Even without floods doing their bit, the numbers of homeless are millions. When they could easily be provided shelter simply by using the things the rest of us throw out as waste. Old tires. Old bottles. Beer Cans. Plastic containers.
So many birds in one stone! Turning waste into shelters. Reducing the dependence on scarce resources. Using less water and energy!
The ‘Earthship’ concept of American architect Michael Reynolds is slowly but surely catching up. The latest to join the crew is a small community in the San Juan Del Sur region of Nicaragua.
They have created an entirely off-grid, sustainable community, titled Casa Llanta ("Tire House"). In India, a similar concept was tried out at Kodaikanal.
Earthships use materials that can be found in the community to build "cheap" homes, coupled with rainwater catchment systems, solar panels and other construction techniques to develop a community with the lightest footprint possible.
Natural heating without electricity and a more reliable water supply through rainwater catchment and storage for cooking and for growing crops are some of its selling points. In addition, throwaway materials like tires, glass, plastic containers and aluminum cans are incorporated into construction, along with minimal construction materials like cement, for example, to create structures that are more easily reproduced.
The Nicaraguan project began back in December 2007 with preparation of materials, like packing tires with dirt as "bricks" and cutting/cleaning glass bottles. To get involved with Earthships in your local community, or by volunteering internationally, check out www.earthship.net
Home, as it was meant to be?? How about getting students at your nearby school to work on such ideas?
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