#green funerals

[wachinyeya]

Eco-Funerals Now Feature World’s First ‘Living Coffin’ Made Out of Mushrooms

Funeral directors in the UK can now bury you in the ‘world's first living coffin’, which is made out of mushrooms and hemp.

[olowan-waphiya]

[T]he fundamental distinction between tribal religions and the Christian religion, including secular Western attitude toward death, must revolve around the conception of creation. For the tribal people, death in a sense fulfills their destiny, for as their bodies become dust once again they contribute to the ongoing life cycle of creation. For Christians, the estrangement from nature, their religion's central theme, makes this most natural of conclusions fraught with danger.

Fault lines in the graveyard: The contested nature of green burial by Benjamin M. Stewart

[hellomegedwards]

Neither Use nor Ornament

I love the poetry of the gravestone, the life story glimpsed.

I love the saying ‘Neither Use nor Ornament’ and I think it should be on my tombstone. A tombstone is an expensive luxury so it is pretty unlikely I’ll make happen, but I think it would amuse visitors to the cemetery. It always makes me smile. I love the saying; it seems to sum up my particular life very nicely. And the older I get, the more it resonates. There is an electric dissonance in it…

[comtedemoney]

From NPR News

The ultimate green burial? Human composting lets you replenish the earth after death

Only seven states have legalized human composting as a burial practice. That's why 29 percent of the bodies brought to Recompose, a composti

Is human compositing the ultimate form of green burial? : Shots - Health News

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/22/1240080757/the-ultimate-green-burial-human-composting-lets-you-replenish-the-earth-after-de

[sbobcat]

Death Becomes Her—Funerals With Compassion For Mother Nature

As awareness of the human impact on the environment grows, people seek ways to leave the Earth better than they found it.

[mrmedia]

Elizabeth Fournier: Green afterlife | Mr. Media® Interviews

Video podcast interview with Elizabeth Fournier, author, The Green Burial Guidebook: Everything You Need to Plan an Affordable, Environmentally Friendly Burial.

ALL NEW! I talked with green mortician Elizabeth Fournier, author, “The Green Burial Guidebook” and “The Green Reaper,” about being ecologically responsible in the afterlife! VIDEO INTERVIEW ELIZABETH FOURNIER podcast excerpt: “For people who have always recycled and brought their cans back to the store for money and who worry about cloth bags, they have a choice which is a little bit more equal to them when they die. Think about all of the resources that we get buried with and that get put in the ground. Think about all the metal caskets we put in the ground annually. We could be rebuilding a Golden Gate Bridge every year!” https://mrmedia.com/2018/09/elizabeth-fournier-how-to-be-green-in-the-afterlife-video-interview/ #ElizabethFournier #GreenReaper #GreenMortician #GreenFuneral

[katsylver-deathcare]

Death Goes Green

The Eco-friendly Funerals of the Future

We’ve made innovations in how we live, but what about how we’re laid to rest? With the ever increasing environmental toll caused by traditional funerals, the growing modern burial movement seeks to find simpler, more graceful ways of returning to the earth; burying unembalmed bodies in biodegradable coffins or shrouds, putting QR codes on headstones, creating facilities for human composting in city centers. 

(Video of Eloise Woods Natural Burial Park in Cedar Creek, Texas)

[salvageearthtv]

It's not something many of us like to think about, but it is a fact of life. Death is an inevitable part of living and something that we should each prepare for in advance. For those of us who care about our carbon footprints, how we care for our remains is important. There is a large misconception that cremation is the greener choice. However, this is simply not true. A large majority of bodies are still embalmed (due to strict infection control guidelines) before being cremated, so cremation does not prevent formaldehyde from entering the environment. Secondly, mercury in fillings is super-heated and the toxic fumes from that process are emitted directly into the atmosphere. Since in most states, there are still no regulations regarding these emissions, it is sadly a very large source of air pollution. So really, the greener choice is burial. If you choose to be buried, here are a few things to consider:  1. Consider purchasing an eco-friendly casket. These are made from natural, untreated wood. They may not look as pretty, but they will be a lot friendlier to the environment. Ornate coffins contain metals, varnishes and pressurized woods that all leach toxic chemicals into the environment. A great source to look into is www.ecopod.co.uk  This company makes decorative coffins out of recycled paper!  2. Look into being buried in a nature preserve instead of a cemetery. These are wild places protected by law that provide sanctuary for wildlife. They are unregulated for burials however, and are not maintained so careful consideration is necessary before making your choice. 3. If you choose cremation, consider what you will do with the remains afterward. If you are spreading the ashes somewhere, consider what may happen in the future. That beautiful open field you pick may become a strip mall in the future, so choose your site carefully.  4. At Sea burials are becoming popular as well. You can be buried at sea without being cremated, however the burial must take place no closer than three miles off shore and the water must be at least 600 feet deep. Cremated remains can be buried in shallow water, but still must not be any close than three miles off shore. 5. Last but not least, consider funeral arrangements. Make it a point to ask loved ones not to leave plastic flowers or foliage at your grave site as these only add to pollution and can harm local wildlife such as deer who might mistake them for edible plants. Consider instead, asking loved ones to donate the money they would have spent on flowers to a nature preserve or environmental agency such as Green Peace or the Sierra Club.