Photo: Plastic Bottle Village

Environment26. September 2019

Upcycling: Empty Beer Cans Become Trailblazer for Earth-Friendly Construction

Houses made with everyday objects are becoming more and more popular to promote the benefits of upcycling and show what mixing eco-consciousness with creativity can lead to.

In the U.S. State of Houston, Texas, John Milkovisch constructed the Beer Can House, made with 50,000 flattened beer cans which he collected himself over a period of 18 years. The Orange Show for Visionary Art, a non-profit foundation focused on preserving out-of-the-box creations, took over the home following the death of Milkovisch’s wife, and the home is now open to visitors on weekends.

In Taos, New Mexico, you’ll find an Earthship, built by Mike Reynolds at the age of 23. The Earthship is a sustainable home made with old tires, tin cans and glass bottles. The energy efficient site was so successful that there are now several Earthships around Taos available for overnight visits.

Robert Bezeau started a project in Panama called the Plastic Bottle Village, promoting the idea that “one man’s trash is another man’s condo.” Bezeau collected tens of thousands of plastic bottles that he found scattered in streets and beaches to build a village that sends a message. The site includes a castle with a dungeon for guests to “jail themselves” overnight for their “crimes against the planet”; a fun way to raise awareness of the increasing plastic waste problem.

Source:
Smithsonian

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