From Taos in New Mexico USA. A 'wayshower' to energy, food and housing independence.
Designing and building a bio harmonic home out of indigenous materials of rock and soil, but inclusive of old car tires, glass bottles cans etc, can manifest an exceptionally stable and sustainable 'earthship' home. That with the addition of solar heating and water treatment and storage systems, plus garden area can make your home capable of sustaining you and your family in a well lighted spacious setting for months, without you leaving the dwelling.
Earthships are becoming a growing global phenomena due to their use of waste and left overs from current western technologies and economic systems. With knowledge and skills ordinary people can do extra ordinarily creative things to build an off grid dwelling, that positioned facing the arc of the sun, uses both passive / solar and or windmill energy to power your future with out paying out huge sums to electricity and water utilities. Whilst at the same time keeping the building at a near on constant inner temperature of around 21 degrees all year long.
Originally in the early 1970s in America, Mike responded to the media presenting the future shortage of oil, for heating and cooling, plus electricity for running the home, including future waste and garbage problems with excessive cans and bottles, plus water shortages, sewage disposal and the obtaining of fresh food. So he found an innovative way to incorporate them into building these components into a house, an 'earthship' which he now calls the 6 issues of sustenance on this planet for the people of today.
Using sun and catching rainwater, he includes the physics and biology of our planet's ecology for sewage treatment and food production.
Having stand alone housing systems, allows us not to depend on power utilities, with their higher costs and power outages etc and in the US context, that the power is obtained through detrimental methods, mainly coal and nuclear generation. Wanting softer options he found more bio harmonically benign and self empowering ways to build on the land.
Topics Covered:
His building technique is based around old tires filled with rammed earth that keep the heat thermal mass in and are also very earthquake resilient. Tires do not out gas.
Regulation - an inhibiting force for independence.
Talks about pockets of freedom where there is less regulation - where are these areas?
Keeping the middle man out of the cost structure.
In the field of alternative housing and settlement we are evolving too slow on a planetary system that is changing and evolving very fast. We need to engage in regulatory change.
The need now is to take charge of our lives and being responsible for all our actions. This is inclusive of incorporating holistic systems showing everything overlapping and working together.
Listen to Mike as he succinctly relates to our house as if it is our body, with energy and water in and waste and water out, totally integrated inside and yet nestled and functioning with natural forces of the outside world.
http://earthship.com
http://www.garbagewarrior.com
Speaking in Auckland:
Evening seminars on Friday 5th and Sat 6th July
300 Sir Neil Waters Building @ Massey University, Albany, North Shore.
Also a screening of his new flick "New Solutions" on Waiheke along with a meet and greet Q & A session.
Booking information - http://earthship.co.nz/events
Mob: (027) 281 5022