URBAN DEATH - a new response to death and dying

Judith Browning wrote: having her embalmed and made into this solid object just freaks me out still.

I think that here they might do some light treatment sometimes, but not in a way that would stop composting once the body is buried - only to keep it looking it ok, although even that is mostly handled by cold storage.

I am sure this has been said... Soilent Green is all that comes to mind with this idea... it may not be now... but all the potential is there. Wish I had time to read this whole thread... a topic I have always been curious about. I will be researching this very soon though... and thank you to the original posts author for sharing this topic.

My wife and I were invited to a friends house for dinner. He was a mortician in training and his apartment was above the funeral home where he worked. So... after dinner he took us on a tour and we got to see the inner workings of the death industry. I won't go into any of the gory details but it is a rather barbaric process, to say the least. I decided, then, that I did not want the King Tut treatment and a simple pine box would suffice. I believe the traditional Jewish funeral includes a pine casket and burial within 24 hours, if I'm not mistaken. I kinda like that idea, though the Kickstarter is an intriguing notion.

Along these lines, I'm sure many here have already considered these measures.. but if you believe strongly in a natural burial (or at least no embalming), it's important to state so in your will (or other pertinent legal documentation). It may be that your family doesn't know of your wishes, or they might succumb to the hard sell of the funeral industry in the midst of grief. Making your wishes explicitly clear can really, really help. Sorry if I'm just stating the obvious here.

That's a very good point, B.E. Thanks for pointing that out.

A bit of national coverage as a CBC news digital cover story..goo for these guys!
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/urban-death-project-a-case-for-composting-your-dead-body-1.3060314

I'll second that notion of a traditional jewish burial being quite appealing in its lack of toxic bells and whistles. Not sure I would personally feel the need to be sewn into a burial shroud inside the box, but a raw linen or cotton shroud and no box would suit me just fine.

glad to see someone making news out of this idea and raising awareness about the issues around traditional western burials.

j

My friend's mother,  Dorothy,  recently died. She was buried in the green area of the cemetery. I prepared a short eulogy. She was 93, so had a pretty good run.

 An attractive,  but fairly plain pine box was used and she was covered in  a cotton shroud.

 This part of the cemetery uses only native plants and fits people in around  large fir, maple and arbutus trees. People are planted very tightly,  even in the pathways. There's no wasted space.

 The cemetery is municipally owned, so it's also used as a public park where dogs are allowed.

Dorothy choose this spot. She liked the idea that she would fertilize the forest.

The only maintenance in this section, is the upkeep of bark covered pathways and removal of dead fall that affects paths. All debris rots in place.

It's so great that folks are discussing green burial and help with grieving. There is also a magazine "Natural Transition" which has many green burial, and more intimate ways for families and friends of the dearly departed.
I like the idea of "Urban Death Project." Sure there will be obstacles, but it is a giant step toward improvement. Because currently, when someone dies, people have little alternative, because of legal issues and what is available.
Barbara

I'm offering for sale, green burial caskets made from hollowed logs, in the $1000 - $2000 range.

 This thread is mostly photographic. It shows the place where my friend's mother is buried.

https://permies.com/mobile/t/47952/frugality/Green-burial-Victoria-BC-frugal?foo=a