Many seek off-grid living to live in better harmony with the planet and themselves. Some look to that style of living because they fear for the future of humanity and want a place to ride out the storm, so to speak.

Whatever your reason, there are lots of ways to do it. My favorite way is the Earthship. The Earthship is a concept that an architect named Michael Reynolds dreamed up in the 1970’s. His objectives were to utilize sustainable architecture, rely on natural energy sources, and keep it easy enough for a lay person to build.

The homes capture maximum light and heat and are designed with thick walls to provide thermal mass and regulate the temperature inside of the house. The outer walls are often crammed full of tires because they provide storage for thermal heat and build a pretty good foundation for the walls of the home.

Earthships are also built to capture water and can be effective at it even in the driest of places. The homes also seek to reuse greywater, or water that’s already been used, in places like your toilet. So the water you shower with ends up being the water use flush with.

Many Earthships are designed with land in mind too and come with greenhouses to grow your own food in. You can even have chickens and fish. My ideal plan would be to do a hydroponic system and use tilapia. That way you get lots of fresh fruits and veggies and also fish.

Still not sure? This is an awesome documentary about Earthships: