But these unique dwellings are a ship of a different kind.
But can this seemingly utopian way of living really deliver all that?
And if so, how come you dont already live in one?
An experimental Earthship structure near Taos, New Mexico, where new design concepts are implemented and tested. Jamie Cattanach for The Penny Hoarder
What Are Earthships, Anyway?
It is designed to produce water, electricity and food for its own use.
How, exactly, can a house do all that?
By followingsix careful design principlesthat take advantage of natural resources and create a symbiotic relationship between human and Earth.
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Pretty cool idea, right?
Lets break down exactly how it works.
(Not getting pelted by rain and hail are also nice benefits.)
Remember learning about Native Americans use of adobe structures in history class?
Earthships use a similar kind of construction, relying on the principle of thermal mass to create natural insulation.
Earthship walls are, in most cases, made of recycled tires packed withrammed earth.
This is where that greenhouse comes in.
Oh, and as if all that werent enough earthships are super cool-looking, too.
How Could an Earthship Save You Money?
One of the main goals of Earthship living is to drastically reduce the dwellers carbon footprint.
Think about the energy cost of heating and cooling alone.
Whats worse, air conditioning is one of the leading causes ofgreenhouse gas emissionsworldwide.
Although youll probably be unable to sustain yourself entirely, you could conceivablycut your yearly food spending in half.
At least, thats the theory.
Which leads us to an important question.
So Why Dont We All Live in Earthships Already?
Originally conceived by Michael Reynoldsback in the 1970s, Earthships arent exactly a new idea.
All of which come as a surprise if youve never heard of them before.
There are a number of reasons this seemingly perfect style of dwelling hasnt taken off like wildfire.
Small-town living has its advantages, to be sure, but livingthatsmall isnt for everyone.
Earthship Biotecture willbuild one for you, but itll cost you about $250 per square foot.
Even for a humble abode, youre talking tens of thousands of dollars.
Finally, the theoretical self-sustaining nature of Earthships doesnt always work as advertised.
Those rubber tires in the walls eventually begin to break down, which can causepotentially toxic off-gassing.
Fortunately, you dont have to become a remote desert dweller to do it.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
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