Technology is often times taken for granted in our communities.  It consumes us and we look forward to the next new revelation that will make life easier.  It is not, however, always having the latest in technology that puts you ahead of the pack, but rather knowing how to use it for your advantage.  Sustainable communities know how to best use the technology that is available to them and Lift Kids is working to bring that to its villages.

Lift Kids has begun implementing such ideas as receiving a weather forecast on a cell phone, learning new water filtration practices, using alternative fuels, and receiving medical treatment through the web in the villages they have helped to make sustainable.  While inexpensive computers and free software can provide a technological advantage to a village, Lift Kids focuses on how the technology can be used to provide tools to sustain a village in the long-term.

Essential Technologies for the sustainable village include:

Wind Technology
Windmills provide another inexpensive means for generating power.  These windmills are roof top units that are designed to power a single building, i.e., a school or recreation center.  Wind also provides power in the evenings after the sun has gone down.   Combining wind power and solar power together provides these villages with long-term sustainable power sources that are virtually free. 

Water Technology
The most important aspect of a Lift Kids village is the availability and use of good, clean water. Without this, a village can never become self-sustaining.  There are approximately 1.1 billion people in the world that do not have access to safe water.   Water covers about 75% of the earth, yet only 2% is suitable for drinking as 98% is saltwater. 

Fresh, potable water is a scarce and indispensable resource required for sustaining humans, livestock and agriculture.  Developing countries can benefit by exploring sustainable water technologies such as rainwater harvesting, gravity flow, boreholes, wells, filtration techniques and solar powered pumps.  Water is an essential component to sustaining a village and is one of Lift Kid's main focuses.

Sun/Solar Technology
Solar panels have become extremely cost efficient in third world countries and many of these countries have a considerable amount of sunshine each year.  Solar panels in the early 1980's that cost $100/watt are only $3/watt today.  This price will continue to go down as technology increases and are projected to be $2/watt within 2 years.