Social Innovation: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

If you want to be as green in death as you are in life, there are social innovation eco-friendly burial options for you. Our burials and cremations are full of tradition and therefore can be far from being environmentally friendly. Embalming bodies requires cancer-causing chemicals like phenol and formaldehyde. Coffins are often made from endangered woods and toxic plastics, plus they prevent a body from decomposing efficiently—it is a slow rotting process, which stimulates a type of sulphur bacteria that can pollute nearby water sources.

As a Hindu, when I pass over, I will be cremated and have always thought this might be a karmic greener option. I was wrong. Cremations create a lot of air pollution, because they release chemicals such as carbon dioxide and mercury into the air. In fact, the energy used to cremate one body is equivalent to driving 4,800 miles! So it seems interring a body in the earth in a way that allows it to decompose naturally is probably the greenest social innovation option available.

This type of social innovation eco burial is becoming popular. No chemicals or coffins are used. Instead, the body is wrapped in biodegradable shrouds or placed in pine coffins, and laid to rest where decomposes and becomes part of the earth. Often, corpses are buried in graves that are just three feet deep to help the decomposition process. The natural burial in a biodegradable coffin reduces carbon emissions by 50 percent compared with traditional burials.

The Ecopod, a UK company that makes evolutionary, social innovation, beautiful new designs in coffins that bring together artisan skills with style, elegance and a respect for the environment. Ecopods are made from recycled newspapers and come in a variety of colours and designs. In fact, The Ecopod has been asked by the U.K.'s British Victoria and Albert Museum in London to be part of an exhibition, called "The Power of Making" from 6 September 2011 to 2 January 2012.

Eternal Reefs Inc. is by far my favourite eco-friendly way to eternity, offering a wonderful way to celebrate the ending of our lives and at the same time do something about the reefs' declining health. An option for people who do choose a cremation, Eternal Reefs offers a way to offset the pollution you will be creating through a permanent environmental living legacy. It is an underwater burial at sea where your cremated remains are mixed with an environmentally friendly concrete formula to create a home to marine life. Eternal Reefs' patented system was developed to create reefs that mimic natural reef formations. There are special design features to make it easy for sea life to attach and grow on these designed reef structures to make new reefs. Now that's a way to go.

Photo Credit: flattop341