Author: Jean-Paul
Website: http://www.thechicecologist.com/2009/01/green-funerals-and-e…

I had a discussion with my father awhile back about death and funeral arrangements. He surprised me with with a unique green burial unlike anything I had heard of before. I always imagined going out in a blaze of glory, similar to a Viking chieftains funeral; floated out to sea on a wooden boat and set ablaze. Not necessarily the greenest burial, but not as bad as the more traditional; embalmed in a hardwood casket and placed in a manicured lawn cemetery for all eternity. No, his was much more creative yet raw. He said “Put my body in a burlap sack and place me in the ground. Then plant the area with apple trees”. I wasn’t so sure about the apple trees, but it did raise a good point- why not just go a’la natural?

Each year, cemeteries across the US bury approximately:

• 30 million board feet (70,000 m³) of hardwoods (caskets)
• 90,272 tons of steel (caskets)
• 14,000 tons of steel (vaults)
• 2,700 tons of copper and bronze (caskets)
• 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete (vaults)
• 827,060…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://www.thechicecologist.com/2009/01/green-funerals-and-e…

Author: Green Talk
Website: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-talk/jRYI/~3/DRQjiIKNTZ…

Photo by permission of Kasia

It’s bright and shiny and often carries an equally bright ribbon.  You open the box and you start to sweat when you look into the box.  It can only be described as (shuddering…) the UNWANTED Gift.   Maybe it is two sizes too big. Perhaps it looks like it has been sitting in someone’s closet just waiting to be given to another person.  (Yes, you are in the presence of a “re-gifter.”  You know who you are.)  Maybe, it is something you simply do not like.

Didn’t you hear growing up, “it is the gift that counts?” Well, until you get the Aunt Millie special, that saying takes on a new meaning. Here are 18 ways to leave your Unwanted Gift (If you want to sing Paul Simon’s song, “Fifty Ways to leave your Lover,” then just go right ahead as you read this list. I don’t care if you can carry a tune.)

• Swap those unwanted DVDs, books, or CDs, Reid!  Check out Swaptree, the multi-media swapping site. See my other  article for other book, CD, and DVD…

(Read the rest of this article at the following article source link for the full story)

For more information click the following article source link for the full story:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-talk/jRYI/~3/DRQjiIKNTZ…