Eco-Burial

[biscuit]

An interesting newspaper article I read this morning about, what I believe is, the first environmental friendly cemetary in the US. The cemetary is a nature preserve with no embalming, no vaults or caskets, no grass or any of the trappings of "normal" burial. Basically you get nothing but a hole in the ground out in the woods.

So what do y'all think? Could this be a growing trend for the future or will it remain in the relm of granola eating nature loving mud hippies and local hillbillies?

 

[SGB]

I heard about this on National Public Radio last year, I believe.

I think it will be a growing trend among granola eating hippy freaks. Beyond that, who knows?

 

[Tranplanner]

It is fairly well established in the UK.

 

[tsc]

I can't imagine the size of the EIS for that in my area......

 

[Jeff]

But I'll assume there is no chance of being buried with your loved one then unless you die together?

Forget about exhuming (sp?) bodies for forensic evidence, etc...

 

[Duke Of Dystopia]

How many decomposing bodies in one place do you need before you contaminate the water system? How close together can they be? How long before a plot is reused? Does the money paid go to increase the size of the park? How do you keep the animals from mining a free lunch?

Kind of neat idea though.

 

[martini]

burn 'em. Burn 'em all I say! If you burn, there's FAR less space needed for the dead. I mean, they ARE dead (not living) afterall, they don't really need rights, do they? Cemetaries take up far too much space, especailly in crowded environs. Personally, I've never seen the point of being put into a casket and put 6 feet under. Can't be vanity. Or I guess it can actually. I'd much rather be burned and strewn on the ground along my favorite trail, or in a grove of oak or aspen. Let me feed the trees so I can grow and 'live' more.

 

[Duke Of Dystopia]

I'd much rather be burned and strewn on the ground along my favorite trail, or in a grove of oak or aspen. Let me feed the trees so I can grow and 'live' more.

That was the point of the whole article

Don't you kind of waste the vast majority of nutrients the plants and trees could suck from your rotting worm infested body when you are cremated? Not to mention robbing the small burrowing rodents that could snack on your bones and decomposing flesh.

And why not in a maple grove where you could give back your recently vacated body back to humanity in the form of sweet maple syrup?

 

[SkeLeton]

It sounds good, since cementeries do pollute the water, and take up lots of space, which very rarely can be re-used due to popular superstition...
Cremation also pollutes the atmosfere (with deadly greenhouse gases )
So I wonder what do the enviro-nuts do after dying? I haven't heard anything about recycling....although that could be a solution, unpopular due to superstition and religion, but what better than being recycled to give back what you took...

 

[martini]

Don't you kind of waste the vast majority of nutrients the plants and trees could suck from your rotting worm infested body when you are cremated? Not to mention robbing the small burrowing rodents that could snack on your bones and decomposing flesh.

And why not in a maple grove where you could give back your recently vacated body back to humanity in the form of sweet maple syrup?

Maples are ok. I just like oaks better. I don't think I'd want to drink me though....

The thought of rodents crwoling through my carcass is icky. Creeps me out. Ashes to ashes as the catholics say!

 

[H]

I am a cremation guy myself. One set of grandparents did that, we put them in the Chattahoochee River where they floated to the ocean. Now every time I see the hooch or hear the name I think of them. Consequently I can no longer jump off Naked Rock with out a guilty conscious

 

[biscuit]

I've always said that you could put my body in a cardboard box, thow it in a hole and plant a tree over it for all I care. Now a place like this finally gives my family that option.

Seriously, I think this is a great idea and is such a better use of land than a traditional cemetary. I'm still, however, leaning towards cremated and having my ashes dumped either in the Chatooga River or off a Blue Ridge mountain top.

 

[michaelskis]

Hmmm…

I see a new concept for this thread…. What would you want done with your ashes? I think I would want mine to be added to a concrete block, and put in a new building on my college campus, or if they ever add onto Joe Louis Area. That way, I know I would ALWAYS have a seat at a Wings game.

 

[H]

..still, however, leaning towards cremated and having my ashes dumped either in the Chatooga River or off a Blue Ridge mountain top.

OT:

I have a Chatooga River t-shirt and everyone reads it Chattanooga…. I am not sure why I shared that. :-S

 

[biscuit]

OT:

I have a Chatooga River t-shirt and everyone reads it Chattanooga….

Why? Probably because you're in South Florida.

I am not sure why I shared that. :-S

Because sharing is good

 

[el Guapo]

Here is a concept.

Get a DR Chipper Shredder, a geotextile lined pit and compost the dead. It is better for the environment than any of the alternatives. They do it with dead cows and grass clipings, why not YOU!


Soilent Green - Its People!



I'm serious.











I just thought of something. How can I ensure I get a Catholic only compost pile?

 

[Cardinal]

Sorry, Guap, but meat doesn't compost.

As for me, I could agree to being planted under an oak, or maybe a hickory tree. Alternatively, I could have thousands of people slaving to build me a monumental burial chamber filled with gold and precious jewels. Yeah, that's more like it.

 

[el Guapo]

Sorry, Guap, but meat doesn't compost.

It sure as heck does. I've seen the cow jellification/compost plants in western Kansas. We, smelled them first, then saw them a few miles later. You just have to cut the hamburger with some silage and greens first.

 

[otterpop]

Reminds me of one of my favorite John Prine songs "Please Don't Bury Me." As in "Please don't bury me down in that cold, cold ground. I'd rather have them cut me up and pass me all around. Send my brain to a hurricane and the blind can have my eyes. And the deaf can have both of my ears if they don't mind the size. . ." And ending with "Send my mouth way down South and kiss my ass good-bye."

 

[Chet]

Sorry, Guap, but meat doesn't compost.

As for me, I could agree to being planted under an oak, or maybe a hickory tree. Alternatively, I could have thousands of people slaving to build me a monumental burial chamber filled with gold and precious jewels. Yeah, that's more like it.

[ot] anyone see the Discovery channel special on Nefertiti last Sunday? I thought it was fascinating. [/ot]

on topic: I agree with both burning and eco burial. I do not understand the human fascination with open caskets. To me it doesnt supply any closure or ease my grief.

A family friend died in a car accident and they reconstructed him with spackler like that episode of Six Feet Under where the woman had her face smashed in. It offended - no, it REPULSED me.