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From Natural Life Magazine, March/April 2008 When a loved one dies, environmental issues may not be top of mind for grieving family and friends. However, the average funeral and burial are very un-green. Embalming fluid is made with formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen. Most traditional caskets are made from formaldehyde-glued chipboard covered in a thin veneer. Handles are usually plastic, designed to look like brass. Those substances pollute during manufacture and after burial. More expensive caskets are manufactured using exotic or endangered species of wood. Many cemeteries have few or no trees and often experience drainage and ground water pollution problems. In others, the grounds have been destroyed through the use of herbicides. Most cemeteries require caskets to be buried in concrete vaults. Originally developed in the 18th century to deter grave robbers, vaults are sold today to keep the ground from sinking and markers from moving. In the U.S. alone, these vaults cause 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete to be buried annually. Cremation was long considered more environmentally friendly than burial, but its use of fossil fuels is problematic. The average cremation produces about 50kg of carbon dioxide and emits... To read the rest of this article, subscribe to Natural Life's online edition. Author Wendy Priesnitz is the Editor of Natural Life Magazine and a journalist with 30 years of experience. She has also authored nine books. Read her blog. |
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