Earthship Academy for a sustainable future

My boyfriend and I were accepted to the Earthship Academy and we need your help so we create a documentary and start classes on April, 1, 2016 Brennan's 25th birthday

Earthships are sustainable houses that recycle waste such as tires, glass bottles, and cans to use as building materials for homes. They are low cost to build and provide free electricity as well as food. They use solar panels and wind turbines to provide all their own power. The entire roof funnels rain water into a holding tank, which then pumps it into sinks and showers. The water is next used in the greenhouse to water the edible plants, after which it is pumped back into the bathrooms to be used in the toilets. After being flushed from the toilets, it is pumped to the exterior garden to water the non-edible plants. The water is reused a total of four times to minimize water waste. Earthships have been brilliantly engineered to support comfortable temperatures all year long. In freezing cold or blistering hot climates, the Earthship remains a constant temperature based on your comfortability somewhere near 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The reason for this is the result of solar heat being absorbed and stored by the thermal mass (tires filled with dirt) which comprise the Earthship’s structure. The thermal mass releases or absorbs heat while the interior cools down or heats up. The large greenhouse windows at the front of the house are strategically placed facing south to allow the sun to heat up the thermal mass in the daytime. Because the temperature is at a constant state food can be grown year round. Fish ponds and coops for egg laying chickens can be added to the design of the house as well for meat eating families, although we are vegan. We as a species must explore building materials and methods that are not dependent on manufactured energy and that have the potential to contribute to the general well-being of the planet rather than exploit it. I am going to share our application to the Earthship Academy with you so you can be informed of our intentions of what we want to learn at the Academy. As well as how we plan to apply our knowledge in the future.

EARTHSHIP ACADEMY APPLICATION:

Describe what “sustainability” means to you.

To us sustainability is using our resources in a responsible and regenerative way. When you use something you simply give it back. Whether its taking a fruit from a tree and giving back the seeds to the Earth or composting the scraps. We believe that our planet is not at risk because of over population but because of how we are using our resources. Our species is growing and evolving so quickly, we can easily apply all the new information gathered daily to benefit all living beings. Knowledge is powerful and spreading it is essential. Sharing new discoveries with one another can allow us to thrive as whole and to let us see our beautiful mother shine her brightest.

Describe why you are interested in Earthships.

We have been interested in Earthships for a few years now. We want to be able to grow and provide all our needs without any need for importing goods. There is no reason to use extra resources to deliver something to a store that could have been easily grown at home. Innovation is needed for us to survive as a species and I am thankful that Mike is making this movement move. We need more people to fight for the right to keep us alive and our planet clean. We think the Earthship academy is going to be an incredible addition in our knowledge and ability to reduce our carbon emissions and water waste. Also I love that we can put creativity into our home.

What inspired you to apply for the Earthship Academy?

We are inspired to apply for the Earthship Academy because we want to build an Earthship. We have known for awhile that when we build our house we want it to be an Earthship. We have let financial situations hold us back from taking this class earlier, because we would start worrying about buying land and paying for permits. We realize that this is an abundant universe and everyone should have their needs fulfilled, and that if we take the first step the universe will conspire and allow our dreams to manifest.

What existing skills or interests do you possess that you hope to apply to your Academy experience?

We are talkative and compassionate in social gatherings and plan to make lifelong friends at the Academy. We plan to absorb as much information as possible so we can take the knowledge and use it to its full potential and share it with anyone willing to learn. We are both creative and artistic and are excited to create our house while expressing ourselves. We grow fruit and vegetables and plan to have a diverse greenhouse and permaculture food forest surrounding our Earthship. We also compost and vermicompost and will continue to do so after our Earthship is built.

How do you want to take what you learn at the Academy back to your world?

We have a dream to build a Earthship and create a home and healing center for anyone wanting to learn to live sustainable. We are going to apply for grants after graduating from the Academy to buy land in Hawaii or in a pocket of freedom that will be able to allow our dream to unfold. We want to teach about permaculture as well as how to build Earthships. The more Eartships we teach people to build the more people we can host in our community. We have learned copious amounts about health in the past three years. We are continuing to cleanse our mind, body, and spirit through a vegan diet, yoga, meditation, and sungazing. It makes our hearts happy to be able to share these powerful habits with others. We love helping people cure their illnesses and loving themselves and others. We also make and gift orgonite. The more you give the more you have and we have so much to give.

What, if any, additional subjects would you like to see added to the curriculum?

How to create Earthship blueprints is something that we can think of that was not mentioned on the partial list of Academy classes. We aren't sure whether or not this is something that is usually part of the curriculum but it a skill we both wish to process.

Add your own message to Earthship Biotecture:

I am so grateful that the idea of building Earthships came to Mike Reynolds. What the Earthship Academy provides is so amazing and allows a better future for us all. The world needs more sustainability movements and we are happy to be apart of this journey. We are looking forward to our upcoming journey at the Earthship academy.


Our acceptance e-mail from the Earthship Academy:

Hello Suzie and Brennan,

Congratulations!! We would love to have you be a part of the Earthship Academy!

The Academy will be in it's fifth full year of existence and we are thrilled to have continued interest from diverse and qualified applicants, such as yourself. Academy graduates are currently working on Earthship and Earthship inspired projects in California, Tennessee, Canada, New Zealand, Haiti, Argentina, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, Portugal and more. Sharpen your pencils and get ready to get dirty and pound some tires!!


The money earned through funding will be spent on tuition cost which is $2500 per person, so $5000 total. As well as living cost during our duration of the classes at the Academy which will be $800 for both of us combined. The second part of the Academy is going to be a start to finish Earthship build somewhere in the world. We are not yet aware of where we will be traveling to so we do not know how much tickets will be yet but I am going to estimate the round trip cost for both of us combined to be approximately $1500. I recently bought a professional camera so that I could document our stay at the Earthship Academy as well as a start to finish Earthship build. I will also be interviewing other attendants during the Academy. I need recording equipment for interviews which will be approximately $600. We will be giving a special thanks to everyone who donated to our campaign in the documentary we create. We are asking your help to raise a total of $7900.

I thank you in advance for helping us reach our fundraising goal, to help us attend the Earthship Academy. Together we are making the world a better place. Your donation will be a gift that will continue to give for years to come as we teach others how to build Earthships and to live sustainable. We also invite all donors to come and learn to build with us after we graduate from the Academy.