.png)
As our world is evolving to accustom itself to
the many environmental changes, humans must prepare future generations for what
life after we die will look like--physically. Death is an inevitable part of
the life cycle, but as technology has evolved, the human race can determine how
their remains impact the Earth and the generations to still live in our place.
A new proposal of transforming the traditional burial process from caskets and
tombstones to eco-friendly burial pods and the growth of trees will have an
environmental, economic, and social impact on those having to endure the death
of a loved one.
Capsula Mundi is the originating project that
has introduced the reconstruction of the traditional burial process. Anna
Citelli and Raoul Bretzel, founders of this new initiative, have created two
types of biodegradable egg-shaped pods that allow a person’s body to be respected
by family and friends at the family’s discretion. Then once the burial process
starts, the body can either be cremated and the ashes be used as the fertilizer
to grow the tree, or the bodies laid in a fetal position in a larger pod to
decompose at its natural rate. The two choices are offered so the deceased can
have a memorial service as they wish. This type of burial does not utilize the
normal embalming procedures, as this process does not want to impede the normal
transformation of organic material. A tree, chosen by the loved ones of the
family, will be planted on top of the pod, allowing the family to have a
remembrance for the deceased. This way, the loved ones can watch the tree grow,
setting forth prosperity for the future. Cemeteries will then be transformed
from solid tombstones to a flourishing forest (Citelli and Bretzel, 2016). This new form of burial has shown to provide
positive environmental impacts that have previously not been available.
 |
| Emma Lawson - Class of 2020 |
Because traditional burials have dominated the funeral
process, many people have not thought of the negative environmental impacts
that are associated with this process. One major effect to the environment is the
effect of concrete vaults. This directly impacts the cemetery grounds and the
location of the burial plots. Aligning with the growing discussion over carbon
emissions, the traditional burial process, while it seemed harmless, is adding
to the growing pollution in our air, impacting the rest of the world. Most
importantly, this new life enriches the soil and provides oxygen for other
living creatures. In turn it provides a tree to nature instead of cutting one
down to create a coffin (King, March 24, 2016). The interaction between the
soil and the biodegradable pod will work as a natural transformation allowing
the organic minerals in the soil to use the body as fertilization for the
growing tree. By using the green burial method opposed to the traditional
method, one is allowing the decomposed body to return to the earth faster,
rejoining the precious body material to the soil to furnish other life. The
mixture of partial decay plus the wood and fabric of the coffin can seep into
the soil and groundwater, contaminating any close waterway system. Because the roots of the tree will
utilize the natural composition of the human body and not the wood, concrete,
and fabricated materials of a casket, there will be a definite lowered risk of
illnesses that would impact outside.
Along with the environmental impacts, the
economic costs comparing the two types of burial differ drastically. When
looking at the average cost of a funeral, the price ranges between two thousand
dollars ($2,000) for the standard casket and ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for
the mahogany and brass fixtures added to it. These are just the ranges for a
casket alone, not adding the basic service fee for the funeral home or
processing fees (Federal Trade Commission, July 2012). But, when compared to a green funeral,
the complete total of the burial and processing can range from $1,000 to $4,000
for a body, or from $200 to $1,000 for cremated remains (Slocum, 2017). Nature’s
beauty provides the tranquility and beauty to satisfy any visitor of the sacred
ground. When many families go to consider a burial process for their loved
ones, it is an emotional toll from the beginning. A burden would be lifted from
many loved one’s decision if they knew this option was available to them. It allows
a family to mourn the death but also have a proper memorial service that does
not pull a great financial obligation.
Aligning with personal and family
satisfaction, this new form of burial allows loved ones to respect the deceased
in a new light. Looking into the future for
personal reasons of individuals, it would allow for others to honor the life of
a loved one in a unique way--watching their loved one’s life “grow” spiritually
(aside from any religious affiliation) once they pass on. Trees bring new life
to an area. This includes birds and ground animals, and other vegetation. This
natural connection to the Earth allows some individuals to mourn and release
their emotions easier than if they were to experience death in the traditional
setting. Because the goal of this burial process is to return the body back to
its natural state, the old saying “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” can align
greatly with the deceased’s friends and family, even allowing them to
understand the process of the body and its gift back to nature (Slocum, 2017).
Another concern the family does not have to
feel unease about is the preservation of the sacred grounds. Just like a
traditional cemetery, these grounds will be subject to the laws protecting
cemeteries and burial grounds. There would be no removal of these trees for
commercial use- they are protected for as long as they last. So, if a tree were
to have damage done to it, maintenance and repair would take place, but a
similar tree would replace the other if serious deterioration were to occur. The
tree not only represents new life, but the life of that individual. This
special connection brings a new importance to remembering a loved one. This new
form of burial can increase personal and family satisfaction not available with
other forms of burial.
Because
the traditional burial process has been prevalent for several centuries, many
individuals may question the new technology associated with a green burial. When
purchasing a biodegradable burial pod, the person’s remains are guaranteed to
return back to the soil by the natural decomposing process. That fact is stated
up front so all continuing discussion can be cleared and all parties
understanding one another. Capsula Mundi also requires an extensive soil
analysis to ensure that there will be no pollution to harm the body or tree
once buried and planted. The tree will
then continue to eradicate any natural chemicals in the soil that could be
harmful to the environment. (Citelli and Bretzel, 2016). This allows the trees
to serve their natural purpose of protecting and providing for the environment.
Small changes make a large impact when many people realize the importance and
are willing to support them.
The green burial initiative addresses many of
the changes in the twenty-first century. Because our world is rapidly changing
and evolving to the new times, every aspect of life must be in sync with this
process. Transforming from a traditional burial process from caskets and
tombstones to ecofriendly burial pods and the growth of trees meets the benchmark
of a technological change. Along with the worldwide effects, the environmental,
economic, and personal satisfactions for an individual’s needs are met far
beyond the traditional burial standards. In the end, it is an individual’s
decision on the type of burial process chosen for himself or herself or a loved
one, but if one understood the evidence, then an educated decision would be
made impacting the Earth entirely.
Bibliography
Citelli, Anna, and Bretzel,
Raoul. Capsula Mundi. http://www.capsulamundi.it/en/. 2016.
Kalanick, Kate. “What is green burial?”. Green
Burial Project. http://greenburialcouncil.org/home/what-is-green-burial/. 2017
National Center for Health Statistics. “Deaths
and Mortality.” Center for disease
control and prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm. March 17, 2017.
WHO Regional Office. “Waste Management and Soil
Pollution.” The impact of cemeteries on
the environment and public health. Copenhagen
Ø Denmark. apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/108132/1/EUR_ICP_EHNA_01_04_01(A).pdf.
April
20, 2017.
Federal Trade Commission. “Funeral costs and
pricing checklist.” Shopping for Funeral
Homes. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0301-funeral-costs-and-pricing-checklist#Calculating. July 2012.
Slocum, Joshua. “Green burial.” Funeral consumer alliance. https://funerals.org/greenburial/. 2017.
Evans, Erv. “Americans are Planting… Trees of
Strength.” North Carolina state
university. https://projects.ncsu.edu/project/treesofstrength/benefits.html. 2017.
King, Barbara J. “Would You Opt for an Organic
Pod Burial?” Commentary on science and
society. http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/03/24/471630242/would-you-opt-for-an-organic-pod-burial. March 24, 2016.
Seven Ponds. “Environmental
Impact of Death.” After death.
-->
Emma Lawson, of Springfield, Ky., is a freshman McConnell Scholar studying political science.