In the 1970s, architect Michael Reynolds started building completely off-grid homes, called Earthships, made of recycled materials in the desert of New Mexico, USA.
For 50 years, Reynolds has been perfecting his ingenious design. Now, as the planet warms and the cost of living increases, many Americans are actually moving to one of these luxury Earthships to both protect the planet and save money.
Who Is Michael Reynolds?
In the architecture world, Michael Reynolds is quite a big name. Though he never worked for a large firm or designed any of the world’s famous skyscrapers, Reynolds has dedicated his life to creating truly one-of-a-kind luxurious and sustainable homes.
When Reynolds first started building Earthships in the 1970s, his idea was to use the excess garbage in the US to make beautiful, livable homes, and he did exactly that. Now, after 50 years, he has perfected the design, and the homes are still made from recycled materials and are completely self-sustainable.
How Are Earthships Made?
Reynolds uses aluminum cans, old tires, plastic water bottles, and other items that typically end up in landfills. He then utilizes adobe, cement, and soil to solidify the structure.
But these Earthships aren’t just regular houses made from recycled materials. They are also completely sustainable as they each come equipped with everything a house needs, from power to water, water treatment, garbage treatment, and even the ability to keep residents cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
All Earthships Have Solar Panels
As of 2019, Reynolds had built a total of 5,000 Earthships in the United States, each of which comes equipped with its own set of solar panels.
These solar panels enable the entire home to be powered without connecting to an electrical grid – saving the residents a bundle on electric bills and even saving the planet from additional pollution from fossil fuels.
Water Cisterns Eliminate the Need for Municipal Water
These homes don’t even need to be connected to the municipal water pipes, as Reynolds built them all with a large personal water cistern to collect rainwater, which is then filtered and sent through the house’s internal plumbing to the taps and showers.
Again, this ingenious idea will save homeowners a significant amount of money every year and will help combat water scarcity in the US, which is becoming a real problem.
There’s No Need for Air Conditioning in an Earthship
Even though the majority of Reynolds’ Earthships have been built in the New Mexico desert, they do not need air conditioning.
Each home maintains a stable temperature of between 70 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit at all times, regardless of the weather outside. While this may seem impossible, Reynolds’ resourceful and innovative design makes it possible.
Renyolds Designed Earthships to Function Like Natural Caves
Using nature as his inspiration, Michael Reynolds’s Earthships not only look like the rolling hills and caves nature has built but also act like them.
The rounded walls ensure the temperature remains cool in the summer and warm in the winter, just like a rock cave might. And the aluminum cans aren’t just environmentally friendly. They also insulate the home like bricks would, which means they ensure a stable internal temperature.
As the World Warms, More People Are Turning to Solutions Like Earthships
While maintaining a comfortable climate inside the home at all times has always been an enticing feature of the Earthships, as the planet gets progressively warmer, this feature sounds even more appealing.
And the global temperatures are unquestionably rising: According to the NOAA, climate change has increased the average temperature on Earth by 2° F since 1850 and is growing warmer every single year.
The Cost of Buying and Maintaining a Home Is Astronomical
As the planet warms, people are paying more and more every year for electricity to keep their homes at a bearable temperature, and they’re also paying more for those homes than ever before.
Therefore, many families are looking for alternatives to traditional homes, and Earthships are becoming far more popular than they once were.
Many Families Realized It Was Cheaper to Buy an Earthship
As of 2024, a new, large Earthship will cost about $1.7 million; however, it offers extensive long-term savings on utilities. One family who recently transitioned to an Earthship reported saving around $500 every month compared to their traditional home.
Of course, living in an entirely self-sustainable house offers far more financial savings. It also removes the need to rely on the government to provide electricity and water, both of which could be limited over the next few decades.
You Don’t Have to Give Up Comfort to Live Sustainably
Additionally, the Johnson family who left their Colorado home behind for an Earthship in New Mexico noted that their new two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,000-square-foot home is as aesthetically pleasing as it is practical.
While Reynolds’ Earthships may function like caves, they certainly do not look like them on the inside. Between the colorful walls, modern fixtures, and interior plants, these homes are truly a work of art.
Earthships May Just Be the Future of Housing
Millions of Americans are desperately looking for ways to save money and simultaneously do their part to protect the planet against climate change.
Of course, it’s impossible to say for sure what the future holds. But as of 2024, a large percentage of the American population is certainly sick and tired of the status quo, and Reynolds’ Earthships, or designs like them, may prove to be the answer they’re looking for.
