Garbage Warrior
What do beer cans, car tires and water bottles have in common? Not
much unless you’re renegade architect Michael Reynolds, in which case
they are tools of choice for producing thermal mass and
energy-independent housing. For 30 years New Mexico-based Reynolds and
his green disciples have devoted their time to advancing the art of “Earthship Biotecture”
by building self-sufficient, off-the-grid communities where design and
function converge in eco-harmony. However, these experimental
structures that defy state standards create conflict between Reynolds
and the authorities, who are backed by big business. Frustrated by
antiquated legislation, Reynolds lobbies for the right to create a
sustainable living test site. While politicians hum and ha, Mother
Nature strikes, leaving communities devastated by tsunamis and
hurricanes. Reynolds and his crew seize the opportunity to lend their
pioneering skills to those who need it most. Shot over three years and
in four countries, Garbage Warrior is a timely portrait of a determined
visionary, a hero of the 21st century.
Earthship n. 1. passive solar home made of natural
and recycled materials 2. thermal mass construction for temperature
stabilization. 3. renewable energy & integrated water systems make
the Earthship an off-grid home with little to no utility bills.
Biotecture n. 1. the profession of designing
buildings and environments with consideration for their sustainability.
2. A combination of biology and architecture.
via TopoDocumentaryfilms.
Imagine a home that heats itself, that provides its own water, hat grows its own food. Imagine that it needs no expensive technology, that it recycles its own waste, that it has its own power source.
And now imagine that it can be built anywhere, by anyone, out of the things society throws away. Thirty years ago, architect Michael Reynolds imagined just such a home – then set out to build it.
A visionary in the classic American mode, Reynolds has been fighting ever since to bring his concept to the public. He believes that in an age of ecological instability and impending natural disaster, his buildings can – and will – change the way we live.
Shot over three years in the USA, India and Mexico, Garbage Warrior is a feature-length documentary film telling the epic story of maverick architect Michael Reynolds, his crew of renegade house builders from New Mexico, and their fight to introduce radically different ways of living.
A snapshot of contemporary geo-politics and an inspirational tale of triumph over bureaucracy, Garbage Warrior is above all an intimate portrait of an extraordinary individual and his dream of changing the world.
via TopoDocumentaryfilms.
Imagine a home that heats itself, that provides its own water, hat grows its own food. Imagine that it needs no expensive technology, that it recycles its own waste, that it has its own power source.
And now imagine that it can be built anywhere, by anyone, out of the things society throws away. Thirty years ago, architect Michael Reynolds imagined just such a home – then set out to build it.
A visionary in the classic American mode, Reynolds has been fighting ever since to bring his concept to the public. He believes that in an age of ecological instability and impending natural disaster, his buildings can – and will – change the way we live.
Shot over three years in the USA, India and Mexico, Garbage Warrior is a feature-length documentary film telling the epic story of maverick architect Michael Reynolds, his crew of renegade house builders from New Mexico, and their fight to introduce radically different ways of living.
A snapshot of contemporary geo-politics and an inspirational tale of triumph over bureaucracy, Garbage Warrior is above all an intimate portrait of an extraordinary individual and his dream of changing the world.
