Talkin Trash

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Talkin’ Trash

Homebuilding out of this world maricruzbarrera Driving west on U.S Highway 64 in New Mexico, you will come across odd-looking structures tucked under small hills. Taking a closer look at the structures, you will see aluminum soda cans and empty bottles of all colors, shapes and sizes stacked neatly and pressed into cement lining the exterior wall. The backside of this structure is molded by old rubber tires rammed with dirt. These structures aren’t a part of a dump. They are new homes in Taos, New Mexico. This home is called an earthship and is one among 60 in the southwest region of the United States, built by the ‘Godfather of Earthships’, Michael Reynolds. Thirty years ago, Reynolds had a vision to build homes that would help the environment, after receiving his architectural license in 1969, Reynolds decided he didn’t want to pursue “wasteful building” as he called it. In 1971, he was able to build his first home made out of beer cans tied together in the form of bricks. The earthship gets its name from the concept of a ship at sea being self-sufficient and contained and is defined by six major points: thermal solar heating and cooling; building with natural and recycled materials; using electricity only from solar

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and wind; utilizing water from rain and snow; on-site sewage treatment and containment; and producing food by raising animals and planting fruits and vegetables. Because the major concept of an earthship is to work with the environment and obtain natural energy, the cost of living in an earthship is slim to none. The outer walls in an earthship are normally made out of tires and glass which control the temperature inside. Rubber tires naturally form thermal heat. However, to make sure the heat doesn’t escape, it is important that dirt be packed inside tires as tightly as possible. The tires maintain a steady 70 degree temperature in both the winter and summer. The north-facing exterior wall, usually made of glass, obtains sunlight and creates electricity powered by batteries. Water used for washing hands, dishes, laundry, and showering is collected by rainfall and snow and is called grey water. “If water is falling from the sky, and it is on the majority of the planet, it’s crazy not to catch it!” said Reynolds in a documentary, Garbage Warrior. An average home uses about 80 gallons of water per day, but the earthship limits the water usage to 20 gallons a day. The water usage is limited by using low powered faucets and is filtered in cisterns underground so it could be reused to water the fruits and vegetables grown inside the home. Living in an earthship isn’t smelly, which is often a misconception. “It’s actually really pleasant,” says earthship owner, Etta Lebensfold. “Everything in this house is done with a purpose. Every window has a reason. This house is extremely low tech because the design is brilliant,” says Lebensfold who lives in an earthship in Tennessee. Her earthship was Michael Reynolds’ first project in the East Coast. Just like traditional single-family homes, Lebensfold’s home has two bedrooms, a

kitchen, bathroom and a living room. The walls in her home are a sand color with bottles plastered into them. Many of the times the bottles are used to not only provide bottle art, but to allow sunlight to enter throughout the home. “It gives this funk to the home,” she says. The low utility bills wasn’t exactly the biggest attraction to Lebensfold however, “It was the architecture Figure

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ning Florida’s first earthship with a projected finish in late June or July 2009. So far, thousands of cans have been collected for the project, but on the website (http://www.earthshipfloridaproject.com) people are asked to help the crew collect 20,000 aluminum cans and glass bottles. Roberts is also looking for volunteers willing to help build the home and is offering school

The sun’s energy enters home, providing electricity. Filters and tanks underground clean the water for multi-usage and saving the Earth.” As the concern for Earth’s energy rises, more people like Lebensfold take interest in living in earthships, not only in New Mexico, but all over the country. Bryan Roberts, general contractor in Manatee County, Florida, says clients concerned about the current irrigation and sewage issue in Florida approached him about an earthship. “Michael Reynolds really wanted to make one in Florida, but he didn’t have the time to sit and wait to get the building permits.” Roberts says. Roberts contacted the County Building Department and was eventually approved for a building permit. Since then, he has been on his way to plan-

Opposite Page: Often 700 used tires are used to build walls and 20,000 bottles, cans and jars. Photo provided by John Kejr

credits to college students. “Many people have grown concerned to what this structure will look like in the neighborhood,” says Roberts. He says he and his crew make sure to explain and answer questions to curious neighbors and so far have received positive support. He says educating people about earthships is important to avoid confusion and controversy. In the 1990s, earthships caused Reynolds controversy, criticism, ridicule, lawsuits and to surrender his architectural license. In the film, Reynolds is quoted as saying he fell into depression after his licensing troubles. Faced with the end of his career, Reynolds agreed to follow state

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and federal codes (in the film he holds up a four-inch binder thick with paper while referring to the “endless horseshit” the state puts him through) and reinstated his license in 2003. However, in Taos some neighborhoods still do not want such homes built because “they look different,” says John Kejr, real estate broker of Dreamcatcher Real Estate. Kejr obtained his real estate license four years ago, but one year ago, a client interested in buying an earthship approached him. “At the time, real estate agents didn’t want to deal with earthships. They thought they would have problems with not getting financing on that. Problems…too much work that’s not worth it.” Eventually Kejr said he was able to find his way around the financing issue and sold his first earthship. Months after his first closing, Reynolds called Kejr and asked if he knew who he was “Yeah, I know who you are,” replied Kejr. From there Kejr began listing Reynolds’ earthships. Although he lists traditional single family homes, his marketing is mostly geared towards earthships because he says they generate the most phone calls. “Usually my phone rings—it’s someone calling about earthships.” John Kejr says he doesn’t live in one: “I’ve had my home since before I became the guy with the earthships.” However, he finds no difficulty in providing accurate information to people interested in them. He says with the spike of energy prices, there was a higher demand for earthships. “It makes sense to keep a home that is lower to maintain.” Kejr says the reasons of people taking interest in them vary from concerns of cost of energy, to beliefs of saving the planet. “I had someone who believed the world was coming to an end and believed an earthship would be the way they would be saved,” says Kejr. Finally, there are some people that just appreciate the unique architecture. Although living in an earthship sounds ideal with the high energy prices, Kejr says it’s not for everyone. Luckily, he has never had a client unhappy with their earthship purchase. Kelly Hart, who lives in a solar home says it can be a challenge to adjust to such low energy living. “It does take some attention to making adjustments to window shades to conserve heat at night. The general comfort level is very nice, in that they tend to stay a comfortable temperature most of the time, without suffering great fluctuation between too hot or too cold.” And of course, some people do not like the idea of living in used tires, she says.

“The general comfort level is very nice, in that they tend to stay a comfortable temperature most of the time, without suffering great fluctuation between too hot or too cold.”

From Top: Vertical windows allow more sunlight to enter home Middle: Each tire weighs 300 lbs Bottom: Vertical windows allow warmer temps.

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The interest in earthships outweighs people’s skepticism and many other countries in Europe and Asia have received Reynolds’ home-building with open arms. When the tsunami hit Sri Lanka in 2004, Reynolds was asked to build affordable homes with the leftover debris. In total, Reynolds has built a total of more than 1000 homes all over the world. He is the go-to person for any earthship project and has developed fans who worship him as well. “I tell Michael, he attracts the weirdest people,” said his wife in Garbage Warrior. “[Reynolds] is a brilliant man. He’s a visionary,” says Kejr. Reynolds has been able to incorporate every energy saving technique and made sustainable living is his treasure.

Left: Bottle walls are very artful, and help sunlight to enter room. Photo provided by John Kejr

Dream Living The architecture and square feet in every earthship is different, however, there are 3 basic models: Packaged, Modular, and Hybrid. Interested in purchasing one? Here we take a look at the different models offered by John Kejr, earthship leading agent from Dreamcatcher Realty. Packaged

-Most economic and basic -Made of rammed tires but deisngs available for straw bale, concrete or adobe at extra cost. -North and South dimensions are same -Open end to the East and West -Temperatures remain at 64-68 degrees -Prices As low as $80,000

Modular

-Bigger than Packaged -Thermal heat surrounds Ushaped rooms -Temperatures steady at 70 degrees -3 bed, Living Rm, 2 Baths -Great for earthquake environment Average Price: $250,000$360,000

Hybrid

--Vertical north-facing glass traps more solar energy -Sizes and prices vary -Most common custom request -Most expensive: $1,200,000

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