Appropedia
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for web content. (May 2023) |
 | |
 Screenshot of the Appropedia web interface on March 13, 2026 | |
| Website | appropedia |
|---|---|
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | 2007 |
Content license | Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 |
Appropedia is a wiki-based website that contains content relating to sustainability, poverty, environmental degradation, and international development.[1][2] It was founded in 2006 by an instructor at Cal Poly Humboldt.[3]
Purpose
[edit]Appropedia can be used to help people who lack in financial stability and are looking for an alternative source to advance their financial expertise as well as environmental sustainability.[4]
Nomenclature
[edit]Appro means "Appropriate Technology".[5] Despite "pedia" in the title, the site is not an encyclopedia, but a collection of various types of content, including original research.[5]
History
[edit]Appropedia was founded in 2006[6] and registered it as a not for profit in California.[7]
Site organization
[edit]The website is organized into portals that are groups of articles arranged by topics.[5] Topics include construction, energy, food & agriculture, health, and water.[5] Like other wiki based websites, the content can be navigated in multiple ways, using tags to indicate themes.[5][8]
Content is made under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.[5]
Comparison with Wikipedia
[edit]The rules for content acceptance and editing on Appropedia vary from Wikipedia due to having different goals. For example:
- While Wikipedia requires verifiability, Appropedia prefers verifiability but does not demand it.[5]
- While Wikipedia prohibits original research, Appropedia encourages it.[5]
- While Wikipedia requires a neutral point of view, Appropedia encourages a neutral point of view, but notably the content tends to be uploaded by people with affiliations to the topic.[5]
Notable uses
[edit]An Ontario man, Aren Page, used Appropedia to help him design an off-grid residential vehicle.[9]
Michigan Technological University faculty Joshua Pearce used Appropedia to share hundreds of designs for cost saving.[10]
References
[edit]- ↑ Pearce, Joshua M. (March 2009). "Appropedia as a Tool for Service Learning in Sustainable Development". Journal of Education for Sustainable Development. 3 (1): 45–53. doi:10.1177/097340820900300112. hdl:1974/5306. ISSN 0973-4082. S2CID 145118511.
- ↑ "Appropedia". Reference Reviews. 29 (2): 31. 2015-01-01. doi:10.1108/RR-08-2014-0239. ISSN 0950-4125.
- ↑ Steuer, Eric (2016-03-07). "WorldWithoutWaste". Creative Commons. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
- ↑ Pearce, Joshua (12 Sep 2016). "Global citizens unite to improve housing with open design and development". Opensource.com. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Sunter, Patrick, and Chris Watkins. "Issues in Developing a G/Local Knowledge Network for Transport Reform Utilising Appropedia." CIRN Prato Community Informatics Conference. 2013.
- ↑ Sunter, Patrick; Watkins, Chris (2013). "Issues in Developing a G/Local Knowledge Network for Transport Reform Utilising Appropedia". Prato Community Informatics Conference.
- ↑ "The Internet and other ICTs as tools and catalysts for development". Information Development. SAGE Publications. 2012.
- ↑ Pearce, J. M., Denkenberger, D. (2014). Feeding Everyone No Matter What: Managing Food Security After Global Catastrophe. Netherlands: Elsevier Science.
- ↑ Lale, Brent (2021-10-26). "'It's a solar-powered apartment': Western University prof's book teaches DIY solar energy projects". London. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
- ↑ Perkins, Cyndi (2020-12-04). "Open-Source Maker, Mover and Shaker Takes Share-Everything Philosophy to the Mainstream". Michigan Technological University. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
