Box Truck Tiny Home Event
In collaboration with the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, the Community and Regional Planning Program, the School of Art & Design, the Construction Management Department, the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising, and Phi Kappa Phi, the Sustainability Department is bringing a tiny home made from reused and upcycled materials to campus for an all-day event on September 27th with Alex Eaves.
Alex Eaves is a reuse expert and has been leading a passionate “reuse life” since 2008; finding reuse solutions for his needs and wants. He is the owner of the green certified reuse apparel brand, STAY VOCAL and also the director of the award-winning documentary, REUSE! Because You Can’t Recycle The Planet. Derek Diedricksen is a professional tree house and tiny house builder. He has hosted and designed for numerous TV shows for The DIY Network, The History Channel, Make TV, and was the recent host for HGTV’s “Tiny House Builders.” Deek has taught hands-on building workshops worldwide since 2010 and runs the YouTube design channel RelaxshacksDOTcom. He is the author of four books including the bestseller “Microshelters.”
Our schedule for events on Wednesday, September 27th:
- 9-11 AM the reuse edutainer and filmmaker, Alex Eaves will be giving guided tours of this tiny home, telling people about different elements that he reused and giving tips and information about how to reuse materials in everyday life as well as construction. This will take place at the Mendenhall Brickyard near the bus stop.
- At 11 AM Alex Eaves will be giving a talk about living a “reused” life and what it entails, including a Q&A about both the construction of his tiny home and effectively reusing and upcycling materials. This talk will take place in the Hendrix Theater.
- 2-3 PM Panel discussion is sponsored by the Community and Regional Planning Program within the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment. Panelists will include ECU faculty, City of Greenville staff, and Alex Eaves – Reuse Expert and Filmmaker. The discussion will feature the complex logistics of implementing tiny home developments within a community like ours. This event is open to the public with parking available for $1 per hour in the attached parking deck so please plan to join us and invite a friend!
- 5-7 PM The tiny home will be open for tours again on Mendenhall Brickyard. There will also be an art show showcasing STAY VOCAL reuse apparel and a collection of art made from reused materials from co-builder Derek “Deek” Diedricksen. This will be near where the truck is set up on the Mendenhall Brickyard unless it is raining and then it will be moved into Mendenhall on the top floor.
- 7 PM We will be screening The Box Truck Film, a documentary about how Alex and Deek converted a 17-foot moving truck into a 98-square foot tiny house and mobile reuse education center. Using almost nothing but reused, repurposed, and dumpster-dived materials, their “triumph over junk” showcases the endless benefits of the reuse lifestyle, which are implemented in very creative (and even comical) ways. Watch the trailer for the film here. The film will be projected on the side of the truck outside of Mendenhall if the weather cooperates. If it doesn’t, we will be showing the film inside Hendrix Theater.