Earthships

Okay. Not gonna lie, when I first heard the term “Earthship” I thought the person was pulling my leg. I did not understand why these homes were called ships. I still don’t to be quite honest. Regardless, I am absolutely in love with these homes.

Earthships are essentially fully self-sustaining homes. After they are built, little to no inputs are required to provide comfort to those who live within the walls.

Speaking of walls, the main components of these buildings are used tires, used plastic and glass, and clay. Tires are a waste issue – this can be a blog post itself. As for the homes, the tires are excellent at insulation and protection from the elements. You might think old tires and plastic bottles might make up a pretty ugly house… but Earthships are actually beautifully constructed.

One of my favorite aspects of these homes is the self-reliance. Imagine not having a water bill, electric bill, or gas bill.

Water used in the home is collected rainwater, snow or condensation. The water runs through a filter (include plant filters) that allows the water to be used for drinking and other uses. The water caught goes through a cycle, shown below. Wastewater, or grey water (not been in a toilet) can be used for other household purposes like laundry or watering indoor, edible plants. Black water (that has been in the toilet) gets transferred far away from the home.

Earthships are electrically powered solely by renewable wind or solar. Some may receive their electricity from the grander grid, but most often people choose to keep their homes remote.

As for gas, Earthship’s building materials and design naturally keep them at a comfortable living temperature no matter the weather outside. The clay works with the ground temperature to keep the home at 70 degrees, and the building materials are superb insulators as mentioned before. Heating home no longer requires natural gas, and appliances can all be made electric.

Finally, Earthships typically have their own indoor growing area complimented with huge sun windows. No more buying veggies!

Earthships are illegal in most states. But, here’s a link to where you can find some to book a vacation, rental, or purchase: EarthshipVisitorCenter

As always,

In Soil We Trust

Tiffany