“Green living” is an ideal that many people strive to incorporate in their lives nowadays. But to what extent are you willing to “go green?” For many inhabitants of Tao, New Mexico, green living is a vital part of their daily lives. Taos is the origin of earthships-solar homes that are able to work autonomously in using the sun’s energy to regulate temperature.
Earthship Construction
Earthships are commonly made out of recycled materials. Does the idea of your garage door being constructed from tires make you cringe? Then these homes may not be right for you. Earth-filled tires are often one of the primary building blocks in forming earthships, but recycled cans (known as tin can walls) and stucco are used as well.
Electricity
Earthships collect energy in a variety of ways. Through photovoltaic panels and windturbines, energy is collected and then stored in specialized batteries. Later, this stored energy runs through a “Power Organizing Module,” which is capable of converting the energy for powering up all sorts of household appliances, including computers, and washing machines.
Advantages
The decision to move into an earthship is a big one, and is essentially a commitment to a lifestyle change. Still, there are a number of advantages you can procure from living in an earthship. Often utility charges vastly decline; because rainwater is often collected from the roof, water and sewage fees usually decrease. Rubber tires are very resilient, and are great at insulating the homes. Furthermore, you can usually get rubber tires for free, and sometimes even get paid for removing them. The biggest advantage of earthships is environmental; these homes promote recycling, minimize harm to the environment, and create their own energy.
Potential Disadvantages
Because earthships rely so much on solar energy, not all areas around the globe are suited to work well with earthships. These houses do best in environments where there is a lot of sunlight; if you live in the US the Southwest is probably the best place to set up your earthship, or join an earthship living community.
Prevalence of Earthships
Earthships have been around since the ‘70s (thanks to architect Michael Reynolds). Reynolds also introduced Earthships to Europe, building the first European earthship in Belgium ,back in 2000. There are currently two earthships in Africa, with two more being constructed in South Africa.
What are your thoughts on earthships? Do you think they will increase in popularity in the future? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!
Photo Credit: kitseeborg – Flickr