As more and more humans are born on Earth, it logically follows that more and more people are dying. Many different cultures have their own way of disposing of bodies, however, these methods can have compounding environmental consequences. As a result of these environmental consequences, many environmental scientists have been tasked with finding newer, eco-friendly ways to dispose of bodies, while even helping ecosystems grow. To capitalize on this trend, one state is in the process of legalizing this method of decomposition and a company in Seattle is expected to start receiving corpses.
The environmental issues with the way cultures currently dispose of bodies largely revolve around the chemicals that are released and the resources that are used. For example, the process of burial, one of the more common post-death services, necessitates the usage of harmful chemicals for the embalming process, requires the use of large sums of land and resources to manage the burial sites, and are very costly. Another common ritual is cremation: the burning of the body. This process releases, although more eco-friendly than a burial, still releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, and is also rendered as "sterile" (the ashes do not continue the cycle of nutrients). Cremation uses almost two entire tanks of fuel to burn a single body and doesn't contribute anything back to the environment.
Allowing the body to naturally decompose can solve the environmental issues associated with traditional rituals. The company that is known for this process "Recompose" has released estimates stating that this process of decomposition saves around one metric ton of carbon dioxide that would've occurred with cremation. Furthermore, the process is surprisingly fast and doesn't require a plethora of resources to complete. Rather than adding other microbes and bacteria to break down the body, scientists simply stimulate an environment that catalyzes the microbes that naturally form on the body (even when you are alive). This speeds up the process of decomposition as long as the right nutrients are provided and sustained over time. An experiment that was done at Washington State University found that the bodies decomposed to skeletons after 4-7 weeks of continuous decomposition.
More states around the US are starting to lean towards cremation as their preferred post-death method. This signals a healthy change from the resource-exhausting burial process that has been the cultural staple of many different states. However, cremation is still a process that puts harmful chemicals into the environment while also consuming substantial amounts of fuel to complete. Rather than settling for a "lesser of the two evils", the US should continue to make attempts to legalize natural body decomposition as a relatively cheap, eco-friendly alternative that is a mutual win for all associated parties. While natural body decomposition is a relatively new idea, many scientists are intrigued to see what may come out of this discovery in a legislative sense. As we progress as a society, it is important that we take a look at many cultural staples and assess their impact on the environment with the hopeful end-goal of emulating an eco-friendly solution that satisfies the people and the environment.
Questions: If you had to choose a method for a post-death ritual, what would you choose? Do you think the cultural importance outweighs the environmental impact? What newer methods of body disposal do you think could also solve the environmental issue currently at hand? Do you think that the States should legalize this process?
Citations:
https://www.businessinsider.com/burying-dead-bodies-environment-funeral-conservation-2015-10#eco-friendly-alternatives-do-exist-6
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/turning-human-bodies-into-compost-works-small-trial-suggests
https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-state-human-compost-bodies-into-soil-2019-5
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/could-funeral-future-help-heal-environment-180957953/
27 comments:
I believe that implementing a more environmentally friendly way to dispose of dead bodies is absolutely necessary. Unless there are religious objections, I don’t see why there would be too much argument against it. The decomposed bodies would be able to add more nutrients to soil and, as the bodies are already dead, we aren’t harming humans in the process. I don’t believe that cultural importance necessarily outweighs the environmental impact. As a whole world, we must work together to preserve the earth and, as this post states, “natural” burial and cremation techniques do more harm than good. The United States should take the first steps toward legalizing the decomposition of human bodies while also continuing to research the effects and any environmental impacts.
First of all, where did you even get the idea to write about this topic? But anyways, I feel like nowadays cremation is popular as people find it strange or gross to think their bodies would just sit in a box for decades just rotting and decaying. Cremation is a fast and easy way to dispose of bodies, and people can “keep” their loved ones with them by keeping them in a vase or container in their house. While it may take longer to allow bodies to decompose in the ground, I feel it is more natural and humane than simply cremating someone. The only issue is that it takes up a lot of land and area to have big graveyards to support the amount of bodies being buried. As humanity is already pushing their way into virtually every ecosystem on the planet, it is probably smarter to cremate them than increase the sprawl of human infrastructure. In the end, its simply just what each individual prefers and what they decide they want to be dealt with after they pass.
I think that switching over to environmentally friendly ways of disposing bodies is becoming a necessity. I've never been a fan of the traditional coffin-burial as I believe that it takes up too much land space and doesn't contribute anything back to the environment. I had always believed that cremation would be a better option. However, I'd never considered the environmental effects that cremation had, and after reading this article, I am more partial towards decomposing bodies. Although cremation may have a cultural standing, I believe that as environmental degradation becomes an increasingly pressing issue, cultural practices should not trump the continuously building of environmental issues.
My preferred method for a post-death ritual would have to be burial. In my opinion, cremation just seems very final. There is no going back, you are simply done. Some people may find this comforting as it prevents the chance of being resurrected as a zombie. But I think this is simply paranoid and unrealistic. Therefore, as a living human being possessed with the rare gift of common sense, I have concluded that the most reasonable form of body disposal would be a burial. But this viewpoint does not consider the environmental consequences of burial. Although a traditional burial causes a significant environmental impact, to me this is insignificant as I would already be dead. Following my souls departure from this world as we perceive it, there would be absolutely no reason for me to contribute any further to the progress of humanity and the protection of the earth.
Thank you for this very relevant and interesting topic. Luckily I have considered this subject before, so I know I would like for my corpse to be dumped in the ocean or sent to one of those fancy decomposition companies where they use your body to grow a tree. While cremation and burial tend to be the most popular many other cultures and religions use other more sustainable methods. I recall a Zoroastrian (Parsi) graveyard where bodies would be discarded so that vultures could peck at them, which is honestly quite beautiful because circlee of lifeee and all that jazz. I remember the company that allows you to be buried in a pod that feeds a seedling, I'm really surprised you didn't mention it in your article since it's an alternative to the methods you outlined. It's called Capsula Mundi and it honestly makes me kinda excited top die and have my corpse feed a tree.
I would be interested in having my body decomposed. However, my perfect solution would be to be decomposed under a tree. That way my nutrients would contribute to something else's life, and there would be a marker for my family to remember me. I personally find the process of embalming and burial as dehumanizing. The things done to the body are absolutely disgusting. I don't think we should pump our dead full of chemicals and remove their organs to look picture perfect at a funeral. I think if more people chose to let their bodies decompose more naturally we would waste less land as burial grounds that could be turned into natural spaces. If our bodies never break down we are going to need more and more space to house them. A decomposed body takes up much less space and can exist in an environment. I believe that the States should legalize and encourage this method. One possible problem I can find is that if a decomposed body is found it could possibly be interpreted as a murder victim and police resources could be used to solve something that didn't need solving.
Honestly, I don’t care what happens to me after I die. I’m not opposed to burial or decomposition or cremation. I always thought burial was weird and that graveyards take up a lot of space. However, I can see why people want their loved ones to be buried because it lets them visit their loved ones. Despite this, I’d be perfectly fine with decomposition as it is helping the environment, but it’s really up to my future family to decide what to do with my dead body.
Before reading this article, I would have preferred to be cremated after death since my religion prefers cremation; however, I do suppose being decomposed naturally is a much better and acceptable alternative. Although I do agree that cultural importance can outweigh environmental impact at times, I think in most cases, such as post death rituals, both sides can come to an agreement. For example, Buddhism has a main belief in the circle of life, and having natural decomposition of the body after death not only adheres to this belief but also helps the environment! I think these newer methods of body disposal could potentially alleviate part of the environmental issue at hand or at least solve the problems that traditional post death rituals posed (since coffin burial requires so much land and cremation releases harmful products). Our country should definitely legalize this process because technically, as long as the individuals agreed that they wanted this post death ritual before they passed away, then natural decomposition should definitely be allowed!
Before reading this blog, I didn’t really care what happened to my body after I die because I didn’t realize how much certain post-death rituals can harm the environment. Now, I think I would prefer a method that would positively impact the environment, such as recomposing. There are also various other methods that are more eco-friendly than traditional methods, such as sea burial, sky burial, etc. I also do think that we may reach a point where we can only resort to the eco-friendly methods instead of the traditional burial or cremation. I think that the United States should legalize natural body decomposition and open up this option for those that are interested. However, I don’t believe that people should be restricted to certain methods of post death rituals for themselves or their loved ones, since this is a sensitive topic. People could choose to limit their environmental impact in other aspects of life and have a post-death ritual that may not be as environmentally friendly.
Before reading this blog post, I did not think too much about what would happen to my body after I died. I just assumed that my body was going to undergo cremation just like other passed members in my family. However, I now understand the environmental consequences of cremation. I am not sure what I would want to happen to my body, but I certainly know that I would not want to do anything that would hurt the environment. I do not want to give this idea too much thought because, honestly, the thought of me dying seems pretty sad. I certainly believe that the US should legalize this process in an effort to help the Earth.
I never quite looked at other aspects of what do to with a body except for the religious point of view and its interesting to know all the options available out there for disposing a body. I also never thought about the environmental impact of burying or cremating and it seems logical to implement this new process. Religious preferences set aside, I think that burying a body does take up a lot of land and improper care and burial can affect the soil, land, and organisms living within. Cremation also releases many emissions and pollutants into the air along with raising carbon levels so if a new and more environmentally friendly alternative can be found then I'm all for it.
Before reading this post, I didn’t really care about what would happen to my body once I die. I simply thought that cremation was a better option because it takes up less space. There are other options as well, such as the biodegradable urns that provide nutrients for a tree. After reading this, I think that natural decomposition and other more sustainable post-death rituals should be discussed and made known, because many people aren’t made aware of these options. I think that natural body decomposition should be legalized, but with safety regulations. Despite all of these options, I believe that religious beliefs and cultural importance ultimately outweigh the environmental impact in this case.
Culturally, I am more inclined towards cremation because that is how it’s done in my religion. It’s relieving to hear that cremation is somewhat more environmentally friendly as well. I have to admit though I never realized that nutrients could become “sterile,” and that actually seems really interesting. Unfortunately I think it’s pretty much impossible to separate cultural aspects from burial because death is such a prominent aspect of religion and each culture has their own beliefs. So unless some kind of earth shattering, life altering event occurs, I don’t think the majority of people will be receptive of a different method of burial. That being said, the US should definitely legalize this new process because though the majority may not advocate for it, the younger and more environmentally conscious generation would probably choose this method.
Due to my religion, I’ve always thought I would be cremated after I died. I’m glad to learn that it is better for the environment than a burial in a graveyard. I think it is impractical to think people will be able to use the better way of disposing a body over their religious viewpoints. I believe, aside from religious purposes, that a more environmentally friendly way of disposing is the best option. I think a burial takes up a lot of land and can also disrupt soil and nutrients which will negatively affect the environment. Cremation does have some negative consequences too, therefore if we can find and research different ways to dispose of bodies then we should think about using those.
I have never really given any thought to whether I would want be cremated or buried when I die. I see the pros and cons of both sides, and I completely respect cultural and religious practices when it comes to death. I honestly think that we have bigger environmental issues to solve, and that what we do with bodies after death should not be our top priority right now. I do see the environmental impacts of the eco-friendly option, and I think it would benefit the planet, but I just don’t think it’s a super big priority right now.
Disposing of bodies is something I never really gave much thought into, as far as environmental sustainability. In Hinduism, it is common to cremate dead individuals, which is not the most environmental friendly practice. However, I do believe the larger issues of air pollution, fossil fuel emissions, and global warming must be addressed thoroughly before change is made to something controversial, such as religion. A majority of the world agrees that climate change is real, and that our planet may no longer be livable. This problem is very real and we must fight it any way possible. I understand the eco-friendly option for dead bodies, however I believe it is more important to focus efforts on a greater issue. Religion is important to many people, and a difficult subject to argue.
Honestly, I don’t care what post-death ritual I have. Whether its decomposition, cremation, or burial, they’re all options. However, after reading this, it made me aware of the environmental consequences that some methods of post-death rituals cause. So, I would truthfully lean towards some sort of environmentally-friendly option. To be honest, I believe religious and cultural methods of rituals may have to outweigh environmental consequences in this situation as death is heavily impactful for the people close to the person that died. Additionally, states should legalize natural decomposition as it will benefit the environment in some way.
Personally, I would want my burial process be the most beneficial to the environment as it can be. Because I don’t hold any cultural values in my life at the moment, I can take advantage of that by not caring about how I’m buried. Though, I do believe that those who hold very strong beliefs about their culture and how they should be buried should stick to their burial process, mainly because I’m a little uncertain on how truly impactful it is to the environment. Sure, the chemicals take up land usage and our actions have consequences, but isn’t that just the norm now? Instead, we should predict how strongly this can impact the future of the planet and if what problems the cultural burials might raise.
If I had to choose a method for a post death ritual, it would be the environmentally friendly way because it helps the environment. The cultural importance of certain rituals is very important to some people, so I think that they should decide themselves. The last thing we want is for us to lose thousands of years of history just because some people have conflicting ideas. By giving people a choice of how they would like to be buried, the environment can benefit and everybody could be happier.
If I am ever in a position to be able to choose my "post-death ritual", I think I would donate my body to science. I don't really mind the idea of scientists and students poking and prodding my cadaver as I would be dead, obviously. Although I am not 100% sure what they do with the bodies after studying them, I believe this post-death ritual is somewhat more beneficial than just a burial or cremation. Having witnessed the hassle and high costs behind arranging a funeral when a family member passed away, I would never what the same for my family. When discussing the topic of funerals and death celebrations in my AP Capstone class, the idea of human fertilizer was brought up. I don't know the exact science behind it, but essentially families members would receive a potted plant that was fertilized with the remains of their loved ones. Although the idea sounds morbid, I think it is pretty cool to be able to give back to the environment for everything its given you.
I agree that the move towards cremation for body disposal is a good first step to a more environmentally friendly method. I think part of the appeal this holds is the ability of loved ones to retain a physical memory of the deceased. That would be my biggest opposition to the other more environmentally beneficial options. Many people enjoy having the ashes and remains of thier loved ones and would most likely be against these alternatives. However, that being said, I would donate my body to science and have some beneficial learning try to come from my passing.
Personally, I would probably let my family decide what happens to me after I die because burial and cremation processes are often ways that they are able to cope with the grief. However, I think we do need to move towards more environmentally stable methods of burial, as land use is becoming a larger issue every day. Although this would need a big culture shift, if we bring more awareness to unorthodox ways we can help the environment, we might be able to make this switch.
I was going to start off by saying “what a cool topic” but then I realized I didn’t want to sound like a sociopath. I always thought of the traditional embalming-and-casket burial as a waste of time and resources. Also, I can tell you the area around graveyards has horrible soil erosion due to the constant digging. I agree with your statement that cremation is probably the lesser of the two evils, seeing as that’s the option I’ve been considering. However, since death is a delicate topic, I would imagine eco-friendly burials would have to gradually work thier way into society. Decomposition is a good idea scientifically, but lacks some of the tenderness of cremation or burial. Another good option is donating bodies to science, although I can’t muster up the guts to have some college kids look at mine.
Personally, I wouldn’t care how my family disposed of my body. However, from a cultural perspective, I think my family would want to cremate me. To help the environment, however, even in death, I think I would want to be decomposed. I have thought about this topic before and how burying people takes up land and cremating people consumes a lot of fuel. But, I didn’t know that were other alternatives. I think that the states should legalize this process. With the growing human population, it is important to think about what happens to people after death and how we can help reduce negative environmental impacts.
I would probably just leave my family to decide how they would bury or cremate me after I die in a personal perspective. However, I also believe that people should also think about the environmental impact of burial due to the decreasing amount of land as cities continue to develop and take up larger areas. In Korea, for example, many people cremate bodies due to the limited amount of space in cities to prevent large amounts of areas from being used solely for burial. Similarly, although it might result in a shift in culture, I believe that other countries should also look for alternatives to burial in order to maximize land conservation.
Honestly, I don't really care how my body is disposed of. However, to benefit the environment, I would rather be buried so my body could decompose and provide nutrients back to the soil. Cremation consumes a lot of fuel and energy, which is entirely unnecessary. It would be easier to start just using dead bodies as if they were fertilizer, but because of cultural and other aspects, many people would be opposed to that. To me, it is illogical to hold a connection to a dead body, but alas, that is not the case for majority of the human population.
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