What is life in an Earthship really like?

I've been on the forum a few weeks now and maybe some of y'all are familiar enough with my posts by now to know that I am a fan of the Earthship concept; I'm interested in learning more about Earthships and taking inspiration from them as a source of design ideas.

Today I was thinking about how most of the videos I've seen about Earthships on Youtube either show them in the process of being built, or else depict them as immaculate, as if staged for a photo shoot. Some videos include interviews with the people who live in them, but none of them give me a sense of what day to day life in an Earthship is really like.

So I'm wondering whether there are any Earthship inhabitants here on Permies (and if not, where some might be who I can talk to) who can tell me these things. In particular I'm curious about what are some of the things that were unexpected little problems/downsides, or odd things that were hard to get used to, aspects of Earthships that didn't live up to expectations, etc.-- i.e. stuff that would be unlikely to be talked about in a video.

My wife and I are planning a trip next year to go stay in an Earthship (probably in Taos) for four nights, but I have a feeling there is a lot about "Earthship life" that I won't be able to absorb from that short a visit. Also...what should I make of the fact that many people evidently built Earthships and then decided to AirBnB them instead of live in them? Which reminds me, I heard once that Mike Reynolds doesn't live in an Earthship. Is this true, and if so does anyone know the reason why?

have a look here for an answer to your question
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/earthship-hype-and-earthship-reality

John C Daley wrote:have a look here for an answer to your question
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/earthship-hype-and-earthship-reality

Thanks, I've seen that article linked before but it is gated so I've never been able to read past the first few paragraphs. If you know of an ungated version please link it!

I guess in the meantime maybe there's useful info in the comments...?

Followup: I read through the comments. This excerpt from one was interesting:

a commenter on the GBA article wrote: A not insignificant part of my job running our local HBA is disabusing newly arrived aging hippies that the wall-systems they have read about have all been tried by local builders. And the really good ones, the ones still around long after their pony tails receded past the back of their hat bands, will be happy to build them a net-zero energy home that barely sips from our precious aquifer, all while using the same basic construction techniques of whatever kind of home they just moved away from.

After they get over their initial disappointment, I think most of them are actually relieved to have the certainty and warranty that a new home with a genuine HERS rating can provide.

In another comment, the author himself quotes from the "Earthship Woes" thread here! Which is interesting but not all that helpful since I already read that whole thread.

You might send a Purple Moosage to this lady who is selling her Bioshelter.

She posted this under Earthships and I asked Google if they are the same thing and I got a crude earthship whatever that means:

https://permies.com/t/223667/Alaskan-Bioshetler-Sale

@John C Daley:

The final comment was interesting, as I am planning to spend a few nights in an Earthship next year:

the last commenter on the article wrote:I have spent several nights in several earthships in the greater world community in Taos. I have had nothing but pleasant experiences during all times of the year. This includes the height of the summer (high 90s) and the peak of the winter (below zero with 30 mph winds). We had all of life’s modern amenities (minus a hair drier and a vitamix). The houses we stayed in were moderate temperature, modern furnishings, and were outfitted with amazing systems. The systems were so dialed that we always had plenty of water, electric, some food for dinner which we picked from the planter, and we enjoyed watching netflix on a 65 inch flatscreen. Some of them have a fireplace, but we never felt the need. I am sure the houses we stayed in do not come cheap, just like any house doesn’t. But it is pretty cool knowing you are staying in a luxury house largely made up of what most consider garbage. Picking fresh tomatoes and bananas grown from water from the roof, in the middle of the winter in the desert is a pretty cool experience.

@Anne Miller:

Thanks, I'll check out the video and maybe shoot her a message.