Funerals are expensive and not at all green sometimes. Think of the wood for the caskets, fossil fuel to dig and refill the graves, machinery, chemicals, and other worthy investments that the relatives are guilted into implementing. Funerals that are thrifty are frowned upon by the industry.
There are other options: cremation, donations to medical schools, and burial at sea. People have their own philosophical and religious reasons for funeral predilections. Rites and ceremony and fear of the state of their afterlife play into decisions.
The ultimate burial or lack of burial is to let nature take its course. The Body Farm has an odd but useful function. Scientists can study bodies left in many conditions to help forensic scientists determine how long a person has been dead. Think of cases where the type insect or eggs on a body have helped solve murders or deaths.
While I love the idea of catching criminals who otherwise would get away with their deeds, I am not quite ready to be dumped in the woods. At the same time, why take up valuable space on the earth in a place that will be forever revered (not so for many, actually) and protected. Of course, vegetables could be planted over our graves and we could make good fertilizer for the plants...lol.
The Body Farm is a worthwhile venture and a noble cause for furthering science, just like body donations to medical schools.
Your turn
Does this idea appeal to you at all? For yourself? Or, are you like me, thinking it would be great for people to lie in a field or ditch to further science, but, "No, thank you. I will pass." Do you know anyone whose body you would like to donate? I do!
Cremation for me. I can't stand the idea of being buried - one of my biggest fears! I struggle to watch caving on the TV etc. !!!
ReplyDeleteA friend went to one where they put you in a cardboard casket and then pile you up with others in a forest, then when a certain number are reached they cover over the whole lot with some earth, leaves etc. and it all left to decay away naturally. Hmm... maybe
Sorry I think Blogger has a limit on comments I'm sure to bust if I start on the who I'd like to get rid of list... I mean most politicians for a start... etc.
Furtheron, That's a method of disposal that I have never heard of. Interesting. Ummm, don't you think most politicians are so corrupt that their decay might start sooner than the decay of a normal person? Interesting....I had not even thought of politicians, yet.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the fear of being buried and coming back to life is what drove the acceptance of embalming.
ReplyDeleteIts not a topic I like to think about on a personal level. Cremation isn't a bad idea. Thats as far as I have gotten-the idea! There is also what is called Home Burials-the body is minimally prepared but interned in the earth-the old fashioned way.
ReplyDeleteI'd not eat a veggie grown over a rotten politician and that is a fact! LOL!
LindaM, LOL....tainted vegetables.
ReplyDeleteA body farm situation? No, not for me. Cremation is something Mr. GV and I have both considered though. It's something we've talked about a bit and neither of us have come to a decision yet.
ReplyDeleteI have always told my daughter to have me cremated unless I remarried and died. Then, she is to make sure I was not murdered for insurance. So, cremation is out then.
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