Who’s Who in Green: Michael Reynolds
August 21, 2009 · Print This Article
Driving through New Mexico, at one point or another you’re bound to see one: those strange structures built half into the earth, with a bunch of old dirt-packed tires forming the front wall. These ‘earthships’ are incredibly efficient off-grid homes using passive solar energy, thermal mass construction and natural and recycled materials to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Michael Reynolds founded Earthship Biotecture, a company that specializes in designing and building Earthships, in the 1970s. He wanted to create a home that was not only sustainable, but also mostly self-sufficient and within financial reach of the average person. Earthships generally cost between $50,000 to $100,000 and can be built by just about anyone, regardless of whether they have any previous experience.
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Over time, Reynolds began to incorporate technology like solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal cooling, making the homes even more efficient. And, earthships aren’t limited to tires. Reynolds also designed many similar buildings that used other recycled materials like aluminum cans and glass bottles.
Reynolds’ process of developing his earthship concept has largely been based on trial and error. After each one that he builds, he comes up with improvements that can be applied to the next one. The experimental nature of Reynolds’ homes has not exactly made for smooth sailing – he lost his credentials in the 1990s after several buyers filed lawsuits and complaints over defects like leaky roofs. However, his license has since been reinstated.
Reynolds has also applied this natural and sustainable building concept to multi-unit rentals, making them even more accessible to the public. He is also the subject of a documentary called ‘Garbage Warriors‘, which follows him for three years as he builds earthships around the world and lobbies the government for the right to build a sustainable living test site.
His earthships have inspired a whole new generation of green builders, and they remain some of the most iconic examples of green architecture in the world. Learn more about earthships at EarthshipBiotecture.com.
Michael Reynolds’ Green Score: 34,689
Photo credit: Flickr user cer!se
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When Michael Reynolds builds his sustainable green home as a test site, he should consider clover as a ground cover. it’s been proven that produce production is the same on non-tilled land and that sprinkler watering produces sallienation through evaporation, the logical solution is a ground cover. So what is the best ground cover?.
I believe clover is the best because it grows to a height then stops growing, it is resilient in all kinds of weather. It is hospitable to every kind of other plant growth accept weeds which it simply shades out and one can be walk on it without permanent damage. Also Clover will hold the water at the surface and supply needed nitrogen to the soil.
It is one thing to keep people alive thru feeding them out of gerry cans flown in from somewhere else, but it’s much better to help them to build sustainable habitats where they can successfully do subsistence farming on a very small plot of land.
David Sherrod