Are old shipping containers the answer to our eco, affordable housing prayers?

Shipping containers-the giant corrugated steel boxes used to import massive amounts of products from overseas-are taking recycling and green building to a whole new level. As MSN reports, resourceful architects have discovered that the super-durable, 33,000 pound vessels actually make great building blocks for a home. Plus, they're cheap and totally modular, which cuts your construction time-and cost-down to a fraction of what it would take to erect a house made of conventional materials.

With a crane and a welder, you can get a container house ready to finish in just one day. You can outfit them with all the amenities you want: not just cushy fixtures but swimming pools and solar panels are totally fair game. If you were dreaming about a big, multi-story home, no problem: the boxes are totally stackable, and you have lots of flexibility as to how you want to arrange them (according to msnbc.com, in California, plans are already underway for a sprawling 4-story apartment complex made entirely of old shipping containers). They're also hurricane-proof, fire resistant, and relieve you of any worry of termites. And if the industrial, wavy exterior isn't your thing, they can be finished with flat panels so your house doesn't have to look like a giant recycling bin (though left untouched, the aesthetic is actually pretty cool in an urban-modern way). Here, take a tour of some of the most inspiring container homes we've seen.

Check out more home-related ideas and innovations at Make Home A Haven.