this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2024
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Keeping a lid on your carbon footprint doesn’t stop with your last breath. Your choice of funeral can have a significant environmental impact. In a recent report by the US-based National Funeral Directors Association, 60.5% of those surveyed expressed their interest in greener options including resomation (water cremation) human composting and natural burials.

https://www.positive.news/society/eco-concerns-prompt-green-funeral-options/

I debated for a while on if I should post this or not (rather morbid, I know) but I think it's an important thing to think about.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago

I like the idea of a wicker basket coffin with natural-fiber clothes....and an added sword just to confuse future archaeologists β€’Λ‹α΄—ΛŠβ€’

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Mushroom burials FTW.

If you aren't aware, loads of heavy metals accumulate in your body throughout your lifetime. Dental fillings, vaccines and regular sneaky consumption lead to there being quite a lot of these chems in you. When you melt away those chemicals and toxins flow into groundwaters.

Fungi are hungry little fuckers who turn all that garbage into mycelium which is easily reintroduced into the food chain without leeching poison into groundwaters.

Afaik this is the only burial method that handles these heavy metals and toxic compounds without distributing them to the local environment.

Source: worked the graveyard shift during the day.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Weren't mushroom burials "debunked"?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

My local cemetery has about half their landdedicated as a state-certified nature trail where they have to meet some pretty tight regulations to have that credential.

That's where I first learned about mushroom burials, they had a lot of literature on it and at first glance it seems legit to me.

I'd say regardless of the heavy metals mushroom burial is MUCH more ecologically friendly that other methods. you're basically in an organic sleeping bag stuffed with mushroom spores that will consume you quickly.

No casket, no cement burial vault to contain your goo (your goo is repurposed live), no smoke plume from your combustion or acidic ashes spread around.

I am interested in it being "debunked" though, could you elaborate a bit?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

That's incredibly cool. Like, I didn't care about myself after being dead but now that sounds good. Thanks for sharing.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

I know there's a place that composts human remains and that's pretty cool!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I personally had always wanted water cremation but for some reason people don't seem to keen on the idea.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Anything is better than fire cremation. The article says it takes more energy than driving five hundred miles.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Whoa. "Going to Hell in a handbasket" just got literal.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Sky burial for me please.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I want my body thrown to the wolves. Ideally not captive wolves, zoo visitors probably don't want to see that..

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

screw that, im making the children watch

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Well I certainly wouldn't be able to stop you, but I still disapprove :P

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

I think I’m a registered organ donor. Would prefer to donate my whole body to science and sidestep the whole funeral business.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

When can I legally get composted in my guarden?? 2m deep hole, lots of straw, body, more straw, soil, done.

Add some flowers and salt if you want.