In the 1990s, Jay Warmke and his wife Annie from Philo, Ohio, began building a house made of tires.
It's a so-called “Earthship,” a dwelling designed to have minimal impact on the environment.
Its walls were built from old tires filled with compacted earth and stacked like bricks.
The north side of the house is buried in the earth.
Warmke: “You get a cave effect, cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.”
The exposed south side is mostly windows, absorbing the warmth of the sun so the house requires very little energy to heat.
During construction, people were curious about the project, so the Warmkes held an open house.
Warmke: “About 600 people came to see this house in the middle of Appalachia.”
This inspires them to continue offering tourism services and turning their property into an educational center so others can find a path to sustainability.
Over the years, the center has offered workshops in straw bale and rammed earth construction, solar energy and more.
It inspires people to see the benefits of living more consciously.
Warmke: “Being aware of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it — to me, you know, that’s a life worth living.”
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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