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        • The Earthship Visitor Center

          2 Earthship Way, Tres Piedras, NM 87577

          Self-Guided Tours available daily – visitors are welcome to arrive anytime from 9am – 4pm.

          $9 per person for the self-guided tour of our Visitor Center

          • Free for Taos locals and Earthship alumni
          • Free for ages 12 and under

          UPDATED WINTER HOURS:

          Guided Tours available Thursday, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm to 4:30pm
          (please arrive a few minutes before)

          $22 per person • Tickets available at the front desk or: https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/872008-guided-tour

          NEW! Extended Self-Guided Tour 
          $15 per person • Tickets available at the front desk or:
          https://exploreorigin.com/en/listings/876139-earthship-movie-time

          Private Tours available when scheduled ahead of time More Info

        • Earthship Nightly Rentals:

          Earthships allow people to experience a luxurious off grid life. Being self-sufficient does not mean reducing one’s quality of life.

          Our Earthship rental homes are equipped with all amenities that conventional housing provides

          We are 20 minutes northwest of town of Taos, New Mexico. We are very happy to show you how you can live comfortably without harming nature …

          CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT AVAILABLE NIGHTLY RENTAL EARTHSHIPS.

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        • What is an Earthship?

          An Earthship is a type of house built with natural and recycled materials, with energy conservation in mind. It is designed to produce energy, water and food for its own use.

        • An Earthship is a type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and upcycled materials. Several models exist, and can be built in any part of the world, in any climate and provide electricity, potable water, contained sewage treatment and sustainable food production. Choose your favorite model.

           

          View Earthships currently for sale or buy some land in the Earthship Community

          Building cost could be significantly reduced if you decide to host an Academy or a Field Study.

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Frequently Asked Questions for the Academy and Internship Programs

The Earthship certificate is in 3 steps: The Academy is the first step, then you will need to complete a Field Study and an Independent Study.

The minimum age to participate is 21 years old. If you are under 21, please apply to the Online Academy. If you complete the Online Academy and are over 18 year old, you may still be able to complete your step 2 (Field Study) if you have a special waiver signed by your parents/legal guardians.

The Academy is a 4-week long program that includes time spent both in the classroom and on the job site.  The Academy is $2,500, plus the cost of accommodations. This is an in-depth program aiming to teach you how to build an Earthship.

The Internship is a 3-week long program that is solely spent on the job site where it is needed. The cost in 2023 is $ 200 USD (+taxes) plus the cost of accommodation. This fee will go up to $ 1000 USD in 2024 since you will also get a three hours class every week during the internship and a tour of the community.

Your application needs to be submitted by the 1st of the month prior to the Academy session you wish to attend.  If you are submitting your application via mail you need to ensure that we will receive it by the 1st. If you are submitting your application via e-mail, you can send it on the 1st.  (I.e.  You want to attend the April Academy session, we need to receive it by the 1st of March).

These recommendation letters are more of a character reference than professional references and are more for us to start to get to know who you are.

AFTER ACCEPTANCE TO PROGRAM

  • Camping is not allowed on our property.  This includes campers, RV’s, buses, tents, etc.

  • You can contact Carson National Forest:  575-758-6200; ask for a spot closest to the Gorge Bridge.

  • If you decide to camp, you will need to have your own vehicle to get to and from our property.

No.  Once you choose whether you want to live in a shared or private room, we will set up where you will stay.  We have to make arrangements for housing based on the number of cars in each group.

Our power system is not made to handle these high wattage appliances.  When you build your own Earthship, you’ll be able to put more batteries and solar panels in them in order to power your needs.  You’ll learn more about this in your Electrical courses.

The plants are watered from the bathroom sink and shower (and occasionally the kitchen sink).  You do not have to buy specific soap simply to come here.  Be conscientious of how much soap you are using and putting down the drain, large amounts can be harmful to the plants.  Do not pour bleach or photography chemicals down these drains.

The Greater World Community (Academy Campus) is about 20 minutes North of Taos.  Taos is the nearest town where you will be able to buy groceries & do your laundry.

No.  There are two laundromats in Taos.  Spin & Sparkle and The Pinch Penny.

We have WiFi in the majority of our buildings.  Our classroom and most of our student housing units has WiFi.  If you end up staying in a unit where there is no WiFi, you will still have access via communal areas in your housing compound.

Each situation is different; however, we are willing to make reasonable accommodations for families.  Please contact us to discuss your circumstances. We have a few dog friendly housing units for an extra $ 100 USD but again, this is on a first come first serve basis and we cannot guarantee you will be able to book it for your desired session.

The majority of our beds are twin sized.  

We offer field study opportunities 2-3 times a year.  Keep an eye out in your e-mail or on our website for the most up to date information.

Tuition is expected to be paid in full before the first day of your Academy session.

Unfortunately, we have a no refund policy but you can use your credit for up to two years, on any program or product.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate you before 10:00a.m. on the first day of your session.  We recommend you contact the Abominable Snow Mansion at (575)776-8298. 

We are unable to allow students to stay after their session in our student housing.  We have a new group Academy students or Interns coming each month.

Michael Reynolds does teach classes for many of our Academy sessions; however, we have clients all over the world and Michael may be traveling during your specific session.  There are many other very skilled instructors that have been a part of the Earthship movement for numerous years.  If you wish to have a special consultation with Michael please contact our receptionist at (575)751-0462.  

You are expected to be in the classroom or on the job site before 9:00a.m. 

Classes and work start at 9:00 a.m.

We do allow voice recordings of the classes, video recording is prohibited.

The short answer is no you will not be able to build your own Earthship once you finish the Academy.  However, this really depends on your skill level going into the Academy.  There are many components that go into the construction of an Earthship including plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, etc.  You will learn the basics of all of these, but you will likely want to hire a professional for many aspects of the construction of your own Earthship.

We keep 25% if you leave the first day,

We keep 50% if you leave the first week.

We keep the entire amount if you leave half way through.

Once you pay your deposit to save your spot to our program, our policy, stated on your invoice, is that:

“Your payment is nonrefundable, but may be used towards future sessions for up to 2 years.  In the event of cancellation or transfer 2 weeks or less before the start of the session date, your deposit will be kept. In the event of cancellation or transfer more than 2 weeks prior to the session, we will withhold 15% of the total cost of the program from your credit.  This applies to every time you cancel or transfer sessions”

Still have some questions?

Contact Us Here.