Learn what it takes to build a sustainable community
Sustainable Building & Community Workshops
Come stay in the heart of the Rockies for two weeks learning. Stay on site in one of our fully equipped yurts along with 8 other students.
Accredited and able to earn 1 credit through Western Colorado University with completion of workshop
Building
From building a carbon-negative yurt or earthship, gray water systems & off-grid power, to permitting and financial literacy.
Schedule
Accommodations
Each yurt has a hot shower, flush toilet, and kitchen. Starlink Wifi, outdoor wood-burning sauna, natural cold plunge & fire pit.
What You’ll Learn
Come stay in the heart of the Rockies for two weeks learning to build an Earthship inspired home and what it takes to build sustainable community. From hands on building of a carbon negative home, to learning how to build a yurt, you’ll see what grey water systems look like, how permitting works, things to look for while planning, financial literacy, time banking, & community development. These are a few things among many more we will discuss during a two-week intensive work trade educational workshop.
These mornings will be largely be spent pounding earth into tires, framing walls, and building adobe bricks. This is tiring work and acts as our daily crossfit/exercise/moving the sustainable needle forward. The morning effort you bring to this project is your part in realizing affordable sustainable housing at Poncha Pass for this community. In return, each afternoon will see one lecture series based on a round table discussion of all things I’ve learned along the way. My hope is that you take many vital lessons with you, and the best parts of what I have learned to be applied to your own life, home, and community.
Accommodations
Week 1 Schedule
Sunday Welcome
3-6pm welcome – 6pm welcome in big yurt & things to know
Monday-Friday 9AM-12:30, on-site at Earthship: build location building earthship
Monday Post lunch lecture – The story of building yurts (nuggets of gold; those key pieces of information that make the difference.)
Afternoon tiny tasks
Tuesday Post lunch Walk about – Choosing maintenance over repair, grafting trees & recovering grey water
Walking Tour of property
Wednesday Post lunch lecture – What is an Earthship & how can we design smartly
Afternoon tiny tasks
Thursday Post lunch lecture – Financial literacy. Starting a small business and achieving one’s own build
Building a composting toilet
Friday Post lunch lecture – What is sustainability? (A story on arriving at small scale housing)
Afternoon tiny tasks
Optional Evening out on the Town
Week 2 Schedule
Sunday – Optional trip to town / Sand Dunes
Monday-Friday 9AM-12:30, on-site at Earthship: build location building earthship
Monday Post lunch lecture – What is time banking? (leveraging your self worth & community worth towards common goals.)
Afternoon planting trees
Tuesday Post lunch lecture – Planning your efforts (Permitting & building a business plan)
Afternoon tiny tasks
Wednesday Post lunch lecture – Building affordable furniture & appliances
Afternoon building a composting toilet
Thursday Post lunch lecture – Sharing nuggets of gold, 10 minute student presentations
Afternoon tiny tasks
Friday Post lunch lecture – Sharing nuggets of gold, 10 minute student presentations
Afternoon final BBQ