It has to be said.

So there is an interesting side-benefit to building an underground home that needs to be addressed, as it's been in the back of my mind, but I've been reluctant to speak about it lest I seem a bit daft, or paranoid.

First let me simply direct you to the website Life After the Oil Crash, where a group of individuals is theorizing the downfall of human civilization as we know it.

Second, let me say that I don't really believe them, but that it is something that warrants attention. The reason for this is the simple fact that humans, for all our intelligence, are stupid as hell, and it is quite possible that the next few decades will bring about many opportunities to thrust our species into anarchy.

Now, the reason that I bring this train of though up here is because it is the people who have contingency plans who will be able to live normal lives in the VERY unlikely event that a major event does wash over the earth.

An underground house of the type that we are planning would in such a situation function not only as a great energy saver and fun place to hang out, it would also serve as a bunker and a very low-profile place to hide and live in a wacky-mixed up world. With enough land of suitable quality, it would be possible to grow enough food to be self sufficient, and the energy-efficiency of the house would mean that harsh winters and hot summers would have less effects on us than most.

Now, let me re-iterate that I by no means think that any event such as this is likely, in fact, I think that humans are going to live much the way that we have been for far longer than any of our lifetimes. The fact of the matter, however, is that it can't hurt to be prepared. For the same reason that you bring a multi-tool along when you go camping, we need to simply be aware of the unstable nature of our future.