# Dumpster-Dwelling Experiments This Trashy Tiny Eco House Symbolizes Unsustainable Living By Alyson Wyers | Published 2014-06-27 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiny-eco-house References: [fastcoexist](http://www.fastcoexist.com/3031638/fund-this/this-texas-professor-is-turning-a-dumpster-into-the-worlds-ultimate-tiny-home) & [kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dumpsterproject/the-dumpster-project-home-happiness-and-health-in) A professor in Texas is using [Kickstarter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/waste-composter) to turn a Huston-Tillotson University dumpster into a tiny eco house. Four months ago environmental science professor Jeff Wilson gave up his house to live in a 30 square foot garbage bin. Appreciative of the symbolism, Wilson wanted his students to rethink the resources of typical American single-family homes. While dumpsters can be seen everywhere, people rarely think about the [repercussions of waste](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shor-house) not to mention the larger environmental impacts their other daily actions have. By combining the concept of a home with a disgusting trash receptacle, Wilson is using this tiny eco house to teach lessons and make a fuss about the environment. The Dumpster Project will continue as Wilson and his students measure unsustainable practices through their radical design experiment. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 60% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) > [Eco Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/ecoarchitecture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Sustainable Living:** Turning dumpsters into tiny eco houses promotes sustainable living practices. - **Environmental Consciousness:** Using a trash receptacle as a home raises awareness about waste and its environmental impacts. - **Alternative Housing Solutions:** The dumpster-to-eco house project explores innovative ways to address the housing crisis and reduce resource consumption. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Construction:** The dumpster-to-eco house concept presents opportunities for the construction industry to develop sustainable building materials and techniques. - **Education:** Educational institutions can leverage the dumpster experiment to teach students about environmental sustainability and resource management. - **Environmental Conservation:** Organizations focused on environmental conservation can find inspiration from the dumpster project and develop initiatives to reduce waste and promote sustainable practices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Eco‑tiny Sanctuarys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tign-tiny-homes.md) - [Junkyard-Inspired Art Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/junkyard-diving.md) - [Reinvented Compact Living](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/affordable-housing-prototype.md) - [Space-Saving Tiny Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/levi-kelly.md) - [Container Tiny Getaways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/teeny-tiny-haus.md) - [Affordable Housing Prototypes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiny-house-1.md) - [Compact Sustainable Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-cabana.md) - [Off-Grid Tiny Houses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/duna.md) - [Compact 3d-Printed Housing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiny-house-lux.md)