I’ve always loved Earth Ships, including the creativity and the controversy surrounding them. The reclaimed materials are mostly tires and bottles, but could easily incorporate reusing building materials.
There are hundreds of articles on Earthships, so I would encourage you to seek them out if you are interested. I never thought I would see the day that Fox News would endorse them so I just had to post this!
Recycled Building Materials
One of the greatest advantages of Earthship construction is the use of reclaimed materials. The fundamental “building blocks” of an Earthship include tires, bottles and cans. Earthship “foundations” begin with old tires that are filled with simple dirt. This local material is compressed into the “form” of the tire and provides a strong solid and dense “brick”. These tire walls are built on three sides of the structure and provide both thermal mass and support for the home roofing system. Interior and decorative walls are often built using bottles and cans as the “core” materials. This integrated “matrix” of concrete and containers reduce the total amount of mortar that is needed and can provide a great decorative element.
