In one generation, a family from Latin America was able to rise out of poverty and send their daughter to college. John Barrie, executive director of the Appropriate Technology Collaborative, attributed this accomplishment to sustainable technology. In particular, replacing kerosene lamps with solar and LED lights in 2007 helped to provide this opportunity.

“It’s less expensive to provide light using solar panels and LED lights,” Barrie explained. “We know from following up with our clients that they have more hours to work in the evening. The women usually spend more time doing needlework and sell more on the market. The kids do their homework.”

The Appropriate Technology Collaborative is an Ann Arbor nonprofit organization that focuses on the design and development of sustainable technology that low-income people can afford. Headed by Barrie, the company works with teams of professionals and students to produce these technologies.

“I get to work with really smart people designing really cool technologies that improve the quality of life for a lot of people,” said Barrie about his work. “I also work with local people in Latin America to design technologies to improve their lives. It’s about as good as it gets for work.”

As a child, Barrie developed a strong interest in design and technology. When he was still in elementary school, he began attaching lawn mower motors to go-karts. This spurred a lifelong passion for designing technology. He went to the University of Michigan, where he received degrees in architecture and mathematics.

“In my college years, I was disappointed that there was no interest in solar design,” he said. “It was definitely frowned upon because I think solar designs of the '70s were so ugly that it really turned the world off it.”

Barrie also remarked on the different attitudes toward solar design in the '70s as compared to now. He cited the artistic community’s growing interest in designing efficient energy products as a catalyst to this development.

“Now we have gorgeous green, energy-efficient buildings,” he added. “They are more pleasing to the senses.” Barrie said he realized this surge of interest in sustainability has opened up many opportunities for design and technology, especially for Appropriate Technology Collaborative.

However, Barrie not only wanted to design and develop environmentally friendly technologies, but he also wanted to make a difference in the world. He explained that while traveling in Ecuador in 2004, he noticed that buildings in rural parts were not being built to maximize efficient use of lighting.

“I could apply my talents to help people,” Barrie said. “I was mulling this thought over and realized there are very few people designing things for poor people. The people who make less than $2.50 a day, this is my market.”

Barrie said his target market are those who are living in poverty. It is his goal to not only produce energy-efficient technology, but also to make it affordable. He travels to poverty-stricken, rural areas to observe what technology would benefit his clients most. He estimates that 25 percent of his time is spent in Latin America, living and working with clients.

Barrie also said the biggest reward to his work is seeing positive results. He says this is what drives his passion and motivates him to continue doing this work. The fact that a family was planning to send their daughter to college due to a more efficient lighting system was particularly moving to him. This fixture that only costs $2 to install provided long-term benefits.

“A simple intervention has changed the economic status of a family from poverty to out of poverty in one generation. That’s pretty big,” he said.

But Barrie’s passion for using sustainable designs and technology to help people rise above poverty goes behind just helping one family. He says his goal is larger than that.

“I think that we can get rid of poverty in 50 years,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is create designs that have strong benefits and help people find their way out of poverty.”

Barrie said that in the future, he hopes to focus more on the design aspect of the Appropriate Technology Collaborative.

“As I say, there’s a tremendous need for designing new sustainable, affordable green technologies,” he asserted. “Product design should be all cool as an iPhone and as energy efficient as a Prius.”

Ellora Gupta is a junior at the University of Michigan with a strong interest in passionate people. If you want to share your passions or the passions of others, please contact her at egupta@umich.edu.