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World-famous earthship is for sale in the New Mexico desert. But what exactly is it?

Drone shot of New Mexico earthship
Drone shot of New Mexico earthship Screen grab from Realtor

Usually, when someone mentions the word “ship,” your mind either zooms to “space” or whatever your favorite couple is going to do in a new Hulu series you’re binge watching. But when combined with the word “earth,” it takes on a new meaning.

Exterior
Exterior Screen grab from Realtor

An earthship is a house that’s sometimes cloaked in part of the scenery (have you ever had to give a once over of your roof with a lawnmower?) and made of recycled goods such as cans, bottles, adobe, and more earth-friendly materials, The Spruce reports.

Nighttime sky
Nighttime sky Screen grab from Realtor

“When combined correctly, these recycled and locally sourced materials create thermal mass, naturally regulating the internal temperature of the home without conventional heating and cooling technologies,” The Spruce reports. “Oftentimes, these structures are built partly into the ground and sometimes underground to further regulate their internal temperatures.”

Exterior
Exterior Screen grab from Realtor

Like this one on the real estate market in Tres Piedras, New Mexico, for $825,000, which is no ordinary earthship — but one that’s world famous.

Exterior
Exterior Screen grab from Realtor

“As featured on Netflix, international television and social media, among the pages of Forbes and AirBnB magazine and many others, Vallecitos is the luxury crown and pinnacle of Mike Reynolds 50+ years of Earthship evolution,” the listing on Realtor.com says.

Interior
Interior Screen grab from Realtor

The creator of the earthship concept, Reynolds came up with the idea after watching “news stories about the problem of trash and the lack of affordable housing,” Earthship.com notes.

Living room area
Living room area Screen grab from Realtor

This particular environment-friendly two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,700-square-foot residence has an abundance of features needed to be comfortable and, well, to survive:

  • Two-car garage

  • Food producing garden

  • Koi pond

  • Japanese floating cedar deck

  • Panoramic barrel sauna

  • Open concept floor plan

  • High ceilings

  • 20-foot bottle wall

Kitchen
Kitchen Screen grab from Realtor

The home is part of an “earthship community” that is off-grid.

Bedroom
Bedroom Screen grab from Realtor

Tres Piedras is about 80 miles north of Santa Fe.

Bedroom
Bedroom Screen grab from Realtor
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This story was originally published January 9, 2024 at 9:52 AM with the headline "World-famous earthship is for sale in the New Mexico desert. But what exactly is it?."

TJ Macias
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren
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