Have you ever looked to see what kind of carbon footprint your lifestyle leaves? Most of us don’t give things like that a second thought in our day-to-day lives. It is a very important issue that more people should be aware of though. The bigger carbon footprint you leave, the more you are harming the planet on a day-to-day basis. Many people have started looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and their effect on the environment. That is where Earthship homes come into play. These homes are incredibly unique, but they offer a lifestyle that traditional homes don’t. Check out these pictures of Earthship homes and see if you would be interested in one someday.
This is an Earthship. They are developed by Earthship Biotecture. They are based out of Taos, New Mexico.
These homes are easy to build, and 100% sustainable.
When most people hear “sustainable living”, they immediately think of mud hut somewhere way off the grid.
These homes offer a combination of responsible use of resources, while stiff giving you the luxuries of a modern home.
There are many advantages that these types of sustainable homes offer.
These homes prove that you don’t have to sacrifice modern conveniences to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment.
A huge advantage that is immediately apparent is the ability to grow your own food.
Each Earthship is outfitted with at least one, many times two, greenhouses.
These allow you to grow your own food all year round. This is a huge step in creating sustainability in our food supply.
Making use of rainwater is a huge way to decrease your carbon footprint.
The entire roof of the Earthship funnels rain water to a cistern, which then pumps it to sinks and showers when required. That used ‘grey water’ is then pumped into the greenhouse to water the plants.
After being cleaned by the plants, the water is pumped up into the bathrooms for use in the toilets. After being flushed, the now ‘black water’ is pumped to the exterior garden to give nutrients to non-edible plants.
This part of the Earthship is really the one of the main attractions to this type of house. The ability to absorb and retain heat for use inside the home.
The heat is absorbed and stored by a phenomenon called “thermal mass.” Tires filled with dirt are used to create the structure of the Earthship. The thermal mass acts as a heat sink, releasing or absorbing heat when the interior cools and heats up, respectively.
These large greenhouse windows are always faced towards the South. This allows the sun to heat up the thermal mass all throughout the day.
The entire roofs of these Earthships are lined with solar panels. You can also get an optional wind turbine. This will ensure you have all the power you will ever need if you are semi-responsible with your power usage.
These homes offer freedom that normal houses can’t match. Imagine having no bills because all your energy needs are already taken care of by the earth’s natural processes.
These homes are extremely easy to build. A couple in their forties shared a story at a Earthship conference recently about how they built a 3 story Earthship home completely by themselves. They had never built anything before this and used no expensive equipment.
Earthships are also extremely inexpensive to build. A basic survival mode model will cost you around $20,000. If you are looking for something to live in every day, there is also a 2 bedroom Global that will run about $70,000.
One of the best things about these amazing homes is that they are made almost entirely from recycled materials. The walls of the homes are made from old car tires which help in creating thermal mass.
The walls (above the tires) are created by placing plastic and glass bottles in concrete.
More Info: Wikipedia
If you are in the market for a new home, you should really look into one of these Earthship homes. They are environmentally friendly and they really do look like works of art. By reducing your carbon footprint, you are ensuring that you are doing everything you can to make the world a better place.
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