Hilary Fiorentino
November 22, 2014
Word Count: 1034
Garbage Warrior Annotation
1. Garbage Warrior was released in 2007 and was directed by Oliver Hodge. Garbage
Warrior was about the architect, Michael Reynolds, whose outer-worldly and creative,
architectural designs captured the attention of many, receiving praise and skepticism.
2. The film is about showcasing the architect, Michael Reynolds, and his radical sense of
sustainability and architecture. Reynolds works out in Taos, New Mexico, building
sustainable communities, as his belief is that modern architecture does not help the planet
and only contributes to carbon dioxide emissions. Reynolds believes that a new,
sustainable way of thinking and building will the save the planet’s future. Reynolds
experimented with his buildings, learning from his mistakes, and building upon his
creations. Reynolds constructed his homes, called earth ships, by using trash and waste
material for construction. He uses tires, bottles, and the like with dirt to construct walls
of the homes, making them sustainable by having the home insulate itself and supply its
own heating and cooling; there is no need for these systems. Reynolds originally started
his project because he needed a home. He constructed his first home with no walls, no
doors, and u-shaped rooms connected with a green house. The house does not need
heating or cooling because the materials that the house is built out of can regulate the
temperature sustainably, such as the sun heating the house. Reynolds got support from
other people, and he started building experimental communities for people. People
bought plots of land and Reynolds built upon them, taking five or six years to create a
home. Reynolds’ clients lived in dirt and out of tarp tents while the house was being built
around them; the community was called Reach Community. In the construction process,
Reynolds came across problems with the homes, for example, one of his first homes grew
too hot, and the family living there was in danger. Soon lawsuits followed because
people did not like the homes, as sometimes the roof leaked, the bathroom would smell,
and it would grow too hot. Reynolds was told by Architects Board that if he did not do
legal construction he would lose his license because the homes he was building were not
safe, and indeed, in the late 1990s, his license was revoked due to malpractice. When
Reynolds started working again, he played by the rules by becoming a subdivision and
working with an engineer specialist. Reynolds believed that there needed to be a change
in the laws, and he took it to the state government in order to try and allow testing of
sustainable construction. Reynolds drafted a bill and brought it to that state, but he was
being denied and the bill did not pass due to the inefficiency and stubbornness of the
government. Soon after this, Reynolds and his crew went to Southeast Asia in 2005 after
a tsunami hit, and there he was able to use his sustainable practices to rebuild
communities and give people shelter again. He specially designed these houses for the
climate of a lot of rainwater, and was very successful in his aims. After storms begin to
get worse, and climate change is named the cause, Reynolds tries to represent his bill, and
it finally gets passed in 2007. Reynolds’ innovative and sustainable ideas were able to be
brought to a reality with hard work and perseverance, and he was able to make a change
in the government and in the world, supporting sustainable practices that could be taken
around the world.
3. Garbage Warrior draws out the fact that modern architecture has nothing to do with the
helping the health of the environment and does not address issues of the planet. Reynolds
challenges traditional architecture and uses his skills to create sustainable structures, by
taking garbage and working it into the sustainable architecture. He challenges the
traditional idea of architecture and goes against politics to complete an idea that he
believes in. After being denied a couple of times, Reynolds’ bill was finally passed and
allowed him to continue his experimental project, taking a step in the right direction in
making a difference for the environment, and being able to make a change in the
government.
4. The most persuasive part of the film was when Reynolds went to Asia in order to help out
with the disaster by building homes for the community as they had lost their shelter. He
proved that his sustainable architecture worked, and could be brought to other places. He
was able to teach the people his ways so they could continue to construct sustainable
homes. His idea became more believable when his earth ships were able to make a huge
difference in a damaged community.
5. I was least compelled by Reynolds himself, as he did not seem like a very believable
character. The opening of the film showed the audience him doing activities in his home
that made him seem a little odd, thereby not coming off as a believable character. His
methods were extreme and unordinary, so I understood why the government was
concerned with his homes and his methods. If he was a little more put together, then he
would have been more believable.
6. The film suggests that people need to invest in sustainable housing, and continue efforts
to fight climate change. Reynolds believed in his ideas and kept fighting for them, and
eventually he saw a positive outcome. He demonstrates how sustainable living is healthy
for the environment and people, and that modern architecture is not good for the future
and the way society constructs buildings needs to be reevaluated.
7. The film has compelled me to seek out other ways that homes can be sustainable without
being as radical as Reynolds’ creations. His methods were odd, but the outcome was
very good, and there is probably a way to copy his success without going to the extreme.
In addition I am curious about the way his sustainable homes helped a disaster area, and
if this technique will be successful in the future for supplying shelter to disaster areas as a
short term way of living. Reynolds’ efforts in India proved successful and could be taken
to other disaster areas in the future.