Garbage Warriors
February 26, 2009 at 3:08 PM Lawrence Hall 2 comments
Anyone see Grand Designs last night? We’ve written about Earthships – homes made from tyres filled with rammed earth – several times in the past so it was interesting to see the process in action.
The couple involved said they wouldn’t get planning permission for this in Britain, but there is a development of Earthships planned in Brighton. Has it been scrapped, we wonder?
The Daddy of all Earthship developments is in Taos, New Mexico where Mike Reynolds, the wild eyed, long haired visionary who invented the off-grid tyre house, still lives.
British director Oliver Hodge recently made a brilliant documentary – Garbage Warrior - about Reynolds, an intense and driven character who rages apocalyptically in the desert like some denim-clad refugee from Woodstock.
Reynolds fought an epic battle with the local planners to build his eco-outpost, had his architecture licence taken away, and finally gained acceptance when he built homes for tsunami victims on the Andaman Islands.
He’s a contradictory, inspiring, and at times heroic figure, but he’s definitely not given to eco orthodoxies:
“If humanity takes the planet down the tubes … I’m dead! I’m just trying to save my own ass. And that’s a powerful force!”
Not quite on message with Friends of the Earth there, Mike …
Tearing down the highway on his motorbike, raging against government interference, building with old car parts … this is an eco warrior you can actually imagine Jeremy Clarkson getting along with – and there aren’t too many of those in the world!
Entry filed under: General. Tags: Earthships, Grand Designs, Kevin McCloud, Mike Reynolds, Video Clips.
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1.
Toasted Teacake | March 4, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Mike,
I missed Grand Design’ sbut will see if I can dig it out online. Love the idea of Earthships and the trailer for the Garbage Warrior looks incredible.
If you have any additional information on the Brighton development, please keep us informed.
Great stuff, keep it coming.
2.
Mike O'Flynn | March 4, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Thanks Toasted … there’s a fully built Earthship in Stanmer Park in Brighton – it was done to test feasability/education etc and is now open to the public. If you’re ever down there try and check it out – it’s v. interesting.
Earthship Brighton
Following this, a scheme was proposed and granted permission for a site overlooking the marina. No word on it progressing but I guess in the current market that’s not surprising. But we’ll keep you posted.