Sept 11- Earthships- The Greater World near Taos, New Mexico.

I voluteered for three days helping make can walls, frame the front of the earthship (alternative residential building that has a rammed tire back wall, and south glass wall) They capture all of their water into large cisterns, use a greywater system through planters to filter water from the sinks and shower, and a conventional septic tank then through a series of blackwater planters out front. It's an interesting concept, and the houses are very practical, but take lots of labor! rough figures are $165/ sf and 30% of that is labor costs. It was a fun crew to work on, this coming week I'll be meeting with others around Taos that are working on passive solar design and water reclaimation.