National Underground America Day:

Celebrated every year on the 14^th of May, National Underground America Day is to cherish underground living.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalUndergroundAmericaDay

#UndergroundAmericaDay

Related: Other National Days Celebrated on May 14th:

National Buttermilk Biscuit Day

National Dance Like A Chicken Day

Why National Underground America Day?

Our Earth is the only planet to have life in it. Living underground or subterranean living has its benefits and the architecture can keep life thriving as we know it. It is interesting to note that there are thousands of people living underground across the world and yet there is not much importance placed on it. National Underground America Day is a celebration to cherish the living and thriving of lives underground. The day is a remembrance of our roots and how we need to be connected to the life on our planet. The day is to cherish the modern architecture, sheltered and yet offering you the finest aspects of living underground.

How can we celebrate National Underground America Day:

The day to feel connected to our Mother Earth is worth celebrating and here are some tips on how you can make the most out of this day.

1. There is no better way to celebrate this day than visiting an underground home and experiencing life there. There are of course plenty of videos and pictures of underground home living but watching it will be quite different from actually living in it. Sign up for an adventure this day to live underground and experience living it.
2. You can create awareness among children about underground subterranean living by conducting competitions. You can ask them to draw their perception about underground living and make it a contest to create excitement. You can also teach children about underground living using the videos and photos online.
3. Make this a day to know more about the advantages, costs, disadvantages of living underground and how it can work to your benefit. As you get to know more about the process, it will help you to decide to switch if required.

Share your thoughts and create awareness about the day through your social media and remember to include the hashtag #NationalUndergroundAmericaDay.

Interesting facts about National Underground America Day:

Living underground is not a new concept to humans. Early humans were living in caves before they started building their shelter. Living underground or earth-sheltered spaces help our planet to be more sustainable for living in the years to come.

1. Evidence point to European hunters who built a hut dug into the ground, dating back to 15000BC.
2. The underground city Derinkuyu was built in Turkey in the 8^th
3. In the 1950s, the British government took up the project of building Burlington Bunker, a safe space underground.
4. The very first house underground, in modern times, was built in 1975 in the UK and it was called the “Underhill”
5. Underground houses are also called earth houses or earth shelters and sometimes as earth-bermed houses.
6. Building homes underground can cost nearly 20% to 30% more than building above the ground.
7. Even now more than a 21.5million people in China are living in shelters underground.
8. South Korea has a house with a meditation area built underground.
9. It is proved that we, humans, can sleep as long as 48 hours underground without the presence of natural lighting.
10. With underground housing, you don’t have to worry about keeping them soundproof.
11. Living underground keeps you safe from many natural disasters like tornadoes, floods, etc.
12. By living underground, you are also keeping the natural landscape above the ground protected, extending the life of our planet.
13. It is shown through studies that energy conservation is higher when you live underground. Since it is neither too hot nor too cold underground, you can save a lot of energy by living there.

History of National Underground America Day:

It was in the year 1974, when Malcolm Wells, regarded to be the “Father of modern earth-sheltered architecture”, created this unofficial holiday. Malcolm Wells was not just an architect but he was also a solar consultant, columnist, cartoonist, lecturer, illustrator, writer, and draftsman. He was among the few who practiced what he preached, living his life in an earth-sheltered place. He designed his place by himself. He believed that our Earth is made to house living plants and not for man-made artificial industries. He lived his belief until the end of his life, living underground and thriving there.