I had read about people being cremated and adding their remains to coral reefs, but the other day, while perusing the Happy Hippie site, I noticed this tidbit on an eco-friendly company that sells many sustainable options if one is going to have a burial.
I realized that there are a few interesting biodegradable options when choosing a mode of interment:
-The Eco Pod (seen above) coffin lets you enter the ground in recycled paper.
The coffin table with it’s covers on to be utilized as a coffee table before death
Remove the top covers to store games, books and magazines, and eventually in which to place the body, which will biodegrade through the bottom slats, which the designer also said “mimics the human skeleton”
At Brooklyn Designs this year, one of the most innovative ideas was from Charles Constantine of the Pratt Insitute. This beautiful “coffin table” is meant to bring death into the center of family life (literally) by being used as a coffee table until such time that it is needed, so that it serves two functions. Charles said that in this way the family could become comfortable with death and be a part of the final resting place of the person who has passed.
-The Everybody Coffin is inexpensive and simple to assemble (?!) I am not sure who is going to want to build this after experiencing a loss, but maybe a family would get together to build it as an homage to the deceased. From personal experience, when my father died, I don’t think any of us would have been able to manage something like this, during such an intense time.
I like the idea of building it as a way to honor a loved one. You could incorporate flowers, botanicals, notes, letters, natural paints, and make it unique. Otherwise, if the family is too bereft, green funeral homes would assemble this for you. Since it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, this could also be used for a cremation.
This wicker casket a nice option if one wants to go au natural and is planning on a ceremony. At first, we found it hilarious that you could go out in wicker! I have a “thing” about wicker, for some reason, so my hubby told me that if I get too cantankerous in my old age, I’m going out in one of these.
There are also biodegradable urns if you do go the cremation route.
And where to put that biodegradable coffin? Check out some of the natural burial grounds in the United States:
-Green Springs Natural Cemetery 93 acres in NY State
-Glendale Memorial Nature Preserve – 350 acres in Florida.
Hah! My favorite one by far is the wicker coffin….so cute. Funny that you guys don’t like it!
06/10/08 » 7:34 pm »
how morbid.. yikes, I came across this post and kinda wish I didn’t.
06/11/08 » 4:28 am »
Well I love that you had the guts to post about this. Why shouldn’t we be thinking of ‘the final day’?
When I was younger I would visit the local cemetery because it was so peaceful. But then one day I peered over the edge of a freshly dug plot and I was disgusted to see a cement box large enough to accommodate a full size coffin.
I imagined its purpose was to preserve the expensive coffin that would eventually be lowered into the ground.
Ugh. I just remember thinking that we put so much energy into preserving our bodies and for what?
In any case all of the options you present certainly have made me think about a subject I would otherwise put off until it’s too late.
I’m leaning toward the coffin table. It’s so IKEA.
06/11/08 » 8:36 am »
The SpiriTree Urn: Your Next Life Might Be In A Forest » GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow
[...] of green burials, Eco Chick has a nice feature today on the “Best Eco-Friendly Coffins” — of which, the coffin coffee table looks most interesting. Also, congrats to New [...]
06/11/08 » 2:29 pm »
Ha! I love the recycled paper one. I told my husband about the ‘Everybody Coffin’ and he loves the idea, but wants to build it himself and have it, like, sit in our garage until he croaks (which hopefully will be decades from now!). I can’t imagine using one as a coffee table, though, even though I do have a secret past life as a goth chick – it’s still a bit too morbid for my taste!
06/11/08 » 8:53 pm »
I am really glad someone besides myself has a thing about wicker- um, can you imagine how during the funeral it will make popping and squeeking noises as the weight of the body settles in and while someone is standing there saying goodbye! ah! I really like the recycled paper box best, because I like the idea of composting quickly and having a garden grow where my body or ashes are put.
06/12/08 » 11:46 am »
I taught a Grief and Loss course at a local university a couple of summers ago. Part of my curriculum was to introduce green burial. I found an excellent movie, actually, that took you through what happens to a body at a funeral home (horribly disgusting) and then the green burial process. My students were amazed. I have outlined my green burial for my loved ones, and they assure me that they will follow my wishes.
06/12/08 » 2:53 pm »
The SpiriTree Urn: Your Next Life Might Be In A Forest | LumoSolar.com - Solar Power & Energy Information
[...] of green burials, Eco Chick has a nice feature today on the “Best Eco-Friendly Coffins” — of which, the coffin coffee table looks most interesting. Also, congrats to New [...]
06/16/08 » 6:54 pm »
When my Mum died we asked our funeral director for a willow coffin. He wanted £760!!! I looked on ebay…no luck there. But I did find a site that sells and quickly delivers coffins. They sent it to our funeral director. We used lots of greenery from Mum’s garden and wove it through the wicker. It was beautiful and what Mum would have wanted. Much ’softer’ than a horrible ‘hammer house of horror’ coffin.
The site is
http://www.natuarlendings.co.uk/buy-coffin-now.asp
07/22/08 » 4:11 am »
Soory spelling mistake it should be
http://www.naturalendings.co.uk/buy-coffin-now.asp
07/22/08 » 4:13 am »
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08/13/08 » 1:16 am »
UK Course Offers Students Opportunity To Weave Their Own Coffins » GroovyGreen.com - Start Today :: Save Tomorrow
[...] we’re on the subject, Eco Chick has a great collection of earth-friendly coffins for your perusal — just in case basket weaving isn’t high on your list of “things [...]
08/25/08 » 9:02 am »