If you are looking for a unique, affordable method of construction, earthbags might be just the thing for you. There's a lot to learn about this form of living, but after much consideration, you may find this could be a good fit for you and your family for off grid living.

Here is why:

There many many reasons to utilize the Earthbag construction method but I think there are 4 key aspects to the  process which really set it apart as uniquely advantageous.

1. plentiful local materials. When Building with Earthbags the majority of the building materials needed happens to be the most plentiful, easily accessible material on the planet: DIRT! Thats why the practice of building with mixtures of earthen materials is as old as human history and as much as it is a physical practicality it is also psychologically healthy. Building with the earth brings a deep satisfaction in feeling connected to the place that gives you life.

2. sustainability.  Earthbags also play a role in environmental health by taking plastic out of the waste stream. Bags can be found as misprints or salvage from local businesses but even buying them new has environmental benefit. This is because the Polypropylene used in making the bags is a byproduct of oil refineries and needs to be utilized in some way whether it is disposed of or turned into something useable. Turning them into bags for building walls with indefinite lifse spans is a great way to not only negate their environmental impact but also creates a new market which can open the door to even more sustainably derived resin products like those made from hemp oils. If you really can not bring yourself to love the plastic then consider burlap bags or canvas! anything that will hold the dirt can work. Ultimately, earthbags can do a lot for moving construction methods a lot further down the sustainability spectrum.

3. Low Tech! Of all the great features that Earthbag  building has to offer the one that resonates the most with me is that anyone can quickly and easily learn how to do it with only the most minimal training. In a few hours you can learn all the basic steps which will allow you to build nearly limitless shapes and forms. Because this skill can so readily be put within reach of any person it can be a tool to offer strength and empowerment to those who can not qualify for entry into the debt financing system.

4. affordability. Because the materials are so cheap and easy to access nothing can compare to the cost effectiveness of building with earthbags. Depending on how much DIY you are willing to invest into your project its not unheard of for cost per square foot to be as low as 10$. Of course that is building at its most basic and simplistic but as a starting point you can see how much room there is to expand and embellish your projects before you get close to what traditional methods will cost you.

I am not a rich person and odds are you aren't either. Building a durable, strong, safe home in an environmentally conscious way using any of the more traditional methods will be beyond the reach of most people. The modern way of obtaining shelter in the west is to rent or to enter into the convoluted and dangerous systems of debt created by governments and financial institutions.  I believe that earthbag building offers a way out of the debt trap while providing strong, earth-friendly, beautiful shelter.

These four essential aspects of earthbag building lay the foundation for a nurturing environment, bringing people together to help friends and family build homes and strengthen communities. This gathering and bonding of people calls back to our ancient, pre-industrial roots and brings attention to the alienating strangeness of our abstract modern methods of providing shelter. Today we travel vast distances and work for long hours to pay for a home we dont spend hardly any time in because we are always traveling and working to pay for it. This scenario seems to isolate and alienate us more than offer closer relationships and tighter community bonds. Earthbags offer a means to reverse this equation. Earthbags for the future!

As with any construction method, you must do your homework. There are always hidden costs, challenges, and drawbacks to any technology or method of construction.

Earthbags, though, provide an affordable method of construction that will last a lifetime and if you do them correctly are pretty attractive as well.

To learn more about earthbags and building with them, please visit The Modern Natural.

Featured Image via Flickr