The Remarkable Diary of an Earthship Eco Builder Chapter #2. The dream was born.

in #writing7 years ago (edited)


Introduction

If you are thinking about one day building your own 'eco home' or want to live self-sufficiently then this diary is written for you! Welcome to the start of this journey and sharing. I invite you to engage with me and ask questions, to which I will endeavour to answer you all!

This Remarkable Diary of an Earthship Eco Builder is many things. It will be a fantastic learning opportunity as I delve into some of the theory and knowledge behind sustainable building. It will also cover some technical aspects of building with my own pictures of the build and links to good resources for more in depth information. I will share my story and what I learned through my own experiences of eco building for my first time. I have learned a lot during my first, and subsequent builds, and will offer you my best advice and ideas for you to be able to fulfil your eco building dream. I will also introduce you to some other great people here on Steemit, who are involved in many related topics, and have also been a big part of my journey.

Anyone Can Do This! (ok almost anyone)

I managed to achieve my dream of self-building an Earthship without any prior building experience. I learned on the job and was lucky to have the help and support I needed, and at just the right time! So now I can share with you and help you to achieve your dreams, which I can assure you are very possible. If I could do it, with a VERY ambitious and grand design, in an extremely challenging location, and with almost no technical support whatsoever, then I KNOW you can. Once we get to the end of this adventure, I will be very happy when you can say that you feel the same! And if you ever decide to embark on this eco building ourney, I am always available for support, networking, questions, and any help I can offer for free. This is what I have already been doing for quite a few years now, and so now I am happy to expand my outreach to Steemit!

What is Sustainable Living? What is Sustainability?

There is no universally agreed definition on what sustainability means. There are many different views on what it is and how it can be achieved. The idea of sustainability stems from the concept of sustainable development which became common language at the World's first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.

The original definition of sustainable development is usually considered to be:
"Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Bruntland Report for the World Commission on Environment and Development (1992) (SOURCE: http://www.globalfootprints.org/sustainability)

In order to be sustainable, you have to be having no negative effects. If you have even a slight negative effect, then over time it will just get worse and eventually it will be unsustainable. Thankfully this concept works the other way too! If we are sustainable with an overall positive effect, then over time things improve! The more sustainable we are, the quicker and better things improve.

A very important feature of sustainability is that everything works in harmony. What that means is that one idea or approach, or by product, will have multiple benefits to itself as well as other things. There is generally no patching up, or covering over problems to make something work. When we do something sustainably, it usually works so harmoniously that we keep finding more and more benefits. This is very much the case with sustainable building and in particular with Earthship Biotecture.



What is Biotecture?

The word 'Biotecture' was coined by the inventor of the Earthship approach, USA born Michael Reynolds. He uses this word to describe a type of building that uses some of the principals of architecture, but harnesses the power of nature to deliver everything you need for a home to operate and keep you watered, fed, warm and dry. Finally, I get to use my Biology degree! There is no question that a Biology degree is much more useful than an architecture degree when you are building with the Biotecture approach. In fact, what you come to find is that everything seems to be the exact opposite of architecture. The whole approach, priorities and way of building is totally different. You will see many examples of these differences and the multiple benefits as you read on.



Diagram of the Systems of an Earthship





Biotecture Water Management







Staying Warm In Winter Time



Off Grid Doesn't Mean Basic

There is a common misconception that living off-grid means going back in time to the stone age or a very simple way of life. Whilst there are many people who prefer to live a very simple life, and give up most of the things that the developed world hold sacred; living off-grid does not mean you have to give up your creature comforts or way of living at all. That is a personal choice! When you see the finished result of Earthship Karuna, you will see a home that is not only totally off-grid and sustainable, but also a very luxurious home that has all the modern systems and conveniences that you would come to expect in any other very nice modern city type home. If I have to go away somewhere, to even a very nice hotel, I miss my Earthship so much! I hope you will agree when I show you some pictures of how my Earthship looks!



Interior of Earthship Karuna



Beautifully Tiled Mandala Bathroom with solar powered Jacuzzi



Botanical indoor planter cell growing various ornamental plants and vegetables and herbs.



Self supporting roof, with an openable and huge 14ft skylight.


Reused 100's of glass bottles for stained glass effect.


The Year 2001 - A Dream Was Born

In 2001 I was 28 years old. I had graduated university with a biology degree that I studied for five years for, and never used it. I had picked up web development very early on, and by 1997 I was already learning HTML and making some interesting web sites. Oh how I loved Netscape V1.2. There was no Google. It was early days! I was enjoying myself and learning the craft of the future, but I also had other interests, and ambitions. For me money was never going to be enough. I have a great love for nature, people, animals and life.

Having travelled extensively since a very young age, I have seen many ways of living! I have learned and seen how happy I, and others have been when surrounded by good close friends & family, and having a simple life. I have very rarely met contented happy people in cities, or countries that are based and focused on the economy and materialism. I travelled for the first time to India in 1997 and that experience stuck with me forever. That journey taught me many things, but most relevant to this story, is that India gave me new priorities in life. These priorities were simple ones, and ones that bring about happiness and a rich abundant life.

As this story unfolds, you will come to know that living in an Earthship or self-sufficient home is about many many things. It is not just an ethical choice, or a building type choice, it is also a lifestyle choice. When you start to live off-grid, and self-sufficiently, you embark on a break out from the matrix / zeitgeist. You start to unplug yourself from the normal, dependant, vulnerable, and highly controlled way of life that many people are used to in cities and highly developed countries. When you are truly self-sufficient and out of debt you take away one of the main sources of stress: buying food, paying the bills, covering the mortgage or rent, and holding on to your job to allow this to survive. This is just the start, we also can look at the environmental issues and great need globally to build smarter and better. Our global population is rising, and with it the poverty level and inequality of wealth in all forms. To compound this issue, the cost of living is also hurtling up! We are moving toward a very unsafe and unsustainable future if we continue to build and live in the same way that we have been doing.

So one day whilst I was a young man, searching out my meaning in life, an old friend called me. His name was also Alex, and I think that after that phone call I haven't even spoken to him since! He was just meant to deliver me this gift, and he did! I didn't really understand what he was trying to tell me, other then I should go and see this guy Michael Reynolds talk about Earthships. He was coming to Brighton in a few days, and I should go! I'm the type of person who follows his instincts and intuition, and so even without any idea what this was all about, I just went!

Earthship Biotecture Seminar, Brighton UK 2001'ish

Sometimes, we get taken on a totally new track, in a heartbeat, even when we weren't even looking for it. This was one of those days! I sat somewhere near the back of a pretty big hall. There were around 200 people there of all ages and backgrounds. There was a buzz in the hall, and Michael was stood at the front speaking whilst using slides. What he proceeded to explain to us was so amazing, made so much sense, and offered so many amazing benefits, that I doubted whether what he was saying was really true. But it wasn't based on fantasy, or any super complex rocket science. He told us what an Earthship can offer us, and then proceeded to explain exactly how it was possible.


Here is how the whole lecture started:

IMAGINE... living in a home that cost you nothing to heat or cool
IMAGINE... building this home yourself
IMAGINE... growing you own vegetables year round in this home
IMAGINE... no utility bills
IMAGINE... easily available "limitless natural resources" to build this type of home
IMAGINE... a more earth friendly civilisation
IMAGINE... Earthships!

We will cover some more details on exactly what Earthships are, and why they are so amazing as we read. If you are keen to learn more and read a none technical post with a bit more detail, please see:


https://steemit.com/earthship/@eco-alex/10-reasons-why-earthships-are-freakin-awesome


Watch A Short Movie To Learn More

Earthships 101 part I
(5:20 minutes)

 

For more technical information, please start here:
http://earthship.org/Systems/

Radically Sustainable Buildings.

". . . the Earthship is the epitome of sustainable design and construction. No part of sustainable living has been ignored in this ingenious building."
Michael Reynolds, USA


The core principals of Earthship Biotecture can be split into 5 areas. Each principal provides us with one of our basic survival and comfort needs.

Water
From the sky (rain & snow melt). Uses it four times.

Electricity

From the sun and the wind stored in batteries and supplied to your electrical outlets via a prepackaged power system.

Sewage Treatment

Indoor and outdoor treatment cells contain, use and reuse all household sewage (greywater and blackwater). Use any kind of flush toilet.

Comfort in Any Climate

From only the sun and the earth. Maintain comfortable temperatures all year with no fossil fuels.

Food

Healthy and free, grown from interior and exterior botanical cells. All plants are highly functional and play a direct role in taking care of you.


The Dream was Born



So by the end of this 2 hour lecture my whole life vision was warping and changing before my very eyes. It was intense! I also wasn't alone! I know now that SO many people who witnessed this also got the bug. In fact, at the very end as everyone was leaving Daren Howarth (who later became a good friend and colleuge) made a call out. He invited everyone who was interested in building an Earthship to put their names down and sign up! The only thing was he didn't have a pen! People were starting to file out and the moment was being lost, in this small detail of not having a pen! I spotted this and sprang into action. I had a pen! So I gave it to Daren and he got around 60 people to sign up, including me! And that simple, small decision marked the very beginning of my entire Earthship story.


The First Earthship In Europe (Low Carbon Network, Brighton, UK)

Not much time passed before Daren and I talked and thought about how best to move this idea forward. We had a great list of people with varied backgrounds and skills, and together a group that could pull this off. We had no money, of course, and just wanted to do something even if it wasn't for ourselves. So the decision was made after some debate, that we would make this Earthship as a show house, and a model for Earthships in the UK. It would be the UK headquarters for Earthship outreach and promotion. All we needed was somewhere or someone to build it for, and then get funding. This basic idea came together very quickly, and before long we had formed the Low Carbon Network as a not for profit company. We had a core group of around 5 directors of which I was one, and around 50 people who came to monthly meetings and had a great interest in this idea and wanted to help however they could.

What resulted was that we got great support from Brighon & Hove City council. Today they are the only borough in the UK that have elected the Green Party, so we were lucky really that we were doing this in the right place. The council agreed on the very first meeting and by a good majority, to donate some land in Stanmer Park near Brighton for Earthship Brighton to be built on. They gave us a free lease to the land, and the idea was that we were going to build an office and meeting space for the group of people who were already there doing great work in many eco related areas. One of these people I would like to mention is @nature-jon. Jon is very involved in Earthship outreach as well as other things, and spends quite some time holding workshops and teaching his skills. @nature-jon was also one of the most engaged and active volunteers during the build of Earthship Brighton. We will hear more from him soon on his blog.

I was responsible for fundraising, and within a short three months period, had managed to get funding from two companies who were offering money for good environmental projects. This money totalled about $300,000 and would hopefully be enough to take this project to completion. As a first of its kind it was going to be much more expensive than normal as we had to figure everything out for the first time in our country.

So the planning and planning happened very smoothly and very quickly. The build started and did take a few years to complete. It ran over budget and there were delays etc.. Whilst I had been involved in all the planning and meetings, I never actually got to see the build at all! It was ironic really, but I had met and married an American woman and emigrated to the USA just as the build was happening. I would have to learn hands on another time!

Earthship Brighton was a very successful build and project. It has won many awards and is quite well known today. You can visit their website to see more www.lowcarbon.co.uk.

Earthship Brighton, Stanmer Park, Brighton, UK.




So this is how my adventure started. At that time, I knew that this was something I wanted to do for myself, but really had no idea of the details. I did know that I wanted to be out of the city and in nature. I didn't know what country I wanted to live in and also with many other life changes going on, I kept this dream alive in my heart, and let my life unfold.

In the next part of this Diary I will write about the search for my spot, and some other very interesting and important things that can really help you to manifest your dreams.

I hope you have found this interesting! If you still want to read something else about why I think it is SO important to do this, please check out a post I wrote:

Self Sufficient Living, providing real security in an uncertain world
https://steemit.com/lifestyle/@eco-alex/6chqzu-ecotrain-seva-self-sufficient-living-providing-real-security-in-an-uncertain-world


If you would like to watch a VERY good movie and documentary to learn more, please watch this movie:


New Solutions Movie

Sort:  

Wow this is a VERY well done blog on a VERY important topic!
I love that you get a bit into what sustainability and carbon footprint mean. Very few people really care or consider the impact of life style.
I dedicated my life to living sustainably over a decade ago and have built the community with the lowest carbon footprint of any I have ever heard of by living off of trash. @gardenofeden is only the beginning of my dream but already fulfilling it while continuing to get better and better!
Sustainable living is of the utmost importance to me not just because I want my children to have a healthy future but because I actually care about the earth and nature as something important beyond having a monetary value to capitalize upon for my desires.
The pictures and story you have here I feel are very inspiring and I hope that it influences many people! Keep up the great work, I feel this series will be very well received and very beneficial to this community!

Thank you so much Quin!I am trying to keep a nice balance between the story, the facts, and the detail! Yes carbon footprinting is quite a complicated topic when you get into it. I used to work in a carbon footprint company back in 2001 when these terms didn't even exist yet.. We had to try to explain from the very basics what it all meant. Thankfully these days it is a word used and known by everyone.. I will surely go to more detail on this as I write. Earthships have such a low carbon footprint, and it is Good to understand why!

and so important as you say is, do it for the kids!!
thanks again for your kind words, it goes a long way!

yes carbon footprint is complicated as EVERYTHING you do has a number in the never ending equation that is life. The world even in third world countries is living far in the positive footprint and it it taking its toll.
This is why real solutions are so important right now as people won't live sustainably just to be honorable, it has to save them money, provide comforts and be just as practical for it to become integrated.
Keep it up I am sure it will plant seeds that result in more sustainable living!

Yes @quinneaker! You are so on point, as usual :) I fear that most people are too comfortable to even consider changing there ways, too comfortable that they can not see the dangers of consuming beyond the natural boundaries set out by nature.

As you know we have been living off grid for 4yrs now but we still feel very much a part of the problem, until we are producing our own food even we are not living a sustainable lifestyle. It's takes effort, but surviving should, in my eyes if your too comfortable, your not surviving, your slowing dying out like a dinasour.

Yes unfortunately it is true~
At least YOU are able to see it and are moving in a conscious direction.
Most people do not even see it and are thus going through life unconsciously and dishonorably.
Change is not easy, even when you are aware of what NEEDS to change. It also still takes time especially in a world that does not really support or promote such living. In truth this world makes it far more difficult. Such as here in the states, its literally illegal in almost all cities to grow a garden or to build earthen buildings.....PATHETIC....HORRIFIC! DISGUSTING!
This is the state of the world and part of why I am SO adamant as an activist, educator, facilitator, leader etc because humanity is literally killing it self and the world.
I appreciate your acknowledgement and encouragement. Grateful to know someone is doing something with it!

Thank you for sharing this with us @eco-alex
First off I would like to congratulate you on achieving your dream of building and living in an earthship, I am truly blown away by the beauty of your home.

I knew there must have been a Brighton connection somewhere with all this, I used to live in stanmer Park in fact our tinyhouse truck has been parked there for a month just last year, this is also where we met Darren Howarth, he has spent many hours in our tinyhouse telling us all about his earthship in France, a real kind and genuine caracter. Small world :) I am sure you know some of my friends and visa versa.
This is brilliant on so many levels :)
I will be glued to your blog and will support it in anyway I can, your vision and outlook on life is so in sync with ours. Soon we will have our land and can start to follow in yours and Darren's footsteps.
Thanks Alex.

Well said @markwhittam !

Haha! What a small world indeed! Daren and i go way back! I love him because hes a doer! Whilst everyone is sitting around talking, he picks up the phone and makes it happen! Yes his France Groundhouse is another example of that. That was a hard build for him too but he pulled it off amazingly.

Im really touched you will be glued to this.. i am really inspired to write more and even better!

Thanks and very best to u!

And there it goes, my sunday job! AMAZING!!!

ha ha! yes this might take a bit of time to translate!

Can´t wait to start. The video makes me cry. Totally selfish I guess, I want my own earthship. :-)

Awee! One day who knows!

Viel Erfolg!

hello bot! :-)

Steemit is just the perfect channel for blogs, i am here for a few months now and it is just amazing.
You have an amazing story to tell and i think you finally found the perfect platform to start telling it, that is so great.
Before i met you, i didn't have a clue about earthships, never heard of it. I have seen you doing it from the start with no specialists around and i know how possible it is to create this amazing dream.
Very happy for you Alex, let it come, one by one, till the very end, love.

thank you Bubke! it is GREAT for blogs yes!
and im really enjoying writing this .. wow!

I'm really enjoying reading it... wow! Like, really .. wow indeed!

Wow ! Great post !! I give you 100% Up vote and a resteem !! I will also be back to watch your videos later on !! Thanks so much for sharing this valuable information !! I have a piece of property up in the mountains an hour from Kelowna here in British Columbia Canada , and I will be building a house on it , it would be nice to have at least half of it Sustainability !! At least some way of setting up a good gardening system !! Thanks again !👍✌ 🍓🍅🌱🍀🍃🌻

Great choice @karenmckersie !
I agree this is a very valuable post and hope many see it!

Thanks ! It really is Awesomeness !! 💙💙💙

Yes!

Thanks for your support! I know some great people from BC! Beautiful place to make your own home!

More soon!

Awesome thanks ! Following you now!👌✌👍

Hi @eco-alex, thanks for the article. I am in the Midwest of #America and I was wondering how to synchronize building an #earthship around Indiana. How does one go about the building codes of one's municipality? I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks again!

it shouldnt be hard un the USA since the HQ is there.. I would reccomend called Taos www.earthship.org and ask them as they have a lot of experience with this.

hope that helps and BEST Of luck!

So very cool!
If only 50% of all people would work towards sustainability.....it would make such a huge difference!

We both have the unused Biology degree! I mean, it has helped me understand things and such, but never worked with it.

Hey, I connected back with u in email. Hope you get it and that covers things!
Best!! Peace!!

thank you! i have responded ;-)

50% moving toward sustainability! ! wow that would be amazing !!!

Very cool. A sustainable building is like a tree. It provides for its needs and nourishes the eco system around its self.
That is where my user name comes from.

You are a tree builder.

@eco-alex you wrote an amazing post and the beginning of a life journey for you. I couldn't believe the result of this journey, a beautiful, self sustaining home. This Earthship concept is beyond words and a very special process to save the Earth. You are truly amazing. Your article was a brilliant job of presenting this whole concept and I must say I really am blown away. What a lot of work you did in creating such a complete and informative presentation.

I love this Earthship movement of conscientious people trying to make Earth a better place to live. All the things happening now with global warming can be disheartening. I am glad I have met such wonderful people like you. I am looking forward to this journey of yours. I am so happy that you are writing......it is really a carthatic experience. My best wishes for all the success that you so rightly deserve! I have already resteemed this because it is amazing!

Thank you and wow what a wonderful response! Tour words really encourage me and inspire me to make these blogs even better!

Im really glad u get the importance of this whole concept.. it is time!

Great post man! Just followed upped and resteemed. I love the eco houses and tiny houses etc. Thanks for sharing and keep it up.

Thank you so much gavin! Yes ill keep writing thanks for the resteem!