The Mother (Earth) Ship Has Landed
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Green Living |
Michael Reynolds is a wild recipe of a man: three parts rebel, two parts contractor, one part inventor, one part child, a dash of magician, and a whole mess a’ genius. He is known to some as one of the most brilliant green architects of our generation and now, due to new documentary film by Oliver Hodge, to some Mike’s known simply as the “Garbage Warrior.”
Much to the chagrin of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) out in New Mexico, Mike began building what he dubbed “earthships” back in the 1970’s. These maverick structures are intended to allow homeowners to be virtually self sufficient, providing their own water, heat, electricity, and food, and hence eradicating the need for centralized distribution of the most essential human needs. (Back in the 70’s, Mike also eradicated the need for roads and septic systems, which he was quickly cured of by the BLM.) Mike defines an earthship as a passive solar home made out of recycled and natural materials. It is off-grid and gets its power from the sun and wind. It is completely sealed from snow and rain, and at the same time, reuses, contains, and treats its own waste water. Mike refers to this ingenious combination of features as “biotecture.”
The central building blocks of an earthship are recycled car tires which are then pounded full of local soil. These earth-filled “bricks,” along with recycled glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans, form walls which absorb heat during the day and radiate it into the home once the temperature drops. The properties of the earthship’s walls, combined with the strategic placement of the build site and ventilation passages, create the ultimate structure for passive solar heating and cooling.
Rain and snow are captured on the roof, filtered, and used for four uses before it passes out of the home, including fresh drinking water, irrigating the indoor garden, cleaning, and waste treatment. Food is grown in “greenhouse corridors” in the home. What does all this mean? Little to no utility bills and a huge reduction in the overall environmental footprint of day-to-day living.
Earthships have been built in climates as diverse as Belgium, Honduras, South Africa, Japan, and Bolivia. The Earthship Biotecture crew provided disaster relief to Indian locals directly after the 2004 tsunami by teaching citizens how to construct homes that would provide water, energy, and food. The team continues to invent the most cutting edge innovations in green building for disaster relief, extreme climactic conditions, and everyday residential applications. As we examine the climatic and ecological uncertainty of our immediate future, we can thank our lucky stars that the earthship has finally landed.
Inspired by Mike Reynold’s state-of-the-art green building techniques? Want to live in your own earthship?
- Watch Garbage Warrior, or host a screening and share it with your whole community
- Read one of Mike’s books: How To Build Your Own Earthship, Comfort In Any Climate, Earthship Volume I, II, and III
- Check out one of the earthship how-to videos
- Stay at an earthship in Taos, NM and experience the gorgeous environment and self-sufficient energy and water systems for yourself
Watch the Garbage Warrior trailer here…
Posted on June 5, 2008 |
Comments
2 Responses to “The Mother (Earth) Ship Has Landed”
Leave a Reply
-
Buy eCo Products
Jenn,
Thanks so much for writing about the Earthships. This might be one of my favorite parts of one of my favorite places on Earth, Taos.
I have visited, rented, toured and fantasized about building an Earthship. In the daily bustle of our lives, this dream sometimes fades out.
Thanks for bringing me back to this place (and time in my life).
[...] just one rotation of films, I discovered earthships via the Garbage Warrior, deepened my fledling understanding of biodynamic farming, fell in love with whales, and watched [...]