Photo of Michael Reynolds

Architecture is a creative profession. An architect can bring creativity and function together to create works of art in the form of buildings. Frank Lloyd Wright is probably the most well known architect due to his forward thinking with designs that were unique for their time. Gio Ponti and Daniel Libeskind also come to mind. Chances are though you have not heard of Michael Reynolds.

Michael Reynolds is an architect that has been so ahead of his contemporaries that they took away his architecture license. Why? Because he was doing building experiments in the New Mexico desert that did not conform to current zoning and building laws. Mr. Reynolds has been building houses that he calls “Earthships.” Houses that are off the grid and self contained. Houses that use garbage for bricks. Beautiful houses that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional.

Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of natural and recycled materials 2. thermal mass construction for temperature stabilization. 3. renewable energy & integrated water systems make the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility bills.

In the documentary Garbage Warrior filmmaker Oliver Hodge sheds some light on the life and work of Michael Reynolds. From how he got started over 30 years ago to his battles with the government over his right to build his Earthships. As well as Reynolds relief work in a tsunami destroyed third world that is eager for his new ideas and forward thinking.

After watching I wanted my own Earthship. And if you like the idea of no heating bill, no electric bill, no water bill, and not taking from the Earth just to live, you’ll probably want one too. It was also refreshing to see a documentary that is offering a solution to the environmental crisis we are in. I’ve grown tired of “the sky is falling” environmental documentaries we’ve seen in recent years.

You can check out the website for the movie here.

And if you want your very own copy you can buy that here.

Or if you want to build your own Earthship you can get instructions here.

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