Our Earth is suffering. Because of the vast amounts of pollution, climate change, and human activity contributing to its degradation, the future continues to look bleaker with each passing day. As a result, more and more people are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint, with industrial facilities adopting eco-friendly recycle baler machines, green movements aimed at raising awareness, and down to the simple individual properly disposing of their trash.
But beyond industry, collective action, and eco-friendly practices, the call to action for sustainability has also tapped into the housing market and people’s choice of lifestyle. Due to the need for low-impact housing and a lifestyle that would significantly lessen our carbon footprint, then came the brain baby of Michael Reynolds; Earthships.
Earthships Answer The Need For Sustainability
As the name suggests, Earthships are homes built on natural, recycled, and upcycled materials readily available. In common practice, these homes usually involve earth-packed tires that serve as the walls, plus you will see most constructed directly into hillsides to promote the passive generation of clean energy.
The goal is to build a home that meets all your needs without depending on non-renewable sources of energy and any other means that aren’t as eco-friendly. Overall, it aims to achieve overall autonomy and self-reliance, with the option of living completely off-grid without sacrificing the finer things you enjoy in life.
However, why would you even consider switching from your comfortable home?
- Modern Homes Generate A Lot of Waste: From the trash generated by the food we eat to all the plastics of everyday products and the excess use of water, much waste is generated by modern homes. If you consider that not all households have switched to smart home systems, a large chunk of our carbon footprint exists solely at home. So, imagine the massive help you’ll be doing by choosing to live in a more sustainable house.
- Recurring Expenses: Apart from waste, modern homes come with many maintenance costs and regular expenses from utilities to keep the house running and liveable. Earthships offer a level of autonomy where you won’t need to pay utilities or maintenance costs ever again as the house takes care of itself, and all the energy you need comes naturally.
Earthships Are Self-Sufficient
Above all, the primary advantage of living in Earthships are their self-sufficient nature, allowing you to relax and take in what a sustainable lifestyle truly feels like. But how exactly do Earthships achieves this level of self-reliance?
#1 Thrive On Renewable Energy
When it comes to power, an Earthship doesn’t rely on the conventional power line to keep the energy flowing through your house but runs entirely off clean solar and wind energy. Of course, different Earthships have unique takes on how they get power. Whether relying solely only on a solar panel system or both, these are subject to design, preference, and according to the location.
Furthermore, if you’re worried about it getting too hot or chilly depending on the climate, these sustainable homes thermal mass stored in the walls to have the temperature adjust accordingly. Also commonly found in Earthships are cooling tubes that run through the ground and into the home to have a flow of cold air come into the house.
#2 Introduces Recycling In Every Aspect
Another significant advantage of Earthships is how it embraces recycling in all its aspects and the level of ingenuity applied to ensure that the homes generate close to zero waste as much as possible. And with most of the house already built on recycled materials, you’re already saving a lot on construction costs to start.
Furthermore, Earthships recycle by having their own mini-sewage treatment plan to reuse any grey water for other purposes like flushing, watering the plants, and different activities that require it. On top of that, some Earthships also feature a rainwater catchment system that makes full use of filtering and using rainwater for even more things.
#3 Grow Your Own Food
Last but not least, in direct correlation to an Eartship’s method of water conservation is the opportunity to grow your own food at the comfort of your own home. As plants are natural filters for water, they play a huge role in keeping the water clean and ensuring that every last drop is utilized to its full potential.
Plus, if you’re considering to live off-grid, getting the chance to have your own source of organically sourced food, then this is definitely the way to go. All you really need afterward is to settle in and get comfortable with a sustainable lifestyle.
But It’s Not For Everybody
However, despite its evident benefits, the idea of living in an Earthship is not for everybody. Making such a drastic shift of lifestyle change is not something anyone can do at a moment’s notice, and we fully understand if it’s not on your bucket list. But entertaining the idea and trying it out won’t hurt, and it’s undeniably the right step towards a more sustainable future.
