Alternative lifestyles and behavior can be influenced by one’s willingness to give back to the earth via environmentalism, or just to save a buck and fight the idealism of a capitalist society.

Such lifestyle decisions fuel the green movement and the market of everything from hybrid cars to self composting toilets. One way to save thousands of dollars and to live without the guilt of Gaia is to construct a house using alternative materials besides precious wood, polluting vinyls and foam insulation.

Some of these alternative housing methods are extremely useful to the earth, as everyday trash can be used to build an entire house, or a natural material can be used, and soon after recycled when the house is ready to be torn down.

Cardboard Homes

The chic cardboard house is no longer the domain of hobo’s and bums,

but is now being called the Home of the Future. The notion of the cardboard home was to get away from technology and create a home with the most simplistic ideas. Cardboard is 100 percent recyclable. The first luxury cardboard home is being worked on in Australia.

Some folks may think it is a crazy view considering there is no other place where cardboard is used to build a home. All of the materials that will be used in the home will be recycled. Of course there will still be reinforced walls and some insulation. The only great part about a cardboard home is that it is recyclable and the toilet is a composting system that only produces a nutrient rich water that is used for gardening. (more…)

Orginal post by Home Improvement Guy