Comments on: The Greenest Way to Die

By: kitsana_d

kitsana_d — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:07:49 +0000

I’m still a fan of the “Viking Funeral,” but this liquification process sounds like my new best bet! Carve my name on a rock and set it out somewhere, but don’t take up more earth-space with my (chemically-slowed) rotting!

By: Cy Guy

Cy Guy — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:03:20 +0000

Discover magazine reported a while back that a new invention could turn a 175 body into “38 pounds of oil, 7 pounds of gas, and 7 pounds of minerals, as well as 123 pounds of sterilized water.” blogcritics.org/archives/2003/04/23/165907.php

That would seem to be the greenest option, even if that article says it isn’t planned for such a use.

BTW, don’t the lye and potash require energy to be produced and shipped to the resomation facility?

By: solak

solak — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:44:40 +0000

I prefer to recycle my useful parts via organ donation. Let them dissect the rest if they want to.

By: Melodye

Melodye — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:40:46 +0000

I want to be stuffed and have a soda can put in one hand and a remote in the other.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:39:03 +0000

Hi, I must reply to Magnus. I am in fact that archaeologist, or more specifically the osteologist and paleopathologist who actually analyses skeletons and although yes we have learned quite a lot, every day as a result of new technologies like aDNA retrieval, stable isotope analysis as well as analysis at the cellular level we are learning new ways to diagnose disease both in the skeletons themselves and in living patient today. Although we do dig up bones that are thousands of years old we also dig up “historic” skeletons (less then 3oo years old) in areas across North America, Europe, Asia etc and we are continuing to learn a lot not only about diseases themselves but also how the social stigma attached to various diseases continues beyond the grave in separate burial locations and differing burial rites and rituals. We need to continue to bury our dead so when our techniques and technology itself improves in the future there will be remains for people to study. Even today we have a practice of leaving parts of known cemeteries intact so future generations can return to those sites and examine them with new ideas and methods of research.

By: airship

airship — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:18:08 +0000

I weigh over 350 lbs., so I’ve always thought the best thing for me would be to be rendered into soap and candles. You could cremate the rest, then hand out the soap and candles at mementos at my funeral. What can I say, I like being useful.

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:25:22 +0000

Jenna-I read Stiff, and it is such a great book. I have actually looked in the the liquid nitrogen way of body disposal. There are a few companies that do that.
Basically you are put in a vat of liquid nitrogen, then after frozen ultrasound breaks up the body into a fine sterile dust. The body is given to loved ones in a biodegradible box and then you are supposed to bury it and plant a tree.
It’s cheap and good for the earth.

By: Xiomara

Xiomara — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:42:43 +0000

Like Stephen, I just want to have my body thrown into the woods or deep in the sea, and have the animals and plants enjoy my body.

Unfortunately, my country’s goverment and religious leaders think that is against nature, or something.

By: Missy Diaz

Missy Diaz — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:44:59 +0000

Or you can opt to get an eco pod, which is basically a coffin made out of paper.

Missy.

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:43:15 +0000

@Stephen – yeah, but stinky.

I totally love this idea.