Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 31, 2026

Appropedia

Appropedia is a wiki-based website that contains content relating to sustainability, poverty, environmental degradation, and international development.

Last revised
May 31, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
442 w
Citations
17
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Appropedia
Screenshot of the Appropedia web interface on March 13, 2026
URLappropedia.org
CommercialNo
RegistrationOptional
Launched2007
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.12

Purpose

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.3

Nomenclature

Appro means "Appropriate Technology".4 Despite "pedia" in the title, the site is not an encyclopedia, but a collection of various types of content, including original research.4

History

Appropedia was founded in 20065 and registered it as a not for profit in California.6

Site organization

The website is organized into portals that are groups of articles arranged by topics.4 Topics include construction, energy, food & agriculture, health, and water.4 Like other wiki based websites, the content can be navigated in multiple ways, using tags to indicate themes.47

Content is made under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.4

Comparison with Wikipedia

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.4
  • While Wikipedia prohibits original research, Appropedia encourages it.4
  • 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.4

Notable uses

An Ontario man, Aren Page, used Appropedia to help him design an off-grid residential vehicle.8

Michigan Technological University faculty Joshua Pearce used Appropedia to share hundreds of designs for cost saving.9

References

References

  1. 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.
  2. "Appropedia". Reference Reviews. 29 (2): 31. 2015-01-01. doi:10.1108/RR-08-2014-0239. ISSN 0950-4125.
  3. Pearce, Joshua (12 Sep 2016). "Global citizens unite to improve housing with open design and development". Opensource.com. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  4. Sunter, Patrick, and Chris Watkins. "Issues in Developing a G/Local Knowledge Network for Transport Reform Utilising Appropedia." CIRN Prato Community Informatics Conference. 2013.
  5. Sunter, Patrick; Watkins, Chris (2013). "Issues in Developing a G/Local Knowledge Network for Transport Reform Utilising Appropedia". Prato Community Informatics Conference.
  6. "The Internet and other ICTs as tools and catalysts for development". Information Development. SAGE Publications. 2012.
  7. Pearce, J. M., Denkenberger, D. (2014). Feeding Everyone No Matter What: Managing Food Security After Global Catastrophe. Netherlands: Elsevier Science.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.