"Earth Ships" sound exotic, and they really kind of are....
Imagine constructing a home of reusable items, recycling them to make a shelter that is protective, self-sustaining, and beautiful? Water, electriticity, food sources are all taken into account when designing an earth ship.
These eco-weenie and survivalist delights aren't just built in the New Mexico Desert and the high country of Colorado, but you can find them all over the country now. They are generally built with tires filled with materials to insulate and recycled cans and concrete. They have passive solar capabilities and can capture and utilize rainwater. These homes are already off the grid, so an ideal retreat during the zombie apocalypse and end of world scenario.
An innovative man named Mike Reynolds began building these in the early 70s. Some of these utilize solar and wind turbines or both and have extensive recycling for water to be used to water plants that is not drinkable. Building into a berm offers insulation and the use of plants in an atrium around the outer portion allows for the home to remain cool and the plants to thrive in a constant environment.
It sounds like heaven being off the grid, having a home that is self sufficient no matter what craziness happens in the world, but many urban folks would have a hard transition to fairly rustic living. It takes a good deal of care and maintenance for the earth ship to "fly right" and it's not like you can call out Roto Rooter or a local handyman to fix the problems.
For someone determined to live off the grid, enjoy independence, peace, and living in nature in very fancy upscale version of camping, an earth ship is a great concept. I know that in the future we can take this concept and run with it, utilizing recycled materials and possibly finding ways to back up our power like a hybrid car can, as a nice compromise.
Still, if you want to be the ultimate survivor in an apocalypse, you might try one of these earth ships on for a fit. One called the Phoenix in New Mexico rents it out for you to try it.
There may not be subdivisions of them in the future, but for now, it's fun to consider the possibilities of an exotic home that isn't a slave to utilities.
Comments
Post a Comment