Last week I talked about how to live simply and decrease your carbon footprint living in a tiny house. Even better than buying a tiny house is making your own, and Michael Janzen is blazing a trail with his free tiny pallet house. Not only is his house made out of recycled shipping pallets, it isn’t costing him anything to build. And lucky for us, he’s sharing his plans so you too can build your own tiny free house.
You can save money, sharpen your DIY skills, and further decrease your environmental impact by following Janzen’s example of building a free pallet house.
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Keep pallets out of landfills
Here are some disturbing statistics about shipping pallets:
- Approximately 40% of all hardwood harvested in the U.S. is for making shipping pallets
- About two-thirds of pallets are used only once before being thrown out
- 1/4 of all wood in landfills is from used pallets
You can help prevent deforestation and keep pallets out of landfills by finding creative alternative uses for them, like building a house. Pallets can be found everywhere. Once you start looking for them, you’ll see them scattered all over your town or city.
Contact a local warehouse, supermarket, or any business that receives large shipments, and get permission to pick up their used pallets. Most companies are happy to give their pallets away.
Plans for a free pallet house
Janzen has made plans for building a free pallet house available on his website. These plans are a guide for building what he calls a disaster preparedness and emergency shelter. Janzen says:
As hurricane Gustav plowed across Cuba headed for the gulf coast of the United States memories of Katrina and the potential displacement of thousands got me thinking. I wanted to do something to help. It occurred to me that someone else might find what I now about building with shipping pallets useful in the coming weeks and months.
With some creativity, you may find that shipping pallets can be reappropriated in other ways to build your own free tiny house. For example, I have a friend that has disassembled shipping pallets and used the wood to build roof trusses for his straw bale building.
Ultimately, you can help prevent deforestation and keep pallets out of landfills by using them to build creative housing.
Think tiny and free!
(Image credit: flickr via KGBKitchen)
i think that its weird
i dont know why he won he hardly did any work in the video and half a soccer ball isnt a very clever design he came up with and the prototype was the only thing he did imade something like that but with the air bags they put in a box when they ship out something and i didnt get an award…..
i’d live there.i can poop next to where i sleep,thats convenint.but wheres the plugs for my flat screen and cable?
This is a great idea. However, how many homeless are going to have access to just the right amounts of wire, plastic, and packing peanuts? Still, a step in the right direction, and it’s also good that someone Max’s age is concerned and thinking about issues like this.
It is good to see young people who are filled with care and concern for their fellow man. This young man is a shining example for others his age. There is too much hate and waste in this world, I am glad Max has used his love and his mind to turn around a cycle of hopeless by his invention and was able bring good onto others. Here’s to you Max!
Where the hell are the homeless supposed to get packing peanuts, prefabricated hexagonal wires, plastic sheeting, and the tools required to build it? Not only that, the home isn’t even portable. He accomplished the task of the contest, but in practicality his invention fails. Anyways, this has already been invented; we call them tents.
i think its stupid to be giving out 10,000 dollars to people for things like this during this time. save the money, use it for something more worth 10,000 dollars than a hut made of garbage.
Go ahead Max, you are very brilliant boy, it’s sawesome you care about helping people.
A’m sure you will make wonderful things in the future, god bless you
Cool! I bet this is what every soccer hooligan wants to live in some day.
it looks like an attemp at a tent,
Way2go Max,
A young inventor at work.
For the homeless? Ok I wonder if he’s going to make as many possible then give them away for free.
Or sell the idea and someone else might get rich. Just another good idea with a little something else to think about.
Who get’s to buy it for the homeless?
WOW, I am blown away by this awesome, intuitive young man. You are amazing Max!!!
i sthat kid really homless???? does he have a home???? i dont knw what this is about but i was reading some of the comments and from the looks of it i think tht this is a good thing because on some of the comments said good job max or way to go or i think this is logical and observical or something like that,,,,,,,,,, well good job or something max or whatevre your name is. is your name max????????? are you gonna answer my questions????????? well anyways good bye and take care or something. well im really weired most of the time even though i dont talk but i can write things like im doing right now well okay the bye……..
OMG!! i thought this was cool, and i think it can really help our communtiy i wish that there could be a homemade (not factory), thing that people can get paid to make alot of these for homeless people and other…=)
I think thats amazing…every1 should be like that instead worrying about themselves
You said ovservical, Ashleigh!!!
Bah ha ha ha ha ha ha…
I really, really appreciate thoughtful inventions like these. Anyone who has even spent one night homeless will understand the gratitude this invention will bring. I am so pleased that a 12 year has so much compassion for his fellow human beings! Keep up the great, unselfish, humanitarian work and never lose your compassion and thoughtfulness of others as so many people do!
One other thing: I hope you will see your project fulfill it’s potential and reach our nations homeless and the world. Sadly, when great ideas come to life there are always those who attempt to undermine them for their own selfish benefit.
You are an inspiration! Be true to yourself and the people you try to help!
I think that this is really cool, Finally people are starting to think outside of the box, and actually care about people that have nothing to work with. Great Thinking!!
observical?
WTG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOO_HOO
o by the way, wtg means way to go, not so insult.
Sheltered from trash?!?!?!
Way to go Max!
The government don’t care about the homeless people, but I’m glad you do. You will be very successful in your bright future.
Awsome! Keep up the good works Max! It makes me feel good that your making a positive impact already in our world.
Mexicans have been doing this for centuries and one fat kid does it and he wins $10,000. Doesn’t anyone see something wrong with all of this?
this is a very smart 4 this kid he had won 10000 whcih will hel;p him in the future
Really great idea! Good for him. =]
ashleigh, “obsevical” isn’t a real word.
Nice to find a positive feature where a youngster is using his talents in a positive and uplifting way. Smart guy too!
This is not an invention. This is not innovative. This is not the first time someone has made shelter out of trash. The homeless have been doing this for centuries.
The homeless use cardboard, tarps, sheets, comforters, plastic bags and various discarded hard materials, etc…
Very cool!
I think that is cool.If all kids applied their selves this world would end up with far less homeless people
Interesting, however the thing will get ripped open eventually and whatever peanuts are inside the pocket are going to go everywhere making an especially large mess if they’re standard foam peanuts. Cardboard strapped to the skeleton might be better. That would screw up the cool opaque light effect going on, so maybe rice peanuts would be more ideal.
every 12-year-old should enter contest and build their owntiny house with shipping palletts
i think your idea is good but how do you get air to breath in there?
that little dumb kid didnt do that shelter thing by him self…. that othr guy did most of the work
Observical!? I dont think thats a word. Ashleigh, i hope you are under 13 years old to make that kind of mistake.
Well he did not actually think of that on his own, we already have dome city out in los angeles for the homeless, with the same basic shape, the only difference is that you can’t pick it up and the material its made out of, that’s it.Plus when you say makes shelter you think of it being his idea and his alone, in actuality it is not…
Wow!!!!!! You go dude!!!!!
Everywhere seems to be a “go green” and it’s great that our kids are being aware of it. I hope Max will always have such a big heart and continue to have such awesome ideas. BIG KUDOS!!!
How do you breath? It is like a big plastic bag.
Great job Max! We need the current and future generations to do what you did for this country and people in needs. I applaud you.
You can see more about his invention and idea at http://bkfk.com/trashtotreasure/.
LOL CAT
This isn’t trash, who is Jerry James stone trying to fool?
What a moron.
i think its so nice seeing kids being creative ,and wanting to help others we could learn something from this kid ,more people could care more about others and one person can truley make a change,he has a good heart ,and a goal to help others “thats awsome “
wat a nerd! who does that. gosh when i hang out with my friends which are mostly girls, we always have sex and do porn and take baths together and suck each others boobs and make out. but i bet he has no friends. and im proud to be a lesbian! its cool bcuz u can have sex and not get pregnant. im like 16 and im tanned and blonde and everyone wants me. i bet no one wants him. bye! ♥
How do you breathe in there?
You go Max! ! ! You my Dear are AMAZING and have a GREAT LIFE ahead of you – You will make an INCREDIBLE difference in this world with your GOLDEN HEART and FABULOUS MIND. DO NOT EVER LOSE THAT OR LET ANY ONE TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU OR TELL YOU OTHERWISE – EVER! ! ! SHEER GENIUS.
This is a beautiful thing if we can get more people to think like this “KID” the world would be a more beautiful place.
It’s amazing how observant kids are..it’s a little sad though that it took a child to take the time to invent this. Now who is going to invest in developing his idea? Someone needs to stepup.