"Earthship Biotecture": Renegade New Mexico Architect’s Radical Approach to Sustainable Living

[bananas]

Published on Oct 11, 2012 by democracynow

DemocracyNow.org - New Mexico residents are trying to a break free from Los Alamos' nuclear legacy by creating more environmentally sound ways of living. At the forefront of this struggle is renegade architect Michael Reynolds, creator of radically sustainable living options through a process called "Earthship Biotecture." Reynolds' solar homes are created from natural and recycled materials, including aluminum cans, plastic bottles and used tires. These off-the-grid homes minimize their reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels by harnessing their energy from the sun and wind turbines. In Taos, New Mexico, Reynolds gives us a tour of one of the sustainable-living homes he created.


Guest:

Michael Reynolds, creator of radically sustainable living options through a process called "Earthship Biotecture."


Transcript at http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/11/earthship_biotecture_renegade_new_mexico_architects

[SamKnause]

1. The Garbage Warrior

Michael Reynolds is an amazing man with incredible solutions.

[enlightenment]

2. Sounds like what Dennis Weaver did in Ridgway

in 1989. Recycled 'garbage' and solar energy. Also very similar to houses described in a 1970s (?) book . . . I think it was called "Structures"?

Great ideas (I've always wanted to build a straw-bale home), but I don't know if I'd call Reynolds a renegade!

[n2doc]

3. Why do they always have to make it ugly?

Traditional adobe architecture there is sustainable and energy efficient. But these guys always have to make their stuff look like some 60's drug fueled 'experiment'. Bleah. Seen this sort of stuff elsewhere. Make it palatable for the rest of us, and he has a solution.

[Tigress DEM]

7. It's not ugly, it's retro.

But not everyone's taste, for sure.

The early homes are built to showcase the element features, so they are shown.

STILL IF you wanted it an a particular fashion, and were willing to pay the money, he's still got an architect BRAIN and the design could be easily modified.

A wall of bottles could be planned out to look more like a piece of stained glass art.

Interior walls could be covered and fresco art added here and there.

If you want the best of both worlds, and you have to have high end refrigeration or cooking appliances, then you add more solar and wind driven sources.

BUT with the way the economy and politics are going, it would be REALLY nice to be somewhere OFF the grid so if society collapses, I can still have a roof over my head and feed my family. Might be worth it to live retro just for that kind of security.

[1monster]

4. The website:

http://earthship.com/

[Tigress DEM]

16. Seeing if this link to one of the global models works on DU

I'm not sure how to get it going, but if you go down to the pics and click on the magnifying to view details it starts a slide show and THIS home is very easy on the eyes I think. Less showing the "craft" and more of the "art and livability" features.

[Tigress DEM]

17. Love this view

[1monster]

18. Their interior designer needs a bit of work, but I love the stained glass bottle work

around the door.

Furnishings and kitchen design is more primative than retro.

Given the same space, I'd put the kitchen in the back of the room and at least half wall it off. The dining are would move to where the kitchen is, and I'd square off the living room area from the dining area with furniture placement. AND I would definitely get rid of those horrible dust covers on the sofa! Art work of some kind is needed on the walls, and some interesing lamps added for illumination and ambiance.

[Tigress DEM]

19. You watch HGTV, don't you?

Room has "good bones" though. Where a person goes with it gives it a personality and some panache.

[1monster]

20. No, I rarely watch any television at all, then usually Discovery Channel and History Channel. BUT

One of my mental hobbies is to look at homes and decide how I would renovate them it they were mine and I had the money.

[Tigress DEM]

21. I don't do TV either, but if Hubby and I are at a hotel, we usually have HGTV in one room and flip..

between Discovery and the History Channel on the other.

At home we watch DVD's, HULU or Netflix.

CSPAN or NPR for the debates.

[Dustlawyer]

5. Poor choice of name for the movie in light of the good this would do us. I make my living

fighting BP and see how a large multinational corporation breaks laws, bribes politicians, destroys the planet, kills people and the lengths that they will go to to protect their monopoly on energy. They spew propaganda and lie all of the time. He has an uphill battle, but then, we like underdogs don't we? Sail on earth Ships!!!

[Tigress DEM]

8. I think they were using the controversey as free publicity.

As they say in the world of PR - ALL Publicity is GOOD publicity. Keep your name out there.

[Agnosticsherbet]

6. Actually, it is a beautiful house, livable art.

It is a different but parallel course with earth houses, where they are within hills. The real question is if this is applicable to housing 7 billion people.

[Tigress DEM]

9. Tiny Homes are another awesome option

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

[Tigress DEM]

10. More examples of Tiny Homes

[Tigress DEM]

11. If you're more avant garde

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/z-glass/#ad-image-0




http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/top-10-shipping-container-tiny-houses/

[Tigress DEM]

12. NOW my dream home is a Tiny Home in a Geodesic Glass/Solar Dome with EarthShip walls

Tiny Home in a Geodesic Glass/Solar Dome with EarthShip walls AND at least grey water waste management with the jungle/hydroponic garden as my OUTER rooms with the tiny home at the center of the house AND a big entertaining/tornado evac area downstairs in the basement.

I live in Minnesota and it would give me GREEN Surround ALL YEAR long. ALL my plants would get automatically watered!!

I'd have a Tiny House to heat/cool/clean on a day to day basis, but a big space for entertaining and for the grand kids to run around.









Though a FULL Dome Home still makes me sigh
http://www.naturalspacesdomes.com/Videos/Greenest/GreenestHomes.html

[Tigress DEM]

14. ANOTHER Tiny Home Builder -- in Texas!!

http://facesoftherecession.blogspot.com/2009/03/tiny-texas-houses.html

[Tigress DEM]

15. One of Brad Kittel's homes - CUTE!!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. The desert is great for raw materials when you consider Portland Cement....

Last edited Sat Oct 13, 2012, 05:40 PM - Edit history (1)

A 50 pound bag costs under $6 and to that you add 150 pounds of gravel and 100 pounds of sand making a total of 200 pounds of building material. You can sift the sand and gravel on site and use it as mortar for rocks. Keep in mind that earthquakes can crack the whole structure.