John (my husband) had always been interested in off-the-grid living so when we found out that you could rent an earthship in the middle of the desert outside of Taos, we jumped at the chance!  Earthships are solar homes made of natural and recycled materials.  I didn’t know what to expect but the one we rented was roomy and beautiful.  It had an indoor greenhouse which used waste water from the bathroom and kitchen to water the plants.  The kids learned a lot about green living and so did we, namely that the desert is the perfect place for a solar-powered house if you’re very careful with how you use your water.

For rental info: www.heliohouse.com