Primary Menu
Field Study of the World
Secondary Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
    • Agriculture
    • Architecture
    • Cities
    • Communities
    • Design
    • Engineering
    • Environment
    • General
    • Historic sites
    • Humanitarian aid
    • Responsible tourism
    • Social sustainability
    • Vernacular architecture
    • Volunteering
    • Waste
    • Water
  • Contact
Follow:

Popular Posts...

  • The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
    April 4, 2016

    The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert

  • Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia
    August 18, 2019

    Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia

  • Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing
    November 17, 2019

    Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing

  • Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog
    November 23, 2015

    Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog

  • Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar
    December 17, 2019

    Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar

  • Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake
    January 4, 2016

    Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake

  • Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains
    July 7, 2016

    Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains

  • Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad
    February 15, 2016

    Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad

  • Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan
    June 19, 2017

    Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan

  • Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village
    September 2, 2019

    Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village

food production

Community tourism and environmental protection at Miraflor Natural Reserve
Agriculture, Environment, Responsible tourism October 1, 2017

Community tourism and environmental protection at Miraflor Natural Reserve

344 Views 0 by Erika

At Miraflor Natural Reserve farming communities, the natural environment and tourists have learned to live together for mutual benefit.

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm
Agriculture, Volunteering March 23, 2017

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm

890 Views 0 by Erika

Maya Mountain Research Farm in Belize shows how agroforestry and permaculture can turn damaged soil back into naturally productive landscapes.

Urban farming and its necessity in Cuba
Agriculture, Cities November 28, 2016

Urban farming and its necessity in Cuba

673 Views 0 by Erika

Isolation from world trade has forced Cuba to adopt widespread organic urban farming in an effort to guarantee food security on the island.

Chinampas, the floating gardens of a sinking city
Agriculture, Cities October 31, 2016

Chinampas, the floating gardens of a sinking city

2,135 Views 1 by Erika

Chinampas are an efficient Mesoamerican method of agriculture and a reminder of Mexico City’s past as a city of canals and artificial islands.

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico
Communities, Volunteering October 10, 2016

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico

787 Views 0 by Erika

Bosque Shambala is a growing community that can show Mexicans a self-sufficient alternative to crowded and competitive city life.

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa
Architecture, Volunteering September 22, 2016

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa

2,559 Views 1 by Erika

Earthships have become the symbol of off-grid living, but the key to successful off-grid living lies in understanding design principles and the environment.

Sustainable living and education at O.U.R. Ecovillage
Communities, Social sustainability July 29, 2016

Sustainable living and education at O.U.R. Ecovillage

393 Views 0 by Erika

O.U.R. Ecovillage is a permaculture based community that educates and brings people together to solve global problems.

Grassroots waste management at Kibuye market
Social sustainability, Waste February 22, 2016

Grassroots waste management at Kibuye market

648 Views 0 by Erika

A group of traders from Kibuye market in Kisumu, Kenya have taken over management of organic waste by turning it into organic manure and a profit.

About

Welcome to my blog! My name is Erika Alatalo and I’m a world traveler and humanitarian architect writing about sustainable development, architecture and travel. Check out this page for more information.

Subscribe

Interested in following my travels and blog? Just enter your email address to receive all new posts by email.

Social

  • View fieldstudyoftheworld’s profile on Facebook
  • View fieldstudyoftheworld’s profile on Instagram

Search

© Copyright 2025 Field Study of the World.