If we are serious about energy efficiency, then no aspect of living is off the agenda. So what about the other end of life – where we need to dispose of our bodies with dignity but also with serious consideration for those who remain. There is an increase in number of deaths, mainly due to the early baby boomers reaching “that age”, and some places such as Perth, WA, are in the grip of a graveyard shortage. Where do we find the space to bury or place cremated remains of the estimated 56 million people around the planet who die each year? The funeral business is booming, but at what cost?
According to GreenPlanet, 50 million trees are cut down each year in India for funeral pyres, and 1.6 million tons of concrete are buried in the US each year in the construction of vaults. Maybe we could turn some of this around? A town called Halmstat in Sweden proposed a new source of heat for one business and for the surrounding houses. The local crematorium would provide an endless and reliable source of heat from its primary activity of cremating bodies. Would this be acceptable in your community?
In many places we now have ranges of eco-friendly coffins and we control the emissions from cremation, but there is still a long way to go. And as demand grows, there will be new business opportunities in finding energy efficient and planet enhancing ways to manage bodies no longer in use. Consider this when you are bequeathing your material possessions to your loved ones – think of how to manage your final exit in a way that benefits rather than harms their environment.
pic ex Flickr Global Green Expo, Jersey City (biodegradable coffin) by goodrob13
1 comment:
Hi Mary, My name is Simon from eco funerals here in WA Your right on the ball there. We use Lifeart coffins made from 97% recycled Cardboard and plant 10 trees for each funeral through the Carbon Neutral scheme.
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