- Here are two built for New York City's Waterpod: WaterPod Tour de Volts and WaterPod Bicycle Energy Generator
- Here are two pedal powered TVs that would work well for laptops and other devices: CCAT pedal powered TV and Samoa Hostel Pain in the Axle
- Here are a whole bunch of pedal powered innovations from CCAT: CCAT pedal powered innovations
- For a different take, this rowing machine blender could be made to generate electricity with a generator: Locally Delicious rowing machine blender for schools (note the detailed instructions at Rowing Machine Blender Instructions
- Here is a mechanical bike blender using a flexishaft: Public Health Bike Blender
Solar and wind
A 100W photovoltaic panel can cost under $100 will produce 100W for a certain number of hours a day depending on the amount of full sun as found at http://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html. Solar photovoltaic software lists software that can help with design and Photovoltaics#Sizing a PV System covers some of the basics. Example systems include:
- Photovoltaic vaccine refrigeration at Centro De Salud
- La Yuca small scale renewable energy 10W solar and 10W wind for lighting an urban schoolroom.
- Here are a couple of photovoltaic learning stations, one of which is already being used in an Occupy camp: Engr 305 solar learning station and UTC photovoltaic learning station
- Samoa Hostel Windbelt Very low power from low winds and fairly low tech.
Cooking and dehydrating
- Parabolic solar collectors: Papasan chair cooker, Satellite dish and Blackberry bramble, bike inner-tube and tin can lids
- Rocket stoves: WaterPod Rocket Stove and CCAT rocket stove
- Wood gasification stove
- Retained heat cookers: Fireless cookers (to cook, food does not need to have heat energy poured into it, it only needs to be kept at a certain temperature)
- Solar dehydration: Simple solar dehydrator, Chris's ENGR305 Solar Food Dehydrator and AEF food dehydrator
Cooling and refrigeration
Used cooking oil and fats combined heat and power systems (CHP)
Water
Supply
Water may be plentiful in the city when it's raining (especially if you can access the outlet of a drainpipe) but will be affected by pollutants, and needs to be properly filtered before use for drinking cooking. Wait for the water to run for a while first (at least 15 min, depending how heavy the rain is - longer is better) - this lets the water wash away pollutants from the air and the roof, leaving you with much cleaner water.
- See Rainwater e.g. the design at La Yuca rainwater catchment but smaller with 55 gal drums. You can use the calculator at http://www.pequals.com/rain to figure out how big your system can/should be.
Purification
Wastewater treatment
- Greywater treatment, e.g. Samoa Hostel Truth Tank and Occidental greywater
Human waste
- Composting toilet. If that's not practical at your local Occupy protest, here are some links for portable composting toilets
Shelter
- Hexayurt - more comfortable than a tent, but still flat-pack and goes up with a few hours work.
- http://blog.burningman.com/2011/04/environment/diy-your-burn-shelter-shade-cool-cool-comfort/
Other structures
- Demo Camp Units -
- Weld wood using waste metal to join wood.
Information technology
- Openstreetmap
- If you're rescuing computers from the languishing at the bottom of your cupboard, Linux gives new life to old computers. Check out Information and Communication Technologies for Development and Low cost computer guide.
Some images
References
- ↑ Sanitation Issues Faced By Occupy Wall Street Protesters, Janelle Vaesa, Decoded Science, October 15, 2011
See also
External links
- OWS' Complicated Relationship with Technology, thesocietypages.org, 2011/11/02.
