earthships

In 2007, on vacation, my husband and I drove between Taos and Albuquerque, New Mexico and saw a few very unusual houses.

An Earthship is a type of passive solar house, sustainable  in design and construction, made of natural and recycled materials designed and marketed by Earthship Biotecture.  Michael Reynolds began designing this type of house upon graduating with a degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati in 1969.  He now builds all over the world.  Earthships are generally off-the-grid homes, minimizing their reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels.  Earthships are built to utilize the available local resources, especially energy from the sun.  Houses grow their own food and dispose of waste by recycling--quite ingenious.

"The earth is embracing the building...as a mother holds a baby." 

~Michael Reynolds 

This is quite a fascinating subject.  The business Earthship Biotecture offers internships, seminars, events, nightly rentals, and even kits to build your own!

Below is the plan of the custom model The Phoenix from the Earthship website.  This 3 bedroom, 2 bath house rents nightly.  It has a fish pond, birds, a jungle greenhouse, and grows food.

The Phoenix Custom Earthship--source

LINKS:
◊ interview  on youtube with architect Michael Reynolds, creator of Earthship Biotecture with a tour of an earthship 
◊ movie on youtube:  Garbage Warrior--documentary of the earthship movement
◊ "Sustainable Build" article on building green
◊ an account --an intern builds an Earthship
◊ Earthship Biotecture
◊ "Albuquerque Journal" article about students worldwide learning to build Earthships --with photos

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is  "E." Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun!  


Thank you, Ms Jenny, for hostessing another round!

  
photos by me  © 2007   all rights reserved

Eager Oliver is...

Ebulliant!
 
He is Enormously Enamored with his new catnip toys! 

no Ennui here!

Why this toy is so scrumptious, it MUST be Edible!

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter  is "E."  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 


 
photos by me  © 2013   all rights reserved

Eager Oliver

Eagerly, Oliver awaits the opportunity to Elucidate his Elan for life...

His Enthusiasm for Edibles runs quite high.

Did you say "kitty crunchies?!!"

He becomes quite Elated when it's feather time. 

Here he is on his sentinel post, Efficiently centrally located.

 
Oliver is Ebullient about helping.

Here he is helping me keep my tie dye orders straight.

And here he is Entertaining me while helping to keep the papers I'm sorting from flying away.


Oliver is an Excellent snoozer.  He Especially loves sun puddles.

LINK:

a previous POST in which Eager Earnest wishes to Edify you in regards to the letter E.

Oliver is quite Enthusiastic about the letter "E."  He was Elated to Explain some of his favorite Es.
 Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "E." Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 

photos by me © 2012 and 2013   all rights reserved

Eager Earnest

Eager Earnest wishes to Edify you in regards to the letter E.

Most importantly, there is Eat.  He is simply Ecstatic about Edibles!  He can be quite Elegiac with his lamentations when his bowl is Empty.

After Emptying his bowl, it's time to Ease his furry self onto something cozy

like the stairs which is the center of Everything or a soft blanket on an Elevated couch.

After a good long nap, it's play time!  Earnest is Energized by feathers, but

even more Ebullient about catnip

which can be shared with a furend because there is plenty!

time for another nap!

Although Es are very Effable, and Earnest was quite Elated to Elucidate, their Explanation requires much Effort and has the Effect of drowsiness.

Earnest is Excited Ms Jenny has decided to do another round of Alphabe-Thursday!  He Explained some of his favorite Es with Elan!  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even Enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "E."  

photos by me © 2010 & 2011