Mike Reynolds - Earthship Interview

Here is a recent interview with Earthship founder Mike Reynolds:
Interview

Don't get stuck living on the grid...



Earthship News

6 Steps to Sustainable Water

Water systems for earthship homes are very eco-friendly considering they actually will use the same water multiple times for different uses. The process starts by:

1. Collecting rainwater from the roof of the earthship home. This is done using materials like metal roofs, which allows the rainwater to flow freely into the gutter system. The gutter system tends to use filters to keep the larger pieces of debris out of the holding cistern, the water cisterns are usually buried in the earth to maintain water temperature & hold a couple of thousands gallons of water on hand for earthship users.
2. Once the rainwater or snowmelt is captured in the cisterns, a water-organizing module is used for the next step of the process. This water organizing module or “WOM” is a pre-made water filtration & movement system, which usually consist of four filters, a 24-volt water pump with pressure gauge. The water-organizing module pumps & filters the water into another storage tank, which can then be used for kitchen and bathroom water.
3. The kitchen & bathroom gray water is then run through a long planter located inside of the earthship. This planter allows the water to be filtered of debris, as well as providing the plants with water during the filtration process.
4. The gray water, which has been oxygenated from the plant roots, is now ready to be stored for toilet flushing water.
5. Once the gray water is used for flushing of toilets, it is then sent to an outdoor black water containment & filtration system.
6. The black water process places the waste sediment into a solar water tank which will accelerate the natural breakdown process, waste water then enters into a holding area which uses layers of filtering rock to remove any harmful by-products, while returning the clean water back to the earth.

The overall workings of an earthship water system may be a little more complex than conventional homes, but in the long run the earthship will use less water on average, creating a self-sustaining home with water conservation & waste management on site.

Earthship News

Earthship homes gaining appeal during U.S recession

If you have been following the news lately you will see that all around us is recession. All around us we see job losses, foreclosures, downsizing, and turmoil in the real estate markets, this makes the thought of owning an earthship house even more appealing. Earthship homes offer affordable, alternative building methods which provide low overhead cost, and in most cases provide a form of sustainable living.

Each year more and more people are looking to find more comfortable, affordable living conditions, that will not be affected by the turmoil of the current housing markets. Earthship homes can be built for about 1/3 the cost of traditional housing units, not too mention that when built properly, they reduce energy bills, provide a sustainable food source, and reduce the amount of waste generated by conventional homes.

Considering most houses today are not actually as functional as they are ornamental, earthship homes combine the best of both worlds... Functionality & Purpose. With all the unanswered questions lingering in the U.S today, it's nice to know that the owner of an earthship home doesn't worry as much as someone who is in the thick of things.

Earthship News