When a visitor wakes up to glittering light coming through the windows and a view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Taos, New Mexico, it might be hard to imagine that they've just slept in a house made of trash.
The homes, called Earthships, are built from recycled bottles, cans, and old tires. There's a community of more than 100 of the eco-friendly dwellings located in the desert of Taos.
The Earthship design was created by Michael Reynolds in the 1970s with the goal of providing people with a more sustainable way to live. The structures are off-grid and autonomous; solar panels on the buildings collect energy from the wind, and the homes have the ability to collect rainwater. They're also equipped with greywater systems, which let people filter and reuse water for bathing and agriculture.
While hundreds of people live this life day-to-day, about a dozen Earthships in the community of Taos are available for short-term rentals through Airbnb. The listings include plenty of space to isolate, and the views are otherworldly.
Take a look inside some of the Earthships available for rental.
Editor's note: Airbnb has made an Enhanced Cleaning Protocol available in 75 countries, which ensures hosts' properties meet guidelines for cleaning and sanitization. Airbnb has also published a list of COVID-19-related safety and social-distancing recommendations for hosts and guests.