I’m in the high desert of NM and live in an area with lots of alternative building - earthships, strawbale, adobe and rammed earth. My boyfriend used to be a contractor so he and I built my place - it’s frame covered in redwood.

Almost all were built by women in the 90’s as building inspection was very lax out here back then. Most of the earthships have interior walls of cement/plaster covering soda cans. I made some retaining walls and stairs with cans. Back in the 90’s we were mostly all off grid. I’m one of the few that connected my panels to grid. All are facing south with lots of windows (including mine) for passive solar heat in winter.

I remember seeing a variation of these out in and around Death Valley years and years ago. One had walls made of old whiskey bottles. The insulating properties are ingenious.

They seem so efficient and utilitarian. I can't wait to see one up close.

The monsoons came big time - it's like I'm living in a green wonderland of wildflowers and weeds. I've lived out here over 20 yrs, and this is the most rain we have ever had in summer. Everyone out here is growing pot now because we can, and we have to worry about mold because there is so much rain - go figure.