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You are in: Home > Architecture, Home+Decor, Travel > One Million Beer Bottles Later and it’s a Buddhist Temple

One Million Beer Bottles Later and it’s a Buddhist Temple

196 by Doug Gunzelmann on October 24, 2008
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recycled bottle 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.

bottle temple

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.

beer bottle temple

Check out the Temple gallery on the next page...

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Category: Architecture, Home+Decor, Travel | Tags: beer, bottles, building, materials, recycle, temple

About the Author:

Doug is in perpetual motion and a self-proclaimed adventure junkie, that has had a longtime love affair with the great outdoors.

“I love being a part of the active world. The stuff that blows my hair back is adventure (all shapes and sizes), photography, mountaineering, Muay Thai, and seeing natural beauty in all its forms. The living earth is the framework on which I build my life and free time. My ideal trip would be BASE jumping at Sotano de Las Golandrinas in Mexico (closest I could come to skydiving through the jungle!). I work towards keeping it real, green, and healthy. ”

Doug is the co-founder of LiveOAK, although he says he didn’t know what a blog was until a couple months after he started.

Twitter Follow Doug Gunzelmann on Twitter: @amazonpilgrim
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  • Pingback: greenandprosper.com » Blog Archive » Buddhist Temple Made of One Million Beer Bottles!

  • http://www.greenandprosper.com 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!

  • Pingback: Kuil sejuta botol, Wat Lan Khuad. « taradigading

  • http://expl0r3.blogspot.com/ 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.

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  • 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

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  • dino

    Just remember, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw koans.

    • http://lesleysutherland.wordpress.com Lesley

      LOL dino. Respect!

  • http://Taradigading Sintanauli

    Thanks for UGRADER, This Sustainibility Conception is very good sustainability.

  • Pingback: Beer Temple : Vox Populi

  • http://bambooartscenter.com 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”.

  • 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?

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  • http://n/a Fred Garvin

    This looks similiar to the domociles in the commune in the movie, “Easy Rider”.

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  • tabman

    remember, those who live in glass (bottle) houses shouldn’t throw stones….

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  • jack frost

    I’d like to stand outside and throw rocks at it

  • eddywally

    they probably poured all the heineken in the river to collect all these usefull bottles…

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  • happyseaurchin

    a lesson to us all…
    i am happy to volunteer to assist anyone embarking on such a project :)

  • p

    This just goes to show how creative people can be when they disconnect from the TV & video games!

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  • http://bpglass.net/ wholesale glass bottles

    That is one of the coolest things i have seen in a long time. Buddhists rock!

  • http://www.buddhatrance..com/ Palma | Buddha Trance

    This is amazing. I love how they transformed the garbage of others into their spiritual home, honoring the inherent beauty of all things.

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  • http://www.cliffspencer.net Leigh Spencer

    What a fantastic demonstration of emptiness

  • http://www.project198.com Project198

    Thats cool…

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  • Sanjay Avhad

    It is a best option for building maaterial construction.
    It save our enviorment.

  • Pingback: One million beer bottles on the wall…take one down… : Green Kampong – Inspiring a greener today

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  • Damon

    Trappist monks make amazing beer. Buddhist monks make amazing beer bottle temples. Kudos!

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  • Pingback: Eco Temple | We 2 Point 0

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