Earthship facts for kids
An Earthship is a special kind of house. It is built using natural and recycled materials. The main idea is to save energy and use resources wisely. Architect Michael Reynolds and his company, Earthship Biotecture, created this design.
Earthships are made to produce their own water and electricity. They often use old tires filled with earth for walls. This helps the house stay warm in winter and cool in summer. Earthships don't need public services like gas, electricity, or water pipes. This means they are "off-the-grid." They can work on their own, far from city services.
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What is an Earthship?
An Earthship is a self-sufficient home. This means it can take care of itself. It uses resources from its natural surroundings. For example, large windows face the sun. This lets sunlight warm the house.
How Earthships Get Power
Earthships make their own electricity. They use solar panels on the roof. These panels turn sunlight into power. The power is then stored in batteries for later use. This way, the house always has electricity.
How Earthships Get Water
Earthships also collect their own water. Rainwater falls on the roof and is collected. This water is then filtered. It becomes safe for drinking, cooking, and washing.
Used water from sinks and showers is called "graywater." Earthships reuse this water. It first goes to water indoor plants. After that, it can be used to flush toilets. This system saves a lot of water.
Staying Comfortable Inside
Earthships are designed to keep a comfortable temperature. The thick walls made of earth-filled tires help. They store heat from the sun. This keeps the house warm when it's cold outside. They also keep the house cool when it's hot. This natural heating and cooling saves energy.
Building an Earthship
Earthships can be built in many different climates. You can find them all over the world. They are in North and South America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
People can learn how to build their own Earthship. There are special drawings and training programs. This helps people create their own off-the-grid homes. It allows them to be independent from public and commercial services.
Images for kids
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Earthship Architecture, Taos, New Mexico
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Earthship windows, water barrels, and solar panels
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Michael Reynolds' first building, the "Thumb House," was built in the early 1970s. It included features used in later Earthship designs.
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Earthship Welcome Center
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Building with cans in the 1970s
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Tires rammed with earth and stacked
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The water system with an integrated flush toilet, as used in most Earthships
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A scupper for collecting rainwater
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An interior botanical cell; the plants help clean the graywater
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Solar panels on an Earthship
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Solar water heater on an Earthship
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Natural convection cooling an Earthship
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Earthship built by Angel and Yvonne Kamp in South Africa
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Earthship Brighton, England
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See also
In Spanish: Earthship para niños
