Re: GBlist: Dead and buried

darons@payette.com
Mon, 24 Mar 1997 18:35:36 -5000

The biblical phrase "and he was gathered upon his forefathers" comes
from the ancient burial practice in which the decease was placed in a
family crypt. This crypt was often carved out of a cliff wall or
cave. The deceased (up to 3 or 4 of them) was place on a stone slab,
and the crypt door was sealed for a year. On the anniversary of the
death, family members would return and gather up the bones (all that
was remaining) of the corpse, and pile these into a communal box of
bones which didn't need to be very large at all... No ornament
required, and no fuel either!

->I saw the following in U.S. News & World Report (March 3, 1997, page
->14).
->
->"Patent of the week
->No. 5,592,723. A burial coffin arrangement including a ceremonial casket
->that can be used a number of times and that is provided with decorative
->material. It can be placed over a disposable inner casket that is made
->from a material not detrimental to the environment."
->
->I thought the idea of a reusable coffin offered a sustainable idea, but
->am wondering if there aren't even more environmentally responsible ways
->for disposing of ourselves. Perhaps as food—animal or human (Some of you
->might remember a movie about 25 years ago called Soylent Green)—or as
->fertilizer. Burying seems kind of a waste. If you plan to be cremated,
->how about specifying that your ashes be recycled to your organic garden?
->
->Food for thought so to speak. Hope I haven't been too morbid.
->--
->John Bower, The Healthy House Institute
->http://www.hhinst.com/ email: healthy@bloomington.in.us
->430 N. Sewell Road, Bloomington, IN 47408
->Phone/fax 812-332-5073
->__________________________________________________________________
->This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by Oikos (www.oikos.com)
->and Environmental Building News (www.ebuild.com). For instructions
->send e-mail to greenbuilding-request@crest.org.
->__________________________________________________________________
->**********************

Daniel Arons
Architect
Payette Associates, Inc
(617)342-8201 ext. 324
darons@payette.com
__________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by Oikos (www.oikos.com)
and Environmental Building News (www.ebuild.com). For instructions
send e-mail to greenbuilding-request@crest.org.
__________________________________________________________________