Amid soaring real-estate prices that sent scores of protestors to the streets last year, an Israeli company recently ran a marketing campaign for affordable lunar homes. According to a report published in the Times of Israel, an email circulated among local press promised that intrepid home seekers could purchase “Beautiful apartment towers … built in plastic bubbles” and “apartments for all size families, from three rooms to large penthouses, along with garden apartments.”
Earthly comforts on the moon
Nor would they have to leave behind their earthly creature comforts as a movie theater, restaurants and cafes, schools and cable TV, along with a lake similar to the Sea of Galilee would also be available at the IsraMoon colony.
Listed on the IsraMoon’s Facebook page, prices for the lunar apartments ranged from $156,000 to $207,000 and WinWin even produced a compelling Youtube video for disbelievers. Thousands of people responded to the advertisement, but not everybody was amused.
A senior Israeli editor who asked not to be named in the Times of Israel’s story threatened to file a report with local police. In an email to WinWin, copied to the journalists who had been taken in by their clever but deceitful marketing stint, he accused the company of fraud.
“Will you also be setting up facilities for youth groups?” he asked in his email. And referring to last year’s protests he continued, “and will you be building a boulevard for protesters who will demand social justice outside the fancy lunar ‘penthouses?”
The IsraMoon website has been closed down following a Facebook declaration that with 130,000 apartments available on WinWin’s site, it isn’t necessary to move to the moon.
No lunar dwellings, but what about Mars?
But here’s the strangest twist: even though it’s not possible to live on the moon, Mars One, a Dutch initiative, is promising to establish the first human settlement on the red planet by 2023.
They also claim that by 2033 there will be more than 20 people living and flourishing at their new home – which takes a mere seven months to reach!
Mars One dwellings are expected to consist of a Lander equipped with a special inflatable section that creates a large living space after landing. Clearly they haven’t heard about Nader Khalili and his earth architecture fit for space.
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I know its not too green, but I would absolutely love to take a vacation on the Moon. It amazes me and fills me up with awe for God’s abilities!