A green departure from Planet Earth - alternative burials...
NEWS: First published at Fortitude.
by peter petterson
A green departure from Planet Earth — alternative burials to oldtime funerals, such as cremations, are increasingly becoming more popular. Yes, nearly half of burials in the western world are now cremations.
As land for cemeteries become increasingly more scarce with major cities extending for many miles in most countries, cremation has become increasingly more popular in recent times. About half of all funerals are cremations; something so very different from just a few years ago.
But there are other alternatives to traditional burials and cremations. Climate change is bringing in its own sets of regulations, such as emissions trading schemes etc.
A new option of burial for families' loved ones is now available on Queensland's Gold Coast — the world's first water cremation centre.
Aquamation:
The CEO of a company known as Aquamation Industries, John Humphries, has recently been interviewed by the media and had this to say about his company's new service at the ECO Memorial Park at Stapylton near Dreamworld.
He said Aquamation Industries uses a new process it hopes to revolutionise the funeral industry. 'Aquamation' is a new natural, ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cremation — it uses water instead of fire to return a body to nature.
It is expected that this process will be available anywhere in Australia within a year — and undoubtably offshore soon afterwards.
John Humphries likens the process to that of a dead animal in the bush of Australia. It disintigrates into the natural state of things.
But with Aquamation we have what is a totally natural process, known as alkaline hydrolosis, in a stainless steel tube where the body is washed for four hours, creating the same breakdown of tissue as out in the bush, but at a faster rate. Mr Humphries also claimed support from the Catholic Church for the new technology.
He said further that the equipment is based on an experimental unit in America that uses extreme pressure and temperature to destroy the infectious remains of mad cow disease. Its a natural process, not an invented one.
The equipment has been redesigned so that water breaks down the cells and brings the body back to a chemical component, leaving just chalky bones which are returned to the family in an urn, just like the ashes of a traditional cremation.
This technology answered the demands of new European Union regulations that demand the reduction of mercury and pollution at crematoria by 2012.
Another green burial alternative to Aquamation:
There is another alternative to Aquamation itself, that results in the same return to nature. These are called biodegradable urns that reportedly suit the desire of the baby-boomer generation to have a 'green burial'.
These biodegradable urns, this time from America, also allow the return of a former life to nature. This is in return to those who advocate cremation and eco-friendly products.
Biodegradable cremation urns are designed to allow body remains to dissolve into the Earth.They are made using organic materials that are both drawn from and safe for the natural environment. One urn, called the Unity Heart, by its suppliers, The Light Urns, are actually made from Mulberry tree bark (a bark that sheds naturally). As they have no plastic or metal components at all, they just biodegrade naturally.
Another urn that is available is both beautiful and environmentally safe, and called the Shell Bio-urn; it is also made from ecological materials. This urn is designed for people who want to scatter the 'ashes' of their loved ones into the sea. The shell includes a water- soluble plastic bag for the cremains. Eco friendly glu is also used to seal the lid and designed to float for five minutes before decending beneath the waves. There is reportedly a large selection of urns to choose from.
Published on Fortitude August 18, 2010
Copyright 2010 peter petterson
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