Nombre: Jonathan Linton
Ubicación: Parras De La Fuente - Coahiula, La Republica Mexicana
Intereses en Tecnología Apropiada
The 2005 Parras AT Program defined, "Appropriate Technology (AT) [as encompassing] thoughts, tools, implementations and observations, dependant upon cultural, political, economic and geographic context. In addition, AT works with and mimics the flow of nature to improve over existing impacts.
AT includes adaptability, durability, and lifecycle analysis, while facilitating nonviolence and empowerment through community identified and locally maintainable/operable holistic approaches to meeting needs for present and future generations."
This attempt at describing what is ´AT´ fairs well with how I see things and thus is a decent reference as to the scope of my interests.
I have been in Parras for a very short period of time, and the context here, the endowments of various forms of capital - natural, human, human-constructed, social, and cultural - appear both quantitatively and qualitatively different from previous places I have lived and studied.
Of course, the language barrier has also slowed down the process of ´getting to know Parras´, and for this, what is and is not appropriate technology here, defined appropriately, remains to be seen.
But, here are my initial reflections...
-Bicycles; Native plants of the desert; Understanding the successes and failures of Stanly and Dona´s sincere attempts at organic gardening here in Parras; Working with students at UTC, whom are studying business and manufacturing, in sharing each others language; Product development of lechuguilla (paper, fabric) and natural conditioners to support this process; Articulating alternatives to cement for purposes of strengthening and preserving adobe; A communal warm water - washing facility (combining our resources of adobe, lechuguilla, Passive Solar Water Heater, etc). More to come I would imagine.
Experencia en Tecnología Apropiada
Like most all opportunities, Norteamericanos have access to an immense selection of both appropriate and inappropriate technologies. I have had both the blessing and priveledge to extensively travel within Canada and the United states with a free and curious zest. For this, my experieces, brief as many may be, are extensive with both.