Comments on: Pushing Daisies: Death Goes Green

By: Louise

Louise — Sun, 09 May 2010 19:07:50 +0000

I love your article, Shannon. I hope to heck that natural burials such as you describe will soon be the norm.

By: Kory McGrath

Kory McGrath — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:27:02 +0000

There is now a Cemetery in Ontario offering Green Burials in a designated space: Cobourg’s Union Cemetery (about 1 hour East of Toronto). They have 130 green plots and 2 green burials have already taken place there.

By: Ulla D.

Ulla D. — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:48:40 +0000

I have been thinking about greener burials since my mom died in 2001. Seeing that there are no green cemetaries in Ontario, we ended up cremating her remains in the simplest coffin possible. I love the idea of going back to nature to provide nutrients for trees and plants. This is what nature intended. Not mahogany coffins with meters of satin and ruffles. What a waste of wood. I am not even going to start on the litres of poisonous chemicals used to make the body look “gorgeous” for eternity. Death is a part of life, it need not be feared; our bodies are just vessels that allow us to experience this planet, and once expanded they need to be returned to nature. Thank you for promoting what is right and makes sense.

By: Susan A. Mead

Susan A. Mead — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:50:28 +0000

I became aware of the natural burial alternative about two years ago, after my mother passed. Being a nature lover for as long as I can remember, not only was this an easy decicion to make, it is also a relief as the traditional methods do not apeal to me. I had been thinking of donating my remains to science: letting my body decompose to be observed by students (although I don’t think my three sons would be very agreeable). To be able to decompose naturally and fertilize the Magnolia tree I’d like to have planted over me would truly fulfill my last wish. And just as important to me, I feel this decision is one with which my children can live.

By: C. T. Haywood

C. T. Haywood — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:30:57 +0000

Sleeping in the Fields
by C.T. Haywood

Muslin, linen, and cotton envelop me warm and tight
To be returned to the bowels of the earth’s might
Some may think that sleeping there gives them an awful fright
Forget what you have seen before
And ask what else can it be anymore?
You find out that fields and woods are a better place to be
That even you would sit there and take your tea
Nature has cordially invited you to join her in a cycle party
Now you can have your tea and see what I mean
A silent testament long withheld from conscious of returning dust underfoot
For your invitation is not one to cry over, instead you want your guests to laugh hearty

Not to be copied without author’s
permission

By: Chris Thomas Slater

Chris Thomas Slater — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:05:15 +0000

Type your comment here.I didn’t have to look too much, except that the first enquiries were discouraging. Most people, even people in the business, and not just people standing to make a killing on your death, know nothing about natural/wilderness burial. Yes I know a strictly wilderness burial is, so far illegal. A representative of a Vancouver memorial society tried to tell me cremation is getting better all the time what with smokestack filters and such.
I suppose because of our cultures abhorance and fear of death little has been done to change; also the tendency to need to make money.
We must change and I want to change for environmental, spiritual and aesthetic reasons.
Please let me know more and how I can work with others to petition government to change burial law.
I will talk to some Buddhist friends as many more of them understand the need for change and as they are a group of people already - we, of course, have strength in numbers.
Thanks very much for sharing your research with others.
Chris Slater

By: Kerry Woodcock

Kerry Woodcock — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:53:32 +0000

Hello Shannon

I am also in Calgary and interested in meeting like-minded people, with reference to natural burial. If you would wish to connect with me, please feel free to do so.

Regards

Kerry

By: Rayne

Rayne — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:41:56 +0000

Hi Shannon,

I just read your article “Pushing Daisies”
! What kind of response did you receive and are you in the business at all. I am here in Edmonton and looking into promoting and working more in the green burial area.
Send me an email lorainej@shaw.ca

Thanks

By: elia reyna

elia reyna — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:23:58 +0000

this type of burial is wonderful and am all for it. I just wish we had one located at Austin, Texas U.S.A.

By: kelly mitchell

kelly mitchell — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:42:42 +0000

i had been thinking that i might want a “sky burial” like they practice in tibet. they take your body way up into the mountains, chop it up and let these huge vultures feast on you until there is nothing left- and you become part of the sky! but it sounded way too costly! i like this idea.