One Million Beer Bottles Later and it’s a Buddhist Temple
Thai monks from the Sisaket province have used over one million recycled glass bottle to construct their Buddhist temple. Mindfulness is at the center of the Buddhist discipline and the dedication and thoughtfulness required to build everything from the toilets to their crematorium from recycled bottles shows what creativity and elbow grease can accomplish.
The Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple is about 400 miles northeast of Bangkok in the city of Khun Han close to the Cambodian border. Using Heineken bottles (green) and Chang Beer bottles (brown) the monks were able to clean up the local pollution and create a useful structure that will be a visual reminder to the scope of pollution and the potential we can make with limber minds.
The water tower and tourist bathrooms are even made from beer bottle litter. The monks were able to have the local people bring them the building materials which beautifully reflect the Thai sun.
Check out the Temple gallery on the next page…
Any Suggestions?
70 Comments, Comment or Ping
The Seeker
Love it! I hope you don’t mind if I reference your post on my blog today.
Oct 24th, 2008
julie
This is absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing this. I tried to stumble the photo but it was too large so I just gave you a giant thumbs up.
Oct 24th, 2008
cchiovitti
How wonderful! Not only is it \green\, but a beautiful spiritual expression as well, thank you for blogging this.
Oct 24th, 2008
RubyRobin56
This is an absolutely wonderful example of what we can with recycling!
To make another point…. most of the building material was FREE!
Kudos~ Well Done.
Oct 24th, 2008
Mark Garland
Incredible! This is a perfect example of creativity with an environmental outlook!
Oct 24th, 2008
francisonline
no………!!!!………….astounding!
Oct 24th, 2008
RichInRI
i’m sorry, but i was wondering how many hangovers it took to generate those 1 million beer bottles…
Oct 24th, 2008
GMIK
this is really cool. they should make a massive temple out of old tires too.
Oct 24th, 2008
GMIK
and in response to Richinri: i figure people drink between 1 and 12 beers on average so my estimate would be in the range of 166666.66666666666666666666666667 hangovers give or take.
Oct 24th, 2008
Galindorf
take one down, pass it around…
Oct 25th, 2008
Cynthia Perry
The textural effect of basketry is wonderful when the bottles are mortored in on the surface in the alternating pattern..
The bottle path is fabulous,I have been building with bottles for my art studio built of recyled materials.The bottles were used in the floor as well in the walls. The bottles are made into light shafts like a glass brick,only the shape is determined by the shape of the bottle. The light cast from these walls is spiritual indeed, part of the reason it is called Spirit Art Studios. Would like to see more pictures of this and see if the monks used the light shaft idea? Building with bottles is a wonderful green method and has been done in many parts of the world. Wish I had a crew to build with like this.CP
Oct 25th, 2008
prabhat
unbelievable !
Oct 25th, 2008
Gwawdiwr
It’s very nice, but it isn’t particularly ‘green’. From a carbon footprint point of view, the best thing to do with those bottles is to reuse them as bottles. The next best thing to do with them is recycle them as cullet.
Oct 25th, 2008
Ty
Very very cool idea. Would love to own a house made from bottles….i wonder what the breaking strain of a bottle is..
Oct 26th, 2008
Erik Kuykendall
One of the coolest things I have seen. Here’s to recycling and sustainable living!!!
Oct 28th, 2008
DanielE.TNGuy
I always thought that most Buddhist monks weren’t allowed to touch alcohol, but never mind. This is a very innovative use of ” Dead soldiers “.But how difficult would it be to maintain, keep cooled, heated, etc. ?
Just curious.
Oct 28th, 2008
Sizzle Creative
Absolutely amazing
Oct 30th, 2008
Manie K.
I do respect and thanks from the comment cause I am in Thailand.
Oct 30th, 2008
Gemma
This is wonderful and amazing. But would have liked to see it done with sauce bottles instead of beer bottles. As one of the precepts Buddha taught is “Abstain from taking any intoxicants”. And using beer bottles to build a Buddhist temple kind of contradicts the basic foundation of Buddha’s moral code.
Oct 31st, 2008
flippetyjibbet
In response to DanielE.TNGuy. The monks don’t drink, they collected those empty bottles. So it’s a recycling and clean up project in one. Also, living in Thailand, I don’t think they need to worry about heating. And judging from interior photos.. I suppose it’s cool enough on the inside.
Oct 31st, 2008
Joshua
What happens if one breaks?????
Oct 31st, 2008
Bruce
If there is ever an earthquake he is sooooooooo dead. Powned by bottles, lol. bad way to go
Oct 31st, 2008
Poojanun Namah
What is the speciality of the temple ? Does it stop others from taking alcoholic drinks.I want a sacred help.
Nov 4th, 2008
Cynthia Fuertes
I write for Club Platino Magaine in Mexico City and i just love your photos please contact me i´ll be very pleased on use it and of course i will give you the credits and a copy of the magazine when as soon as it runs.
Nov 6th, 2008
jean bulger
Amazing! I can believe that the monks were able to create such a beautiful temple out of beer bottles. Very inspiring, I have posted on of your pictures on my blog with a link back to you.
Thanks!
Nov 7th, 2008
shezz
Very nice!! I love what I read and see. It contributes a lot to the people how to save our environment. That through recycling we can make the earth better than we expected.
Nov 10th, 2008
mohammed ibrahim
a beautiful idea. I would like to write an article about this and will need high resolution images to illustrate the article. can any one help? Thanks
Nov 13th, 2008
dino
Just remember, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw koans.
Nov 17th, 2008
Sintanauli
Thanks for UGRADER, This Sustainibility Conception is very good sustainability.
Nov 19th, 2008
Dividend Diva
I’ve been considering different recycled / green materials to convert a detached carport into a studio. The monks have taken it to a higher level. Where can I find how-to information.
To those who focus on the problems (drinking beer & danger) remember that you get more of what you are thinking. Think of problems, get more problems. Think of solutions and “the law of allowing”.
Nov 20th, 2008
wilamena
This is way cool, but don’t you find it just a little ironic seeing as one of the five principles for living a worthy life Thai-style Buddhism is not to drink alcohol?
Nov 20th, 2008
Fred Garvin
This looks similiar to the domociles in the commune in the movie, “Easy Rider”.
Nov 30th, 2008
tabman
remember, those who live in glass (bottle) houses shouldn’t throw stones….
Dec 13th, 2008
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