Eco-friendly... till the end
By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/02/2008 11:21 PM
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Even in death, you can still give life to the environment - and not just through decomposition. New types of caskets have been invented - innovations that not only provide a good send-off to your departed loved ones, but also offers ways to protect the environment.
Although they have yet to penetrate the Philippine market, eco-friendly caskets are already popular abroad.
Arka Ecopod Unlimited in the United Kingdom is offering what it describes is a revolutionary design in coffins which are made from naturally hardened, 100 percent recycled paper.
According to its Web site, the concept of the design makes it an ideal product for a non-toxic burial or cremation and green field sites.
Shaped like a seed pod, the company had thought of a concept of planting seed in the earth – or the process of regeneration and a new life.
Ecopod’s designer was Hazel Selina, whose keen interest in Ancient Egypt, birth and death rituals and her love for ecology influenced her in creating the design.
Weighing only 14 kilos, Ecopod coffins have two sizes that can accommodate a person 5’10 to 6’4” in height, from 95.25 kg to 114.30 kg. Each coffin comes with calico mattress and carrying handles.
Another UK-based company, Natural Endings, meanwhile has a wide array of coffins to offer its clients. Bereaved families can choose from willow/wicker, bamboo, seagrass and untreated wood for their departed loved one’s coffin.
In its Web site, the company said that their handcrafted products are made from sustainable resources and are 100 percent natural and biodegradable.
In last year’s report by Peter Hadzipetros of CBC News, titled “Green to the End” he talked about the “natural” alternatives that one may avail of.
His story suggested that for someone who wants to have a traditional burial, he or she may opt to forego with the use of formaldehyde to preserve the body.
He also cited the company Northern Casket Ltd based in Ontario, Canada which offers eight environmentally friendly caskets made from locally grown wood. The caskets have no metal parts and the fabrics for the interiors are made from undyed, unbleached cotton and cellulose materials.
He added that the caskets are finished with natural walnut oil or beeswax and not with the use of traditional petrochemicals.
Helping the environment does not when one dies. Even in death, one can still contribute something valuable to the environment.
