Earthships 101 part I

Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of natural and recycled materials 2. thermal mass construction for temperature stabilization. 3. renewable energy & integrated water systems make the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility bills.
Biotecture n. 1. the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their sustainability. 2. A combination of biology and architecture.

• Category

  Howto & Style

[Luke Grey-Robin]

Aye, if you want to go the whole hog then it can cost a bit. Don't get a home loan, get a loan for a car then spend the money on a home hehe.

Everything can be done cheap if you make it yourself. Solar panels can cost as little as $200 per panel if you make them yourself and don't mind using some damaged cells. Wind generators can be again made yourself. The expensive inverters can be made.. The knowledge is out there. Didn't say it would be easy though!

[DreamsCatcher101]

You guys need to do a project with Geoff Lawton.

I have been looking into building an earthship and surrounding it with square foot gardens and a permaculture food forest with livestock and a lake full of fish. And it will happen.

But get enough people and enough acreage in one place and fill it with trees (with scattered earthships, square foot gardens, livestock, fishing lakes, play areas, workshops) it would create its own local climate.

And not just a happy one.

[David Bartos]

dude, woah my mind is blown.

[TheKongruent]

@ Martin

When a tire is getting hot on a hot road it might release something, and when many cars are driving the same road, we all get this gasses in our lungs anyway. Even much more, when a Vulcan erupts. So life is dangerous. Michael Jackson was afraid to die of all kind of things and he took gloves on all the time. We have to find a balance between healthy

building material - ecological footprints, our suspicious chimp brain and our obsessive hypochondriac belief system ;-) We have a choice!

[TheKongruent]

@ Martin

I think we can explore beliefs about theoretical traces of any kind, or use some logic. We can focus on radiation from the ground, from the universe, all kind of gasses who theoretical can do some harm. What really happen, is the harm of negative thoughts inside our head. This kind of thoughts are more poisoned, then any theoretical traces. The placebo effect is so strong - your thoughts are working as an brain virus - so you can get sick - not from any tires, but from you thoughts...

[Martin Williams]

Hi guys

I remember when I worked in labs the chemists were conducting some research on how toxins can enter the water supply and they found that this happens when tyres mix with ashpalt or some road surface and then these toxins enter the sewage canals (drains) where they can find their way into our water supply. Obviously these are traces but in time they build up. Can similar problems happen when tyres are used in buildings?

I would like a definite answer on this possibility.

Thanks

[Martin Williams]

Hi guys

One thing that concerns me about using tyres is that tyres can release toxins and especially gases. I want to know if anybody has checked to find out if these tyres gas out any formaldehyde when they get hot. Can somebody please put my mind at rest and tell me that this does not happen?

Thanks

[Jane Prepper]

I'm obsessed with "alternative" housing. LOVE THEM! It will be another 2 to 3 years before I build my own (saving up for it - I want it to be a CASTLE) The idea of being totally self sufficient appeals to me. LOVE IT.

[Victor de carvalho]

9gag

[FromAnotherSide]

I love the idea, kind of worried about indoor air quality though. Especially for the room behind the greenhouse.

[DreamsCatcher101]

Finish collage first then go do it.

I will probably end up buying some valley in the mountains of America and building a small community of like minded people and doing the things i mentioned in the first comment.

I'm even going to grow food in the local school's square foot garden this year. Which got put in 3 years ago then left 100% bare. So i'm going to plant some lettuce, carrots, onions, peas, beans and all sorts of other stuff in them.

I just haven't told them yet :)