Earthships

anyone ever heard of earthships? they're incredible.
I like them because so many people only talk about what they would do.
these people actually did it.
i went and visited one last summer, twas amazing.
perhaps i'll post some pictures sometime.
anyways look them up on the internet they're sweet.
-ben

 

what is it? never heard of them...

 

this the stuff you're talking about? They sound pretty freakin amzing...wonder if they're cheap eh?....It would be awesome to own one

 

sounds interesting, kind of like a mini biodome, except for humans

 

yep they are relatively pretty cheap
alot of countries dont let you build one though...
why?
because it doesn't fit in with their plan of what the country is supposed to look like...

anyway, earthships are great

www.earthships.com

 

I'm going to say that they don't let you build them becuse it doesn't look like they are structurally sound. It looks like in a high wind it could topple over.

 

yes... thats exactly what i'm talking about.
ok here is what i know. I've read many books plus i've visited the earthship community in taos, never mexico.

they're not cheap. they are very nice houses. i live comfortably middle class, and the earthship i had the pleasure of staying in was much nicer than my house.
in the long run, they are much cheaper. ALL the water is from the sky. ALL your electricity is from the sun/wind. Most food is grown in doors in a greenhouse. which means... there are no utility bills. so once you own one, you're set. most people take care of there houses, but an earthship takes care of you.

they really look like those things hobits live in. they're so sweet man.
actually im about to go grab my pictures and post some up here.

peace

 

ok i scanned a few...

 

Here is a link to the "earthship" my father designed that I put 10 months of my life into building when I was 19: http://www.preparednessnow.com/branson_earthship_home_project.htm
He had originally hoped to generate enough interest in this type of sustainable living architecture to get some people together in this part of the country (southern MO, Table Rock Lake area) and help build a community of earthships like the one in Taos, NM. He originally got the inspiration for the idea when I was a child and we lived in rural Northern New Mexico and saw the roots of the earthship community in Taos starting to take shape. Since then he has been involved iin the home building industry and got his masters in architecure here in Kansas. He wanted to take that experience and channel it into something more forward thinking and "green" so this earthship we built was the culmination of all that. The house is currently vacant and still needs some of the finishing touches. His plans on what to do with it are sort of unclear right now since he lives in the city and has young children, it is just not feasible for him to move down there into it, despite how much I think he would enjoy living off the grid and away from all the typical BS in the city.
Anyways, if you guys have any questions about them feel free to drop me a few lines, plus Id love to hear some more comments or if anyone else has insight on these or any other sustainable living projects. This project was designed and implemented essentially the same as the Michael Reynold's Earthships who provided us with the basic plans and a plethora of knowledge on the subject. Look for an update to this reply hopefully soon discussing some more of the advantages and maybe disadvantages of this type of home building. I will say that it does have a lot of promise for those that are willing to work hard to build themselves a wonderful sustainable living environement but dont necessarily have great financial means to do so as the simplistic style and recyclable materials approach to earthship building is pretty feasible.

-Evan-

 

I love Taos nestled up next to the Sangre De Christos, those earthships sure are nice too....I want to rent one for a night or two next time Im out that way.....the ones in what I think is called the REACH project are built up on the mountainside next to Taos but arent for rent I dont think. Also the former actor Dennis Weaver has a pretty big one built somewhere in Colorado I believe. VERY labor intensive if you go with the tire approach.....I know from experience. But it sure builds up those oblique muscles among others swinging that sledge all day and hauling dirt....I loved it, very much worth the work.

 

the cost for an earthship is 10% higher than for a normal house, and
thats cuz of the piece of land you have to buy.
in the end it will be cheaper though cuz the monthly water and electricity bill is not there or is very minimal.
the earthship build as structurally sound as you make it 'yourself'
-you and those who have build earthships before-
before you build your own, you have to have been with a group to learn how to build one.
they've devoloped certain ways of building earthships.
for extreme weather conditions.
also ones that can handle hurricanes and earthquakes.
i know that in holland they don't want earthships because of the governments building plans.
there's no real 'country side' left here,
holland is basically a big city with some parks.
so when you want to build something it has to fit in with the
governments idea of what a house should look like.

 

hey guys i'm looking forward to this discussion too...
but right now i have to go work an 8 hour shift.
i'll be sure to post something to talk about when i get off.

peace

 

I would absolutely ADORE more information. I'm looking for ways to live more independantly from the rest of the American lifestyle.

 

well, there's a great belgium website about earthships,
it's the only actually good website on the subject.
but it's in dutch...
all i know about earthships is in the post i made yesterday haha
but if you need more info i can translate some things for you from that site.

 

I always wondered about the earthships made from recycled "trash". Like old tires, bottles and such. I have seen them make the walls out of the tires and I have always wondered, what happens when those tires start to degrade? I mean they do rot. But what is the health factors on the inhabitants of those earthships when they start leeching thier poisions into the ground?

 

Tires need UV exposure to degrade, so under a few inches of stucco they remain as inert as the earth that's rammed into them, no environmental or health concerns.

I have to say though, I take issue with earthships to a degree. The sustainable building community has always been very open when it came to sharing knowledge and trade practices and what the earthship folks have done in my mind is taken previously established building methods and created a brand if you will. When you disect these buildings down into various components, you see there is very little they've actually pioneered themselevs. Renewable energies, passive solar, thermal mass/thermo-dynamics, grey water treatment, rammed earth tire construction, earthbags, reclaimed/recycled matierals, etc, these are not unique to earthships. Yet they are quite adiment in thier books and seminars (neither of which are, in my opinion, fairly priced) that you use thier methods and thier designs. Problem is thier designs and methods eminate from a desert climate and despite their efforts to offer designs suitable for other enviorns they are often not apropriate.

My point basicly is that in an effort to put thier concept of the sustainable building at the forefront of peoples minds they've hindered the rest of the building community by not encouaging people to explore ALL the options. If a TRUELY sustainable building industry is to emerge it must be built solidly on the concepts co-operation and exhange of information not compitition and mis-information.

 

I checked them out online and then last night an earthship house was featured on t.v. i think it is a wonderful alternative. I read into to the water system and I'm not sure if I would feel safe with the drinking water, but I'll have to check into it. I was looking into cohousing, but my hubby won't do it so maybe I can push this. thanks for putting it up here so those of us who didn't know could check into it.

 

Yovo, Excellent response.

 

I agree with you on the branding of the sustainable living idea of earthships. Earthship itself is a trademarked name. However, in a capitalist society everyone is motivated to compete for resources somehow despite the inherent flaws in such a system, and I think Mr. Reynolds is doing this to simply fund his vision for the community he has been able to establish and build upon. But like you said a lot of it is basic green architecture stuff that has been utilized by people around the world in different forms for centuries. I just it is right to give credit where credit is due and the Earthship group has certainly helped draw attention to the need for more eco friendly living in our age of "Mc Mansions" and Hummers.
Very good informed response though.

 

i hadnt heard about these until this thread, and from those pics they look pretty far out