A tool library is a cooperatively managed tool room/set of tools from which people can borrow tools when they need them instead of everyone having to buy their own set. It is a community resource dedicated to building community and fostering sustainability by providing residents with tools and the power to use them. We loan a wide variety of tools to community members free of charge. Tool libraries reduce the costs of maintaining and improving the places in which we live, work, and play. This … Read more
The Power of Community (in Bafut, Cameroon) Building ecovillages: connecting local solidarity, environmental conservation and fair trade
The below links direct to examples of how builing ecovillages with local communities integrate social and environmental solutions in a wholistic way. The building of an ecovillage fosters community building, integrates techniques of environmentally sustainable community living and integrates economic sustainability by setting up high-value activities and fair trade schemes. … Read more
Seed Bank Saving Seed
Seed Banks are cooperative constructs where local seeds are stored, saved and borrowed out. Our seeds is our heritage. They are used to local climates and they are thus adapted to locally harsh conditions. We need to empower our communities to go back to their roots and restore the culture of the use of indigenous seeds. Farmers can be empowered to come together and share seeds in different forums, but the most sustainable one is where farmer groups establish operational seed security systems … Read more
Lack of water in desert Wise use of water for agriculture
La fougara est un systeme d'irrigation de l'eau invente pour permettre de quantifier l'eau necessaire pour les differentes plantations dans le desert. C'est un systeme complexe et tres ingenieux qui remonte quelques centaines d'annees. C'est un systeme unique dans le Sahara que l'on trouve dans les Oasis du Gourara pres de Timumoun. Ce systeme d'irrigation est inspire des Qanats en Iran. … Read more
Time Banking Practicing Cooperative Economics Through Non-Cash Systems
An hour of help earns one credit. Unlike standard money, there is no price placed on different kinds of service. Regardless of the type of help given, an hour is an hour. The purpose of time banking is to reweave communities by valuing the contributions of all, joining unused resources to unmet needs. … Read more
Making charcoal briquettes for fuel Recycle waste charcoal into new fire-starter
Charcoal biquettes or 'earth orbs' are balls of compressed flamable matter for starting and maintaining a fire. How to make them: Collect the remains from charcoal cooking fires. Mix the charcoal remains with corn cobs or other such material and Pyrethrum Plant (Dalmatian insect flower, Big Daisy). This plant improves the combustion (fire power) of the orb and its smoke chases away mosquitoes. If no pyrethrum is available, you can replace it with a local plant with similar properties. Mold the … Read more
Drying mechanism for rice Building drying box from local materials
This link features instructions on how to build a fixed batch heated air drying bin from local materials. The goal of this design was to create a dryer that could maintain rice quality at a low capital and operating cost yielding a reasonably high dry time while remaining accessible to small-scale processing. … Read more
Mushroom Permaculture Mushroom cultivation
Mushroom growing can be done very low-cost and low-input. Additionally, it needs relatively little space. As the process does not happen on fields but in bags or jars, it does not require much or high soil quality, nor nearly any external input apart from the initial compost. It can therefore create economic opportunities in areas where other agricultural activity is hard. The only important thing regarding mushroom cultivation is that it is done properly. Which means that the sterilisation … Read more
How to grow biological cashew quickly Method of fast cashew growing
Training and information for farmers on techniques for vegetative propagation (cuttings, grafting, layering ...) on the management of a nursery on the group dynamics and chain approach ... A modern nursery with rooting propagators and rehabilitation for vegetative propagation of fruit trees, forest trees, NWFP (bee plants, trees caterpillar, medicinal plants, Gnetum africanum, structure propagating mushrooms ... … Read more
Eco-Tourism Eco-Tourism Examples
This link shows you different examples of eco-tourism in lots of different countries. It is a good way to understand what eco-tourism really is and what it looks like in practice. You will find : - Costa Rica Ecotourism - Rain Forest, Wildlife, Volcanos - The Beauty of Sustainable Costa Rica | Sustainable Tourism - Costa Rica: Certified Sustainable Tourism at Selva Bananito - The Whole Picture - Sustainable Tourism in … Read more
