Comments on: Mark Harris Discusses A “Natural Way of Burial”

By: Anni Beach

Anni Beach — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:42:08 +0000

A great article! My husband is getting ready to take his final journey-he’s under Hospice of the Valley care and I take care of him here at home. We’re planning to do this the old-fashioned way-everything here at home and then we go to the VA Cemetery for burial-it’s free. Trying to get all the how-to has been a real search project. I’m getting there but I need information on how to keep the body cool at home-we don’t want embalming, but we want all the family here. We are musicians and we want all the music, food, the kids building the box and everyone decorating. It’s fitting for this wonderful and humble man.

But tell me: How do we keep the body cool and comply with Arizona law?

By: Moises Diaz

Moises Diaz — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:05:55 +0000

LIMBO (LIMBODISSENY S.L.) was created by a group of young designers and
architects who wanted to take part in the construction and improvement of
a new funeral world. Having sought advice and made strong contacts with
other professional in this area, LIMBO is now able to share this
knowledge. Today we have to take into account the important need to
preserve the environment.
Our company developped, among many other useful, smart and degradable
products, a new concept of real 100% biodegradable funeral urns. All our
urns are made using only vegetal and mineral products. Because we are
convinced that we can leave this world in a respectful and caring way, we
are committed to create a wide range of products to fit the need of an
ecofriendly funeral.
Limbo believes that, through its project, it can provide exemplary
services and solutions to make the personal attention that is required
during difficult and emotional moments, easier, in a caring and
respectful manner. We want to make the attention provided in funeral
houses more human and special which means we also provide a very
personalised service to the companies and enterprises involved so that we
can meet their needs too. This is why everyone at LIMBO, in addition to
being well qualified professionals in other areas, have a common
commitment to developping improvements in the funeral sector.

We invite you to visit our web site: http://www.limbodisseny.com and wish you
like what you find there.
We look forward to hear from you.
Yours sincerely,

Moisés Diaz
moises@limbodisseny.com

By: earthartist

earthartist — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:41:35 +0000

Natural Burial Around the World

The modern concept of natural burial began in the UK in 1993 and has since spread across the globe. According the Centre for Natural Burial, http://naturalburial.coop there are now several hundred natural burial grounds in the United Kingdom and half a dozen sites across the USA, with others planned in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and even China.

A natural burial allows you to use your funeral as a conservation tool to create, restore and protect urban green spaces.

The Centre for Natural Burial provides comprehensive resources supporting the development of natural burial and detailed information about natural burial sites around the world. With the Natural Burial Co-operative newsletter you can stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the rapidly growing trend of natural burial including, announcements of new and proposed natural burial sites, book reviews, interviews, stories and feature articles.

The Centre for Natural Burial

By: Anon

Anon — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 15:25:32 +0000

After years of thinking I would be cremated, I finally, no pun intended, made the decision to go for a natural burial. The reasons were threefold: I live near one of the only “green cemeteries” in California; it happens to be located in a favorite place of my childhood; and I found out that cremation uses enough energy to heat a family of four for a month.

It was more expensive than cremation, to be sure–8k vs 500-1,500 bucks: but in the long run, I am happy knowing I will be buried the way I want to be buried and where I want to be buried.

The Funeral Director of this Green Cemetery was very low-key: never pushed me to go with anything I didn’t want–no sales pitch for a pricey casket (I picked out a very pain flax/linen shroud) and though he mentioned the expensive tree species marker, he didn’t push for it–I didn’t have a an extra 2,500-7,500 to have an Oak or Redwood planted above me. I do not think I will miss it–but if my family and friend want it–they are welcome to do so.

I hope the practice of pumping up dead bodies full of embalming fluid will go away–finally. There are, as you know, many stories of exploding wall crypts and mausoleums.
All because the body is pumped full of this junk.

Thanks for writing about a very important subject and providing options to the standard 10-20k American burial rite.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:54:46 +0000

Benjamin Franklin once said, ?In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. At least now, thanks to the internet, death doesn?t have to be as expensive.

According to AARP, the average funeral in the United States can easily reach $10,000 once a burial plot, flowers and other costs are included.

Educated consumers are no longer in the dark about how the funeral industry works. Big conglomerates are mercilessly buying up family-operated homes with their eyes solely on the bottom-line. Caskets alone average a 600% mark up. They may be the last example of a legal monopoly left in the United States. Mourners are literally gauged, as they haven?t the time or presence of mind to comparison shop.

It has always been tradition to call upon the neighborhood funeral parlor, cemetery or monument dealer when a loved-one passes. But, due to the internet, that traditional is starting to change.

MonumentsInStone is the sister company of Interstate Granite, a family-owned, monument manufacturer that has been in business in the Atlanta area since 1916. They have recently launched a website, offering granite headstones, bronze markers and crematory products at a fraction of their retail price. ?We have been there.? Say the owner, Robert Womac. ?And, we want to right an industry-wide wrong.?

Internet companies now supply headstones and memorials directly to the consumer. Although cemeteries might not like this, they have to, by law, accept a stone from an outside source. The savings have been a blessing for many customers.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance has many tips that should be followed when planning a funeral. They told us that savvy consumers need to shop around for a grave marker or monument. The Better Business Bureau also warns to resist high-priced sales pitches from funeral industry vendors. They should treat you with compassion; not pressure you.

Perhaps, asking a friend or neighbor to work the phones or search the net would be a good idea. Even a check on Ebay has produced a number of beautiful choices. I found an elegant, Granite Companion Monument for a third of the price my funeral parlor was pitching. A Tombstone on Ebay? I emailed the highest bidder to find out why. ?I?m sorry,? He told me. ? I see no reason to pay top dollar because of some outdated tradition.?

By: Michael Salisbury

Michael Salisbury — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:53:58 +0000

A Statement of Values?

The design of cemeteries and burial grounds has long reflected the cultural values of the peoples that built them. The ?green-cemetery? or natural burial ground reflects the changing cultural values of our society and expresses a commitment to a sustainable lifestyle in the most personal manner.

The increasing number of natural burial grounds across North America indicates that this fledgling movement has both significant grass roots support as well as mainstream acceptance. The development of green burial standards will help ensure that that the full potential of this movement is realised. The Green Burial Council should be commended for their leadership and vision.

Forest of Memories, is a non-profit website that provides information and resources supporting the natural burial movement in North America. According the Forest of Memories website, http://www.forestofmemories.org there are now half a dozen natural burial grounds in the USA with several others planned in both Canada and the States.

The natural burial ground provides a number of benefits for the greater community including an enhancement of the urban greenspace network, development of multi-use recreational spaces and improvement of the ecological diversity of the area. Natural Burial allows people to make one final act, to communicate, in death, a statement of their values about life.

By: George H. Russell

George H. Russell — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:52:39 +0000

I was very happy to learn about the new book by Mark Harris.

I have been promoting “Green Burial” since 1968 and “Sky Burial” since 1999.

George H. Russell
Bishop and Founder
The Universal Ethician Church
http://www.salvationnetwork.org

By: Don Midway

Don Midway — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:51:40 +0000

I believe, in time, Grave Matters will have a major impact on how we ?bury? our loved ones. The ?modern? (not traditional) burial makes no sense today. That?s not to say there isn?t a purpose for funeral directors. Changes must be made with regard to burial if we are to show respect for the environment. After reading this book, particularly the first chapter, I see very little that is natural with the current manner of modern burials. Surely the funeral industry can, and should, become more conscientous, to the biblical passage, ?for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return? thereby demonstrating more respect for life as well as our earth.