Living Simply

Jeff Wilson standing at the top of  his dumpster home.

Who would have thought it possible? Who would have thought that someone would actually want to do this? And what is this? Well, this is a year-long project by an Environmental Science professor and Dean, Jeff Wilson, and it's about living in a dumpster. No, it's not unfurnished. In fact, the dumpster is being transformed gradually into a high tech, sustainable living quarters. His students are doing the monitoring and fund-raising.

The dumpster started out being furnished only with boxes, after Dean Wilson had gone from a 500 ft bachelor apartment and sold all of his belongings to crude minimalism. As time went along, such amenities as wardrobe and an actual bed joined this little homestead. Now, it's even air-conditioned, which could, in reality, be a necessity, since Jeff Wilson is Dean at Huston-Tillotson University camps in Austin, TX, where temperatures can climb into triple digits during the summer months.


So, what is the objective here? At the start of the project, Dean Wilson stated, "We could end up with a house under $10,000 that could be placed anywhere in the world, [powered by] sunlight and surface water, and people could have a pretty good life."

Since he has only the very basic amenities, Dean Wilson has been spending more time out in the community and he thinks a lot about what is really needed in his growing structure. For Stage 2, which is currently in progress, a shade structure is added above the dumpster and a utility structure, which contains refrigerator, washer/dryer, shower, after connection to city water and sewer systems. There is also a connection to the power grid.

Dumpster, sweet dumpster.

Stage 3 will build upwards and then utilize solar energy and have a composting toilet and an external garden and seating for an outdoor classroom. Does anyone see some similarity to the design and building of tiny houses? Would this be a solution to integrating homeless people into habitable and affordable living quarters, while connecting them with the community? Certainly, that's food for thought!

Check out the article (includes schematics of stages 2 and 3) about this project, found in Atlantic Monthly: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/09/the-simple-life-in-a-dumpster/379947/. An organization, THE DUMPSTER PROJECT, is providing funding and publicity for this valuable learning experience.

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