Tyres and clay = building a centre!

Yesterday I went with Nick Ralphs from Tierra Construction Projects to look at the earth-tyre recycling centre that they're putting up in Khayalitsha. The walls are made up of tyres, earth and hard labour. They are stacked like bricks and then earth beaten in to fill each tyre - each tyre gets about two and a half wheelbarrow's worth of earth!!

They’re doing this as an iniative with one of the major waste recyclers where they will set up a ‘swop-shop’. The concept is that they will trade defective, but usable, waste-products (like pens with the logo on skew, etc) for tins, bottles, etc. This is targeted mainly at the local schools and children. It is intended that some of the revenue generated from the collected recyclables will pay a small wage to the centre manager/ess.

Nick from Tierra, and David - the other driving force behind the project - are currently receiving no funding, and are funding the project themselves. Most of the labour is voluntary too, and this is really hard work! I am currently recruiting and looking for artists who would love to join in with the final stages of their project, when the structure and openings between the tyres will be filled with tin cans, clay and straw, and creative adornments such as mosaic added (see an example of an 'earthship' below). I believe that it's going to be a lot of fun and that this is a really worthy project to be part of.

If you want to assist in any way or can help with funding/fund-raising, contact Nick Ralphs at 021 396 2577 / 084 280 7028, or info@tierraprojects.co.za. If you're an artist and would like to get involved on the fun, creative side, then contact me, Janet, at artlovenature@gmail.com.


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