The Earthship Tour

Earthships are earth-sheltered autonomous buildings made of tires rammed with earth, which are usually arranged in a "U" or horseshoe shape. Each tyre is rammed full of earth using a sledge. Depending on its size and the soil density a tyre may weigh more than 300 pounds when properly prepared. Windows on the sunny side admit light and heat. The "U" shape of the structure faces South in the northern hemisphere, and North in the southern hemisphere, so that the house will catch maximum sunlight in the colder months.

Internal, non load bearing walls, are often made of a "honey comb" of recycled cans separated by concrete. The walls are then usually thickly plastered, using the pull-tabs on the cans as a lathe to hold the adobe and stucco.

The roof of an Earthship is heavily insulated.