BajaNomad - Plastic Bottle Cabanas-Whales Out Front 10/6 update

Plastic Bottle Cabanas-Whales Out Front 10/6 update

DianaT - 9-20-2010 at 07:09 PM

When the Biosphere Page of the Bahia Asuncion Website is built, in addition to basic information about the Biosphere, we plan on giving some history about and following several of the environmentally positive projects in the area that have received grants from the Vizcaino Preserve.

Our friend, Jesus Verduzo (Chuy) received one of the grants to assist him in building some cabanas out of plastic bottles. And the work has began.

Besides building in this experimental way, some of the equipment is also experimental----like this for filling the bottles with sand.

The beginning of the structures

Chuy is one of the nicest people around, and we hope his dream will be a success. He told us that these two vacation rental rooms will each have a private bathroom. We just think it will be great to see vacationers staying in a place that saved the landscape from being littered with so many more plastic bottles!

This is just one of the projects we will be following. And if any of you are visiting BA and have any of those big plastic bottles, we hope you will take them down to the little bay and leave them to be recycled in a unique manner.

[Edited on 10-6-2010 by DianaT]

bajabass - 9-20-2010 at 08:49 PM

If they can make boats out of them, then houses can work as well! Please post updates as the project moves forward and upward! :light:

The plastic bottle is the devil! Make it work for you, more than once!

gnukid - 9-20-2010 at 09:34 PM

It's cool to recycle.

We know much more about the Man and the bioshpere project and understand that grants are most often associated with a trade off or loss of rights of the community in exchange for nothing but short term promises, be very careful of what agreements you make with Biosphere which may compromise your values, your rights, and the long term goals of the city for short term monetary gain. Notice also how UNESCO use the funds and promises to divide communities, take over land and limit access.

The history of the Biosphere and its stated goals are generally not in line with goals of local community. Be very wary: do your research and find out about UNESCO land grabs, child abuse, sex trade, slave trade, and corruption.

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by gnukid]

DianaT - 9-20-2010 at 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabass
If they can make boats out of them, then houses can work as well! Please post updates as the project moves forward and upward! :light:

The plastic bottle is the devil! Make it work for you, more than once!

We will definitely post updates------ :yes:

sanquintinsince73 - 9-20-2010 at 11:30 PM

This is awesome, DT. Can you ask them, considering the BCS elements, what the life expectancy of the structure might be?? Gracias!!! :tumble:

sanquintinsince73 - 9-20-2010 at 11:36 PM

I was just thinking.....I am sure people all over that area will find out about this project and start taking him every coke bottle around. Once the littered coke bottles are all picked up, he's gonna have to drink a heck of alot of coke to finish the project. :lol:

DianaT - 9-20-2010 at 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73
This is awesome, DT. Can you ask them, considering the BCS elements, what the life expectancy of the structure might be?? Gracias!!! :tumble:

As we will be following this for the website, we will ask lots of questions along the way. Chuy is not in town all the time, so this project will probably take some time----it will be built on Baja Time. :biggrin:

And it is going to take A LOT of bottles----if you head our way, start drinking a lot of coke now. Don't think he can drink enough all by himself! :lol:

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by DianaT]

Mexitron - 9-20-2010 at 11:55 PM

Sounds like an interesting project Diane---looking forward to seeing it in person!

Eli - 9-21-2010 at 05:43 AM

Very Interesting, thanks for posting this Diane.

Bob and Susan - 9-21-2010 at 07:12 AM

where are the castillos for support

and the footings so it doesnt blow over

good idea for replacement block walls though

you'd need to paint the plastic or cover
for uv protection or the plastic
will fall apart in a year

k-rico - 9-21-2010 at 07:26 AM

Interesting idea indeed and at first it looks like a good idea, if it's structurally sound. Some vertical posts of some sort, at least in the corners would probably be a good idea. He'll need to pack those bottles pretty tight to withstand compression loads.

But after thinking about it a bit I'm wondering what the advantage is over just collecting and recycling the plastic bottles to use as raw material for other plastic things. I wouldn't want them to start selling empty plastic bottles to make things out of. Maybe it's better the uses for that stuff be decreased not increased. I guess soft drink bottles aren't made of biodegradable plastic - yet.

I could make a sizeable structure with a year's worth of beer cans.

Just thinking.

[Edited on 9-21-2010 by k-rico]

vandenberg - 9-21-2010 at 07:31 AM

This seems awfully labor intensive, especially filling the bottles. So, if you ever have plans in that direction, better start filling those bottles now. :biggrin:

And Bob, I expect the finished product to be plastered over to keep the bottles out of direct sunlight. :?:

mulegemichael - 9-21-2010 at 08:07 AM

now if they could figure out something to do with those damn plastic bags found dangling from every bush.

CortezBlue - 9-21-2010 at 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan
where are the castillos for support

and the footings so it doesnt blow over

good idea for replacement block walls though

you'd need to paint the plastic or cover
for uv protection or the plastic
will fall apart in a year

It appears, in the photos, that the corners are not filled with bottles. So maybe they will use a steel post and beam setup, that would make the most sense. I know here in the states when they do a hay house, they build a steel post and beam structure and fill the sections in between with the hay.

What the hay?

DianaT - 9-21-2010 at 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulegemichael
now if they could figure out something to do with those damn plastic bags found dangling from every bush.

I don't know, but I just bet some of the more creative types around here could come up with some good ideas----got to be an artistic or construction use somewhere, somehow, since it is highly likely they will be banned and they are so UGLY. :yes:

We really are enjoying with Chuy is doing, will ask more questions, and will keep following the project. Besides, we always enjoy visiting with him.

Meantime, it is interesting to read the different speculations. If some parts work better than others, they certainly will learn a lot from doing this project. And it is good, I think to see the bottles being used and I love the idea of different building materials----straw, glass bottles, etc---unique and creative ways of building.

Natalie Ann - 9-21-2010 at 09:15 AM

Hmmmm..... I've been wanting to construct some inexpensive benches for my back garden. This could be even better than hay bales. Picture undulating curves of plastic bottles covered by mortar, maybe mix some earth tones into the top layer of stucco.

Guess I'll need to be cutting a deal for bottles with one of those street people who wander the city with grocery carts picking up recycle... shorten his/her trip to the payment center. :light:

Seriously.... this is quite interesting, Diane. Do continue to share with us your friend's progress.

nena

larryC - 9-21-2010 at 09:16 AM

I saw Doc Abraham at camp Gecko in BoLA build a sand bag building. He just filled sand bags with a mixture of sand and cement and started laying them out for his walls. Once he was finished with the walls he plastered the exposed bags with something like stucco. That was close to 10 years ago and as far as I know the walls are fine. Maybe someone that lives at camp Gecko and sees them more often than I do can comment better on how they are holding up.
Larry

DianaT - 9-21-2010 at 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Natalie Ann
Hmmmm..... I've been wanting to construct some inexpensive benches for my back garden. This could be even better than hay bales. Picture undulating curves of plastic bottles covered by mortar, maybe mix some earth tones into the top layer of stucco.

Guess I'll need to be cutting a deal for bottles with one of those street people who wander the city with grocery carts picking up recycle... shorten his/her trip to the payment center. :light:

Seriously.... this is quite interesting, Diane. Do continue to share with us your friend's progress.

nena

Now you are talking----but you have to fit plastic bags into that bench design! Surely you could swirl them into the mortar---think of the color you could add!

Sandbag building, very interesting LarryC and I do wonder how it is holding up.

Barbareno - 9-22-2010 at 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulegemichael
now if they could figure out something to do with those damn plastic bags found dangling from every bush.

How about cutting them in strips and knitting them into strong sturdy bags. For groceries. Beach bags.

Cypress - 9-22-2010 at 06:35 AM

There's plenty of sand and no shortage of plastic bottles. Adding some rebar wouldn't be a bad idea.

karenintx - 9-22-2010 at 06:54 AM

How about a "beer can house"...

http://www.beercanhouse.org/gallery.php

.

DianaT - 9-22-2010 at 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by karenintx
How about a "beer can house"...

http://www.beercanhouse.org/gallery.php

.

Thanks Karen,

Looks like a really great piece of art everywhere!

willyAirstream - 9-22-2010 at 09:54 PM

Thanks for posting this info, Diane. The bench furniture is a great idea too, plus a place to work out the bugs.
btw, straw for houses, hay for animals

mcfez - 9-26-2010 at 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryC
I saw Doc Abraham at camp Gecko in BoLA build a sand bag building. He just filled sand bags with a mixture of sand and cement and started laying them out for his walls. Once he was finished with the walls he plastered the exposed bags with something like stucco. That was close to 10 years ago and as far as I know the walls are fine. Maybe someone that lives at camp Gecko and sees them more often than I do can comment better on how they are holding up.
Larry

Very excellent way to create a home or storage or.....?

[Edited on 9-27-2010 by mcfez]

ShelterGirlEntry.jpg - 35kB

Update

DianaT - 10-4-2010 at 08:58 PM

OK,
To build these cabanas totally out of the bottles would take so many bottles, they have decided to stick to the simple wood stucture with drywall inside and the plastic bottles in between --won't use as many of those awful bottles, but we love seeing these bottles being put to use.

We just love these cabanas ---can't wait until they are done.

The Bottle Cabanas and Kindness of Asuncion

Mulegena - 10-4-2010 at 09:49 PM

Was on my way over to see the continuing progress of Las Cabanas Botellas this afternoon, enjoying the sunshine, the clear sky, the ocean... I took a short-cut on one of the many, many sand tracks that criss-cross The Point at Asuncion, and...

OOPPPSZZ!!

Got myself stuck right out in front of Diana's house.

A nice, quick visit and we were out the door and figuring logistics of getting my little pickup free when from over the top of a rise in the sanddune came an old white landrover-type vehicle. The driver stopped, regarded the scene, drove on, then turned around and came back. A nice young man jumped out carrying a chain! He smiled, introduced himself as Julio, asked if he could help, then proceeded to pull me out! Just like that, lickety-split, I was being propelled along backwards down a sand-track onto solid sand. When I looked in my rear-view mirror, Julio was driving away.

I'll look for him in town and give him a proper thank you in the next few days.

To you, Diana and husband I give another thank you and welcome home.

DianaT - 10-4-2010 at 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
Was on my way over to see the continuing progress of Las Cabanas Botellas this afternoon, enjoying the sunshine, the clear sky, the ocean... I took a short-cut on one of the many, many sand tracks that criss-cross The Point at Asuncion, and...

OOPPPSZZ!!

Got myself stuck right out in front of Diana's house.

A nice, quick visit and we were out the door and figuring logistics of getting my little pickup free when from over the top of a rise in the sanddune came an old white landrover-type vehicle. The driver stopped, regarded the scene, drove on, then turned around and came back. A nice young man jumped out carrying a chain! He smiled, introduced himself as Julio, asked if he could help, then proceeded to pull me out! Just like that, lickety-split, I was being propelled along backwards down a sand-track onto solid sand. When I looked in my rear-view mirror, Julio was driving away.

I'll look for him in town and give him a proper thank you in the next few days.

To you, Diana and husband I give another thank you and welcome home.

John was digging out the tow strap when Julio appeared with his chain. Can't tell you how many people we have pulled out of that "shortcut". Someday it is supposed to be a road, but we are in no hurry for a real road. It is real soft up there.

There are never a shortage of people around here ready to help---we always say, the best thing about Bahia Asuncion is the people- :yes:

[Edited on 10-5-2010 by DianaT]

Another Interesting Alternative

durrelllrobert - 10-5-2010 at 08:59 AM

Years ago I designed a home for a fellow that owned property that had a huge cunder cone (red volcanic ash) just off highway 395 south of Lone Pine.
All of the16 inch thick walls were built from this cinder, wet compacted between 16 inch wide forms that were raised as he went.
The re-enforcement consisted of 1-1/2 inch galvenized pipe driven 12 inches into the hard volcanic ash every 6 feet with barbed wire strung in between them at 6-8 inche intervals.
Had a hard time getting building permit from Inyo County to build it but has lived in it since 1969. Oh, for the wiring he just carved out grooves in cinder and plastered over wires and the exterior was stuccoed directly over the cinder.

bajafam - 10-5-2010 at 11:45 AM

I'm thinking that "shortcut" is right by our new prop? We need to get the perimeter fenced soon, so we can avoid future problems!! Love the pics Diana...thanks for keeping us updating. Wish we were there building right alongside him

Soon!!!

Work is Happening Fast Right Now

DianaT - 10-6-2010 at 03:07 PM

Hope you enjoy the changes---we love them. This project is changing as it goes. Chuy will need to leave BA for a bit, but hopes to have two of these completed by the end of the year!

He has so many ideas---he might, but it is a maybe depending on the time, make the ceilings out of egg flats! He also has an old small satellite dish out of which he is going to make a solar stove--and his wife told me he is one great chef.

His plans for all of his land there are interesting and will take time. And he is basically building all of this by himself!

The Progress

Arn't the Whales Great? They sparkle in the sun, and he may add Christmas Lights inside during the holiday. They are made with the smaller bottles.

Our friend, with some of his building material.

Oh, the town of Abreojos is now involved. They heard about this project and their recycle project there is now saving the bottles for Chuy.

These Casitas will be a great place to vacation---great location, and he plans on VERY reasonable prices. It is really fun to watch his dream come to life.