The first official Earthship district in Europe is currently being developed in

Olst. It has 23 Earthships. Earthships can also be found in Argentina, Africa,

Europe, and south west United States. They are common in dry, low humidity

areas. They are now expanding to other climates. To build an Earthship, you

need a building permit, an electrical permit, and a stove permit. Most people do

not have these permits so the may hire professionals. The general public must

go through bank loans, interest approvals, etc. to gain access to a housing

system that will determine the appearance and functions of the Earthship. They

must meet standard building codes of the region.

If there’s one thing we’re not short of on Earth, it’s used tires! There are tire dumps like

the one pictured here in every country in the world. There are even places that will pay

you by the tire to take them away.

A tire can weigh up to 300 pounds after you are done filling it up.

The walls (above the tires) are created by placing plastic and glass bottles in concrete.

When the Earthship team was in Haiti after the earthquake, they employed local kids to

both clean up the streets and provide all of the bottles required for building their

Earthship. Plus, they look pretty sexy.

Land where you are building the Earthship must be south facing. If you are
below the equator it must be north facing. This is so the Earthship can catch
sunlight in the winter time.
Even the most arid of climates can provide enough water for
daily use through only a rain-harvesting system. The entire
roof of the Earthship funnels rain water to a cistern, which
then pumps it to sinks and showers when required. That
used ‘grey water’ is then pumped into the greenhouse to
water the plants. After being cleaned by the plants, the water
is pumped up into the bathrooms for use in the toilets. After
being flushed, the now ‘black water’ is pumped to the
exterior garden to give nutrients to non-edible plants.
We live in a time when many parts of our planet are experiencing water shortages. The volume of wate
while human population increases. As we gauge the depletion of our aquifers and the increase in popu
predict serious water shortages in the near future.

We must begin now... learning to harvest water in each

individual home. We must use this water many times before
putting it back into the earth. When we do put it back, it must be
in a form that works with existing nurturing forces and
phenomena of the earth.

To further compound the water problem on this planet, we have

polluted and contaminated most of our easily accessible surface
waters and are beginning to contaminate the more difficult to
access aquifers beneath the surface of the our planet. This
contamination happens because of the way conventional
sewage systems operate.

We live in a time when many parts of our planet are experiencing water shortages. The
volume of water on this planet is finite while human population increases. As we gauge the
depletion of our aquifers and the increase in population, we are able to predict serious
water shortages in the near future.
We must begin now... learning to harvest water in each
individual home. We must use this water many times before
putting it back into the earth. When we do put it back, it must be
in a form that works with existing nurturing forces and
phenomena of the earth.

To further compound the water problem on this planet, we have

polluted and contaminated most of our easily accessible surface
waters and are beginning to contaminate the more difficult to
access aquifers beneath the surface of the our planet. This
contamination happens because of the way conventional
sewage systems operate.

FACING THE FACTS

If there are energy shortages, individuals will have water problems.
If there is ecological damage, individuals will have water problems.
If there are economic crisis, individuals will have water problems.
If there are computer glitches, individuals will have water problems.
If there is political turmoil, individuals will have water problems.
If there is war, individuals will have water problems.

Almost anything that happens in the future can result in questionable availability of fresh
water. This is not just an environmental problem. The continued pollution of the
atmosphere, the surface and subsurface of the earth is not the only cause for alarm
about availability of fresh water. Water availability to individuals is dependent on every
other social system being in place, stable, health and at peace. It is inevitable that we
will experience failure of one or more of these systems at some point in the future
We are simply adapting our needs to the already existing activities of the planet.

Advantages

*Rubber tires are fire resistant and structurally sound.

*Use and re-use water.
*Grow your own food.
*Minimize impact on the environment.
*Many old tires available for free.

Disadvantages

*Some Earthships have suffered from over heating/over cooling

*Heat loss when built in more humid climates.
*Once the earth settles, the tires could release a toxic gas.
*Roofs can leak.
*It's challenging to sell.

Pros:
Energy Efficiency- the building use soar and/or geothermal heat
Self Sustainability- grow food inside, use/reuse water
Easy to Construct- anyone can build an Earthship
Recycling- the building materials are all from recycled materials, like tires and glass/aluminu
Natural Light

Cons:
The cost is almost the same as building a regular home
The tires used as the outside support/walls break down, and the gas produced can be toxic
In humid environments, the walls that collect the rain water become a place for mold and alga
If you live in a dry environment, there is not enough rainwater to support living in the house
Additions are rarely possible, due to construction tie-in issues and cost.