The Half-Glass-Bottle House
It's January 2022 and we can't think of a better way to kick off the year than to get our hands and hearts into a project built around Compassionate Action!
Jay and Tilo - A wonderful Belizean couple with a beautiful, growing family - are creating their home in Corozal, Belize. While chatting about life experiences one day, they mentioned that they'd been working on establishing their house, and Amanda mentioned that we do work with alternative materials. The discussion of how much money it would save if we used glass bottles (which are an abundant form of trash here with very little opportunity for recycling in an easy, accessible way) coupled with some unique ideas we shared about communities similar to theirs around the world that have developed solutions using what they have on hand, led us agreeing to build the rest of their home's needed structures with alternative methods, where we are able to. We are so excited!
So Jay and Amanda set off imagining what it would be like for Jay to do her washing in the space designated, and how various components of their day to day life might play out. They took note of special needs for the layout and design, and made progress with the overall plan of action, guiding us all towards a useful, productive space; made from locally sourced common and alternative building materials.
We started chopping - clearing the way for their intentional plants and the patio space.
And we gathered bottles from our local resources, and amazing humans we've worked past projects here locally with.
We've been taking measurements, and getting an idea for our flow of events. It's in so many way's simpler than it seems and harder than it looks, simultaneously... but it's a lot of fun!
We're getting into a flow; we have our list of things we need each day we go work and what we need to prep during the week; right now our biggest need is funds for cement. Glass bottles are "pouring" in (haha) and we may also make a run down to the dump and see what we can collect. Amanda is wishing we had a crusher - something to turn the bottles into sand essentially - because there are just SO many here, and her mind wanders with ideas of using the crushed glass sand to mix with the cement. Bring the whole thing really full circle :-)
(this part isn't likely to happen on this project).
Beginning the first week of February we will be laying the outer wall for the patio, and as we get enough materials, we will work on filling it in and finalizing the floor top. Tilo and Jay have plans to put a zinc roof over the top of this space and close it in with screen, so they may enjoy a dry, shaded, but still well ventilated area to raise their kids in and conduct all the details of life, regardless of the time of the year.
We're still early on in the process and as we unfold this story we will be checking back in, both here and on Facebook - Zebra Remedies - so please follow us and keep stopping by. Remember that we are welcoming of those who would like to come get their hands dirty, and can plan a volunteering vacation for you, if you or your tribe has an interest in growing your soul a bit in this direction. We love what we do and we love to share it!
Donations to this project can be made here -, and below is a list of what we are raising funds for and coming up with alternative solutions to. As a community organization, the funds are moved through a single member and given, in full, to either the person we are assisting, or to directly buy the materials we are fundraising for.
The Project: Tilo And Jay's Happy Home
The mission is to continue where they've left off! We're expanding on a cinder-block and cement structure. We will be adding the front patio, and are exploring a back patio space (allowing them to live above rising water levels should the area flood, as it sometimes does when it rains for days in a row) and a dividing wall inside the existing structure. We'd also like to complete a well structure, if they can get the guy out here in time to dig it deeper first; and a platform for the water tank. We are also interested in exploring some passive water removal systems so we don't create mud up close to the house when Jay does laundry or dishes. We want to keep a bit of the bottles, the colors and an artistic flare to the flow of what we build, to keep bringing joy to this young family's home for years to come!
The listed components are not necessarily in order of actual progress made. Due to the nature of sourcing materials in this situation, and because Tilo works throughout the week, we will do this project on weekends as we are able to gather the materials necessary.
Preparation Setup:
We need glass bottles! For the glass, we have reached out again to our dear old recycling buddy, Candy, at her shop; Mama Lowe's. Some of you may recall our work with Candy in 2018/2019 when we helped establish and operate the Corozal Recycling Transfer Station. She has managed to continue the progress and keeps the cycle alive in the Corozal area, by being a middle-person and collector of reusable goods they save from heading to the dump.
Part 1: The Front Patio -
We are going to build a low wall inside the perimeter of the patio space with glass bottles, cement, and cinder blocks at the corners. We have to consider the corners will be structures built to support an extension on the roof, and will likely have rebar in them. Our aim is to build the outer patio wall as quickly as we are able to gather bottles and cement for, and then begin filling in the inside of the patio base with upright bottles, and filler; all rammed down and packed.
In it's completed stage, the front patio will be large enough to have hammocks hanging and comfortable living space to navigate the needs of their children and selves. This mostly includes an open floor plan, surrounded by screen and a zinc roof, a door and a plan for managing rain and airflow.
Currently hashing out the details for filler and stability, and interested in seeing how this plan unfolds! We're luckily connected with some awesome alternative builders, and we've been dying to do a floor like this for a long time - so here we go!
Part 2: The Back Patio
We know that this space will need to house their laundry area, and an outdoor shower spigot so she may wash off larger items, such as her children! Plumbing here is done with PVC due to the high rate of rust and the difficulty getting materials. We also want to support the roof overhang in a way that minimizes water entering the house when it rains.
Part 3: The Well
We intend to use the glass bottles again to build up a well with a pulley system, and a housing for a pump. This project wont be completed in January, so more details will come later.
Part 4: Water Collection and base
This project wont be completed in January, so more details will come later. We know we need to create a base tall and secure enough to hold a water tank - which is something we've done before to help around the villages.
We All Came To Live Out Loud! Thank you for following along with ours!
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And don't forget to check out Damage Control - Pain & Injury Support Lotion - made by our amazing team and built to help aches and pains. For sale in our Zebra Remedies shop.
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