Walker's blog

Safe Water and Small business development

Posted Wed, 07/28/2010 - 10:25 by Walker

Recently read about the Aquaya Institute, which does research into water purification, and specifically focuses on the technology, the delivery, and measuring the results. They also are developing their "Water Business Kit" which can help entrepreneurs and small-businesses provide safe water to customers in areas where there is little infrastructure to purify water.
We added them to our Water Infrastructure page - www.star-tides.net/infrastructure/water where you can read about them and many other organizations focused on providing clean water

And you can check them out at www.aquaya.org

USAID Report on Shelter in Haiti

Posted Fri, 06/11/2010 - 14:53 by Walker

Document from USAID on its "Approach to Shelter in Post‐Earthquake Haiti:
Providing Security, Dignity and Work".

Good overview of the challenges and problems being faced in Haiti with regard to providing shelters.
Find the pdf here - http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDACP673.pdf

Hexayurt Project

Posted Wed, 05/26/2010 - 09:01 by Walker

Wanted to highlight the Hexayurt project today - http://hexayurt.com
Vinay Gupta has done much to further the ideas of the TIDES project and was one of the original instigators. He continues to do research on innovative ideas and the problems/disasters that can befall society. See the website for more information and some of his videos and speeches.

Continued work by ICT4Peace

Posted Tue, 05/25/2010 - 14:48 by Walker

At the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) 2010, Lin Wells spoke on a panel entitled "Getting it Right in Crisis Management: Going beyond the hype on ICTs"
Here is a link to more detail and you can even listen to the talk - http://bit.ly/a3cTtM

Shelter in Haiti

Posted Tue, 04/20/2010 - 17:31 by Walker

Interesting idea for shelters in Haiti, read about what USAID is doing here http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADR961.pdf
I have a few concerns about stability, the foundation, and securing it when rains come and winds blow. The description in the article is not very well-explained, but that doesn't mean it won't work. To see other creative ideas about shelters, visit our page here http://www.star-tides.net/infrastructure/shelter

One Laptop Per Child

Posted Mon, 08/10/2009 - 09:36 by Walker

At many of the TIDES demos, the One Laptop Per Childs (OLPCs), also known as the XO laptop, have been a very popular exhibit. For those who want to learn more about it, here's a great overview
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/hundred-dollar-laptop.htm

in Afghanistan

Posted Mon, 03/30/2009 - 11:42 by Walker

A friend of STAR-TIDES is over working in Afghanistan and sharing her story through a blog. Check it out here http://adventuresinjalalabad.blogspot.com

Shelter Testing in the Virginia Mountains

Posted Mon, 08/25/2008 - 09:56 by Walker

Earlier this month we completed nine months of exposure testing for three kind of shelters on a hilltop in western Virginia.  The test period ran from mid-Dec 07 to mid-August 08 and included fairly mild winter snows, fairly strong spring thunderstorms with estimated 60 mph winds, and summer heat/heavy rains.  The testing was

Sanitation NGO in India

Posted Fri, 07/25/2008 - 17:24 by Walker

This is a link to an NGO that focuses on sanitation in India.  http://www.sulabhinternational.org/ 

Not necessarily rapid response for a disaster but certainly development related.  I've also attached a powerpoint slide show that I pulled off their website.

From a recent article in the Economist

Earth Bag Shelters

Posted Wed, 05/14/2008 - 10:56 by Walker

For the next few months, here in DC, a group called Builders Without Borders is constructing a straw bale home at the US Botanical Gardens right next to the Capitol Building.  This structure is probably too complicated to be used for disaster relief situations, but they also will be building an earth bag shelter.  In addition, members of the group will be coming to NDU to present their ideas to us, and talk about the possibilities of including earth bags as a shelter solution. 

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