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Natural Coffins: Back to Our Roots

02_26_09_compostablecoffins.jpgWhen we consciously make decisions each day to live a green lifestyle, it makes sense that our sensibilities would follow us to the grave. As some say (and heard the words at some point yesterday, maybe), "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." Well, here now we're getting literal.

Natural burials and biodegradable coffins are gaining popularity in the U.S., and they're touted as an even more eco-friendly way to exit this life than cremation. So what does a natural burial entail?... [via Re-Nest]

 
 

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Comments (12)

Funeral laws are passed to enrich the funeral industry. However, there are some public health reasons to bury people the conventional way. However, time has passed, and new technology probably has made less costly and intrusive approachs feasible. This is an issue that needs to be explored and reformed by knowledgeable people. Unfortunately, it's usually too upsetting for rationale discourse.

posted by AustinSarah2 on February 26th 2009 at 7:19pm
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Cremation -- only way to go if you care about the earth.

posted by Forestdweller on February 26th 2009 at 7:30pm
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I agree with you forest. Not only for those reasons either. I think I'd rather have my body turned back to dust and sprinkled in the ocean( my fav place) than to be withering away in a coffin. I think it's ridicoulous to burden a family with the expense of it too. Just my opinion, mind ya.

posted by citygirlincountry on February 26th 2009 at 7:44pm
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I've decided to recycle myself (as an organ/tissue donor), and I want any 'leftovers' to be cremated.

posted by Stiletto on February 26th 2009 at 8:22pm
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Right on, forestdweller. IMHO, funerals and weddings are a colossal waste of money. The less spent the better.

posted by Seaside on February 26th 2009 at 8:25pm
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I whole-heartedly concur with all above.

posted by keliz on February 26th 2009 at 9:59pm
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I've ALWAYS planned on being cremated. I hate funerals and I am not having one. As my mother says, if they can't come see me when I'm alive, they don't need to come see me when I'm dead. I'm not being enbalmed or anything else that means additional monies need to be paid for something that isn't needed. My ashes can be put on poison ivy. Maybe that'll get rid of the damn stuff!!

posted by williamsweyr on February 26th 2009 at 10:11pm
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I'd like to be buried as naturally as possible so I can decay overtime and become nutrients for somethings else to grow, leaves of grass beneath your feet and so on and so forth. Barring that, burn me and spread the ashes.

posted by trygve on February 27th 2009 at 2:53am
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I've decided to recycle myself (as an organ/tissue donor), and I want any 'leftovers' to be cremated.- same here but if some wants a conventional coffin I will give the family or soon to be expried a guilt trip that would be cruel!

posted by Haunted_Studio on February 27th 2009 at 10:11am
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Sorry to be gruesome (in Scotland) my uncle 'left' his body to science. My aunt got a call two years later to come and get the remains.

posted by hrhprincessfiona on February 27th 2009 at 12:46pm
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I'm kind of ghoulishly hoping my body will be scavanged for parts (organ donor) then left at The Body Farm, where forsensic scientists study what happens to remains to help solve later crimes...

posted by SherryBinNH on February 27th 2009 at 1:31pm
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Buried normally - don't really like the idea of cremation or mausoleum.

It wasn't two years ago I heard the report about the guy who was an organ donor and they cut him open before he had actually died.

posted by ChrisGal on March 12th 2009 at 8:44am
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