Open Source Ecology

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Open Source Ecology
Open Design, Global Swadeshi and the Living
Collaboratory
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What is Open Source Ecology?

• Quality of Life
• Back to Basics
• Open Design
• Open Permaculture
• Open Knowledge
• Empowering the Global Village
• Global Swadeshi

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What is Factor E Farm

• Location/Bioregion
• Time scale
• Collaborators
• Projects
• Progress
• Future

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Appropriate Technology
Appropriate technology (AT) is technology that is
designed with special consideration to the
environmental, ethical, cultural, social and
economical aspects of the community it is
intended for. With these goals in mind, AT
typically requires fewer resources, is easier to
maintain, has a lower overall cost and less of an
impact on the environment compared to
industrialized practices. - Wikipedia
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Knowledge Access and Transfer

• Nonrival goods
• Right to knowledge
• Exchange
• Transfer
• Rapid Empowerment

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The Problem with Proprietary Research, Design and
Production
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Open Source

• Inspiring example ofCollaborationDistributed
  NetworksRise of Non-Proprietary Culture
• Gave way to the idea of....

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Open Design
1. Freely downloadable documentation 2. DfD,
lifetime design 3. Simplicity and low cost are of
prime importance 4. Replaceable components 5.
Modular Design 6. Scaleability 7. Localization 1.
Level 1 - product fabrication or production is
local 2. Level 2 - material sourcing is local 8.
Product evolution - phases and versions are
pursued 9. Concrete Flexible Fabrication
mechanism exists for others to purchase the
product at reasonable cost (CSM)? 10. Open
franchising - replicable enterprise design is
available, and training exists for entrepreneurs
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Multimachine

• Sourcing
• Tooling
• Scaleability
• Design Simplicity
• AT
• Capacity Building

Pat Delaney, www.opensourcemachine.com
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Hexayurt

• Cheap
• Rapid Construction
• Simplicity
• Minimal Materials
• Lasts a decade

Vinay Gupta
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Appropedia

• Sustainability Wiki
• Distributed Network
• Rapidly growing
• Accessible
• Open Sustainability Network

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Open Farm Tech

• Wiki of OSE technology, technique, principle
• Detail oriented, engineering and post-industrial
  systems
• Needs a redesign!

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Factor E's Designs
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OSE Lifetime Design Standards
- Long Lasting - Easily Repairable - Focused
Wear - Scaleability - Ecological Design
viaPattern Design Language Retooling and
minimal materials Generational return THEN
Cradle to Cradle
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Pattern Design Language
- PDL for open source technology - Minimal
Materials, energy - Best use - Maximum
Utility - Scaleability - Learning by doing
(learn how the machines you use work!
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Flexible Fabrication
- Maximum flexibility to meet Bioregional
Demand - PDL gt many tools, technologies -
Factoring in Woodwork Pottery Millnery Casting
and Forging Microcombine Hardware Mechanical Elect
ronic - Factor these products into
Bioregional exchange/trading system
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Community Supported Manufacturing
- Participatory system of exchange/trading -
Trade/Pay for credits to use facilities -costs go
to facilities, maintenance and growth of
flexibility Advantages Least Distance Best
Use Shared Resources Shared Machines Knowledge
transfer Knowledge Exchange Bolstered by Open
Design Base!
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Past Designs
DIY Panels from Donated Cells Future Dev's
Life Trac - 8000 in materials Biodiesel,
Hydraulics, PTO
Compressed Earth Block Press Structural Bricks
from Subsoil Factor 10 Reduction in Cost
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Present Designs
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Future Designs
Oven/Kiln from WVO Babington Burner LifeTruck Bi
oPlastic Extrustion PTO attachments for
agroecological work Off-Grid Steel casting
Manifolds, scrap recasting of simple tools,
hardware Well Drilling Inverters Simple
Electronics Wind turbines
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Living Co-Laboratory
- Participatory Action Research - Particapatory,
Distributed, Need- Based Design - Designing
pertinent to Bioregional Needs - Collaborative,
community based spirit - Ecovillage model
Distributed knowledge and design generation -
Rural re-settlement, return to village model -
Neo-Traditionalism - Localised extension,
creating cooperatives, CSAs, CSMs, empowering
rural communities - Future Other EcoVillages
replicated, Urban Living Co-Laboratories!
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OSE Extension
- Proposed Project to Extend Bioregional, Post
Industrial, Agroecological Practices to existing
Communities (Ecovillages, Rural Areas, Suburbs,
Urban Areas)? - Knowledge exchange and
transfer - Distributed Open Knowledge Systems -
Gathering traditional ecological, agricultural,
technical knowledge, wisdom and principles and
new ideas - Do it at home in your garage, on
your farm, your community, etc. - Web resources
and physical resources - Distributing
information and examples of emergent systems
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Open Knowledge Systems
Open Sustainability Network gt Appropedia, Open
Farm Tech, VOICED, etc. (any reccomendations?)? B
uilding a Robust network of knowledge, design,
technique and example in wikis, databases, online
collaboration systems Free Schools, Open
Education Knowledge Bank / Seed Bank
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Open Agroecological Systems
Readily Available Bioregional Networks of
Knowledge, Technique and Practice in -
Permaculture - Companion Planting - Sustainable,
No-till agriculture - Localized food systems -
Polyculture - Food Forests - Wild, native food -
Heirloom Seeds - Traditional/ Indigenous
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Emergent Systems
- Pluralistic, Heterogenous, Resilient
Co-locative systems LETS, Local Currencies,
Open Business Models, Distributed
Networks, Cooperatives, Collectives Cohousing Eco
villages CSAs CSMs Mutualism Land
Trusts Gathering and making accessible
information, theory, practice, results
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Resources
www.openfarmtech.org OSE Wiki www.appropedia.org
Appropedia www.opensourcemachine.org
Multimachine www.p2pfoundation.org
P2P/Participatory?Open Systems Theory and
Practice www.factorefarm.org OSE Land Facility
http//globalswadeshi.ning.com/ Vinay Gupta's
Global Swadeshi Network www.opensustainabilitynet
work.org Open Sustainability Network www.openfarm
tech.org/weblog Factor E Farm Blog http//gen.eco
village.org/ Global EcoVillage Network