When we think of funerals, we often think of caskets. I know for me it has hard to imagine any other possibilities for years. But there are alternatives and we do have choices. Let’s take a look at the downsides of the traditional casket:
Nutrient cycle: Our bodies are made of elements that are essentially on loan to us for the duration of our life time. Other animals, insects, and plants have used these elements before they came to form our bodies, and it’s important that these elements be allowed to return to the soil. Caskets remove this organic material from the life cycle and lock it in a box. Oftentimes that box is then covered in a water-proof concrete vault. The purpose of the concrete vault is to keep the soil from sinking over time and preserves the landscape of cemeteries that use them. Caskets and vaults lock away valuable resources for centuries depending on local weather and soil conditions.
Harmful chemicals: Caskets are often made from wood and metal that have been heavily-varnished. These chemicals not only keep the caskets from decomposing and thus locking up valuable nutrients, but when they do decompose, they are harmful to the plants and wildlife (and the living) around it. I should mention here that embalming allows requires a slew of toxic chemicals as well. There are no laws that require the embalming bodies.
Expense: There are caskets designed in a variety of price ranges. There are high-end copper and bronze caskets that cost $30,000.
Burial quilts, meanwhile. allow the natural organic chemicals in our bodies to return to the soil when we die, are free of harmful chemicals, and are reasonably priced for many people.
Making decisions about end-of-life care is a deeply personal subject. If you’d like to talk more about burial quilts, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to email me.
