Going Green: 5 Unique Alternative Homes Worth Celebrating This St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick’s Day is all about the green — and this year, we’re celebrating a different kind of green that goes far beyond shamrocks and emerald outfits. We’re talking about homes that are genuinely, beautifully, and ingeniously green — in values, in design, and color. From a shipping container painted grass green in the Hawaiian jungle, a tiny avocado-colored home on the shores of an Orlando lake, a mint green skoolie roaming the United States and beyond, a forest green tiny home parked on friends land, to a handcrafted tugboat docked in Seattle, the homes in this roundup prove that living sustainably doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort, style, or personality. Whether you’re curious about off-grid living, tiny home communities, DIY builds, or life on the water, there’s something here for everyone who has ever dreamed of doing things a little differently.
The Green Box:
Location: Hilo, Hawaii Size: 200 sq ft Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
Land: Three-quarters of an acre — cost not mentioned Builder: https://www.alternativelivingspaces.com/
On-Site Utilities:
- Solar: 2,600W system on a 48-volt battery bank (6 roof panels)
- Mini-split air conditioning (solar powered)
- DIY rainwater catchment system with multi-stage filtration (IBC tote)
- Hot water heater on-site
- Composting toilet (no water needed)
Utility Bills: $0 — fully powered by solar, fully watered by rainwater catchment
Brandie’s Green Box is a 200-square-foot off-grid shipping container home nestled on three-quarters of an acre in Hilo, Hawaii. Built from a repurposed 25-foot high-cube container and mounted on a travel trailer chassis, the home is fully self-sufficient — powered by six rooftop solar panels and supplied by a DIY rainwater catchment system, resulting in zero utility bills. Inside, smart design maximizes every inch with nine feet of kitchen cabinetry, a Murphy bed, floor-to-ceiling jungle views, and a full bathroom. Built as an affordable alternative to Hawaii’s sky-high housing market, it proves that sustainable island living is still within reach.
If you’d like to learn more about Brandie’s Container home, make sure you sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when her full article publishes, or you can watch the full youtube tour here if you can’t wait: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX19Mcdoyt0&t=639s
Magnolia The Green Tiny House:
Location: Orlando, Florida Size: 160 sq ft Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1
Land Cost: Not owned — home is parked at Orlando Lakefront community
Rental Spot Cost: $550-750 a month (not including electric) Builder: https://cornerstonetinyhomes.com/
On-Site Utilities:
- Electric and internet (paid by Elizabeth)
- Water (included in rental spot fee)
- Air conditioning unit, air purifier and dehumidifier
- Full-sized stove with hood
- Mini fridge and ice maker
Community Amenities Included:
- Shared laundry facility
- Community garden
- Fire pit
- Boats and canoes for rent
Utility Bills: Electric and internet paid separately; water included in spot rental fee
Elizabeth’s tiny home, Magnolia, is a 160-square-foot avocado green home on a custom trailer, built by Cornerstone Tiny Homes and located at Orlando Lakefront community in Orlando, Florida. Designed for solo living, the home packs in a full-sized stove, Murphy bed, and a full bathroom complete with a bathtub Elizabeth refused to give up. With the help of a friend, the built on deck mirrors the home’s footprint, effectively doubling the outdoor living space. Water is included in the community spot rental, with electricity and internet paid separately. Now nearly six years in, Elizabeth has found that living with less has given her far more — simplicity, stability, and peace of mind.
If you’d like to learn more about Orlando Lakefront Tiny House community you can read this blog post: https://tinyhousegiantjourney.com/2025/04/18/a-guide-to-the-best-tiny-house-communities/
If you’d like to learn more about Elizabeth’s tiny house, make sure you sign up for our blog newsletter so you know when the full article comes out, and watch her full YouTube tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wlG6V5eYGs&t=2s
Matt & Morgan’s Mint Green Skoolie
Size: 240 sq ft Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Build Cost: $40,000 including the cost of the bus
On-Site Utilities:
- Solar: Six 400-watt residential panels (Iron Ridge mount system), three 200-amp-hour batteries and a 3,000-watt inverter
- Mini-split air conditioning and heating
- Two 20-pound propane tanks (cooking and hot water)
- Instant propane hot water heater
- Combo washer-dryer unit
- 125-gallon fresh water tank and a 50-gallon gray water tank
- Airhead composting toilet (no black tank)
Utility Costs:
- Propane: approximately 5 weeks per 20-pound tank
- Water: mostly free at RV facilities; occasionally up to $20 to fill tank
- Electric: $0 — fully solar powered, no shore power used in 4 months of travel
Matt and Morgan’s Skoolie is a 2003 Thomasville school bus converted into a fully solar-powered family home on wheels, built for around $40,000 over four months. The 30-foot bus features a green-blue kitchen with live-edge bench tops, a composting toilet, a queen bed above a garage space, and six rooftop solar panels powering everything onboard — including air conditioning and a washer-dryer combo — without ever plugging into shore power. Built with a newborn in mind, the bus includes a baby hammock, height tracking wall, and rock-climbing handles on their kid’s toddler bed. The family plans to stay on the road for years to come.
If you’d like to learn more about Matt & Morgan’s skoolie, make sure you sign up for our blog newsletter so you know when the full article comes out, and watch their full YouTube tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2U01XmIVKQ&t=54s
Forrest and Sophia’s Tiny House:
Location: Parked on a private property Size: 280 sq ft Bedrooms: 1 loft bedroom Bathrooms: 1
Land Cost: Not owned Rental Cost: Currently $400/month (includes property care duties)
Build Cost: $40,000–$45,000; home valued and insured at $100,000 upon completion
On-Site Utilities:
- Propane (two 200-pound tanks — powers on-demand hot water heater and gas stove)
- 50-amp electric hookup
- Heat pump mini-split (heating and cooling)
- Wood stove (supplemental heat)
- Insulated heated water hose hookup
- Combo washer-dryer unit
Utility Costs:
- Propane: $70–$80 per 100-pound tank, lasting approximately 6 months each
- Electric: included
- Water: included
Forrest and Sophia’s tiny house is a 280-square-foot DIY build on a gooseneck trailer, constructed during the pandemic with the help of a week-long building course and completed over a full year at a cost of $40,000–$45,000 — a home now valued at $100,000. The 10-by-28-foot home features a loft bedroom, a tiled shower with inlaid beach rocks, a Nature’s Head composting toilet, live-edge countertops milled from Forrest’s family farm, and a wood stove added for winter warmth. Parked on a friend’s private property, the couple pays $400 a month in exchange for property care duties.
If you’d like to learn more about Sophia and Forest’s tiny house make sure you sign up for our blog newsletter so you know when the full article comes out, and watch the full YouTube tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx-RSMTvcG0
Pamela’s Seattle Tugboat:
Location: Shilshole Marina, Port of Seattle, Washington
Size: 65 feet long, 60 tons Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms (heads)
Land/Slip Cost: marina slip rental fee not mentioned
Build/Restoration Cost: Not mentioned — restoration took 21 months and all work was self-performed-
On-Site Utilities:
- 50-amp shore power (electric hookup from marina)
- Propane (stove and water heater)
- Wood stove (supplemental heat, galley)
- Pellet stove (primary winter heat, lower salon)
- Onboard fresh water tank (filled at marina)
- Black water pump-out service
- Washer and dryer onboard
- Internet connection
Utility Costs: Not mentioned
Pamela and Ulrik have lived aboard the Xenia Sofia, a 65-foot converted tugboat, for nearly 30 years at Shilshole Marina in Seattle, Washington. Originally built in 1926 as a working tug, the vessel was purchased by the couple in 1995 and painstakingly restored over 21 months — entirely by hand. Ulrik, a metal sculptor, has transformed every inch of the boat with custom marine aluminum fabrication, hand-built furnishings, and sculptural details throughout. The boat runs on 50-amp shore power, propane for cooking and hot water, and both a wood stove and pellet stove for heat. Two daughters grew up on board, and Pamela says she wouldn’t change a single thing.
If you’d like to learn more about Pamela’s Houseboat, make sure you sign up for our blog newsletter so you know when the full article comes out, and watch the full YouTube tour here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTZtFDKQVa4
The Luck of the Alternative: Finding Freedom in a Green Home
This Saint Patrick’s Day, the luckiest thing you might find isn’t at the end of a rainbow — it’s the freedom that comes from building a life on your own terms. Whether it’s a solar-powered shipping container in Hawaii, a lakefront tiny home in Orlando, a home on wheels, a hand-built gooseneck trailer home parked among the trees, or a century-old tugboat transformed into a floating masterpiece in Seattle, each of these homes tells the same story: that with creativity, courage, and a willingness to think outside the box — or inside the container — a truly green life is well within reach.
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