Browsing all posts in March, 2006.

Saiy and the Footbag

Cambodian’s have a version of hacky sack called a “saiy” (use your best Chinese accent). It’s a funky little device with a spring on one end and feathers sticking out the other. The rules seem rather universal – stand in a circle and kick it back and forth. The lightness and aerodynamics make it great [...]

Development Technology

Below are posts on technologies utilized in rural community development. These are among the first of what I hope to be a long list of technologies applicable to development – some of which I have used personally, others will be ones that I have merely researched and feel are exeptional solutions to some of the [...]

Clay Pot Irrigation

Written about in Chinese texts 2000 years ago, utilized by the Romans, and now employed across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, clay pitcher irrigation is a low-tech solution that is helping thousands of communities in arid regions of the world cultivate farmland during dry seasons of the year. These buried, unglazed pots allow water to [...]

The Briquette Press

Aside from water supply and potability, sustainable fuel sources for household cleaning and cooking are one of the largest issues facing the third world. Fuels are typically derived from wood, contributing significantly to global deforestation, erosion, and desertification. Smoke inhalation from wood and fuel sources such as yak dung contribute significantly to respiratory illnesses, especially [...]