At Manor Clearance we are absolute anoraks for sustainability. It is part of our ethos and methodology. So, when we come across something very clever in the world of sustainability, we are keen to highlight it to our customers and readers.
There are many innovative ideas that have been invented for becoming more eco-friendly in the 21st century, including Sea Bins and Eco Capsules. However, we believe the most inventive is the ‘Earth Ships’ that are being built from tires, cans and bottles and used as unique homes, built in a very eco-friendly way.
Who invented earth ships?
Michael Reynolds was the innovative mind behind the first built Earth Ships as he wanted a way to recycle and reduce the carbon footprints that homes emit. He had three main goals in mind when building these eco-friendly homes. Firstly, it would utilize sustainable architecture and recycled materials wherever possible. It would then need to rely on natural energy sources and has no reliance on the electrical grid. Michael also wanted to make it easy to build with no specialised construction skills so they could be built in mass over time.
Where it started…
In 2004, Earth Ships were introduced to the UK, with the first one being built in Fife, Scotland. They then went on to build an Earth Ship in 2005, located in Brighton Marina. This was the first ever Earth Ship to be built in England. Originally though, Earth Ships were first built in New Mexico, his first being the ‘Thumb House’. The Thumb House structure was made almost entirely out of beer and fizzy drink cans.
In the present day, there are over 3,000 earth ships that have been built all over the world. These robust homes are rising in popularity in the 21st Century due to the climate crisis and our goal to get to 0% emissions by 2030.
The disadvantages when considering your next home to be an Earth Ship
One of the major disadvantages of Earth Ships is the fact that a lot of humans are so set in their ways with their current construction and living situations. Also, finance companies don’t know how to value or support any lending towards their construction, with insurers potentially adding premiums to protect them, simply because they don’t understand the value. These attitudes need to change.
Those who purchase Earth Ships are often passionate about living an alternative lifestyle with self-sustainable living methods and ideas. Therefore, Earth Ships are now being considered by more and more environmentally conscious individuals, designed, and located in places that are convenient for the average person to live a perfectly normal life.
So, why wouldn’t we explore this form of sustainable construction and living?
In conclusion this innovative way of living is gradually growing in popularity, albeit more slowly than many would wish. The importance of these sustainable homes is second to none if we are going to take some serious steps towards reducing our wastage and living a more sustainable existence.
It is now time for authorities and those that influence change to let this type of construction off the leash to create and nurture thoughts around this new way of living and thinking into mainstream life.
This is where the changes really need to happen!