In the light of the current debate surrounding nuclear and sustainable energy sources for the future, readers can experience for themselves the reality of living "off the grid" – in a home which is independent of external power and water supplies, without sacrificing the comforts expected in a twenty-first century dwelling.

The small town of Taos, in northern New Mexico, is at the centre of a movement to create sustainable communities with houses  known as 'earthships' built from recycled materials such as old tyres and tin cans coupled with traditional adobe-style construction. Power is generated from the sun and wind, so the occupants are not connected to the national electricity grid but still run fridges, washing-machines and dishwashers. Water is collected in cisterns and from wells, and is recycled several times – ‘grey water’. Earthships are designed to be cool in summer and warm in winter, so central heating and air-conditionings are not required even in the heat of a high desert summer and cold of the snowy winter.

Taos – where luminaries such as Julia Roberts and Donald Rumsfeld have second homes – is so committed to sustainable living that its public transport system uses bio-fuel produced from fast-food restaurant by-products and its local radio-station is solar powered.

Visitors can rent earthships sleeping up to four people in the Greater World Earthship Community ten miles west of Taos from £60 a night to £600 a week (www.earthship.org/learn/rentals.php, 001- 505-751-0462). The Dobson House Bed & Breakfast, situated right on the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, is a solar adobe earthship with two suites for up to four people (http://www.new-mexico-bed-and-breakfast.com, 001-505-776-5738). Rooms are from £65 per night.