Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25248
IN FRONT:: The theory may be "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," but in practice nothing could be further from the truth. Modern grave burial is a pretty toxic experience, The bodies of the dead are pumped full of formaldehyde, sealed inside metal coffins and further insulated within nondegradable vaults. The process is, in fact, designed to deny the natural decay process and prevent corpse contact with the outside world, Adding insult to injury, the modern cemetery, with its chemically treated and neatly manicured lawns, is about as much a part of the natural life cycle as a parki ng lot. On the greener side of things, a trend is slowly growing toward ecofriend ly burial. Companies in the US, New Zealand, the UK and Japan are dying to present earthier alternatives to consumers in need by supplying eco-burial caskets, which are typically composed of non-toxic, biodegradable materials such as cardboard , or natural-fiber shrouds, Toxic embalming fluids and vaults are avoided. Where top soil is removed, it is replaced carefully after burial. And in most cases trees or shrubs mark graves, But that's only the beginning. South Carolina-based Memorial Ecosystems (www.memoriale- cosystems.com) is trying to tap into the funeral industry and siphon off a little money to save and restore land that might otherwise be lost to development. Thei r goal is to create nature preserves that incorporate green cemeteries. The company has already established the 32-acre Ramsey Creek Preserve in its own state. So far, 15 people are interred on the land, sharing the space with bears, bobcats, deer and a host of birds. But, the traditional funeral industry is not too happy with such developments, Their displeasure is not about the environment, it's about economics. Memorial Ecosystems charge around $2,500 for a funeral that includes everything from casket to service-a lot cheaper than the $6,000 national average for the Six Feet Under version. "The funeral industry in America," says Memorial Ecosystems founder BillyCampbell, "is a more than $20-billion-a-year industry. If we could redirect one percent of that into green cemeteries and nature preserves this becomes a very powerful new tool for ecology," The concept gives a whole new meaning to the idea of sacred spaces.-Steven Kotler 20 '