Live green, die green, right?

I think there's plenty of us out here who recycle and try to live "green" and not waste but reuse, etc., right?  And more and more of us realize, I think, too, that the way we live isn't sustainable.  Finally, combine that desire for not wasting along with wanting to be fiscally, financially conservative and it seems like a "green" burial is a natural, don't you?

Think about it.

Either no coffin or a leaner, less expensive pine coffin.  (You could be buried in a shroud).  No chemicals.  No ridiculous, absurd and unnecessary embalming.  Just put you right in the Earth.  What a beautiful way to go, I think.

And it's gone commercial, thankfully:


'Green' burials require no coffins or chemicals

By MANUEL VALDES (AP)

GOLDENDALE, Wash. — Steve Sall moved forward on uneven, rocky terrain in his motorized wheelchair and came to a stop at the edge of a sweeping vista of ponderosa pines and bright pockets of yellow wildflowers.

Before being stricken three years ago with Lou Gehrig's disease, the 61-year-old Oregon resident who was an avid hiker would have backpacked this canyon. Instead, he was there to pick out his grave site.

Three months later, Sall was laid to rest in the forest.

He would be among the small but growing number of Americans choosing environmentally friendly burials. The so-called "green burials" are a departure from the norm in that they don't use concrete vaults, metal coffins or any chemicals.

The Green Burial Council, an industry group that sets standards, now counts more than 300 approved providers in 40 states, while only a dozen existed as recently as the beginning of 2008.

So that's great news, I think.  It saves money, it's much more natural and it both wastes and costs less.  Additionally, you can be literally closer to nature.  Sure you're dead but still, I think it only makes sense.

If there's bad news to this, it's that there's only one provider for this service registered on the link below for Missouri.  So along with this bit of information is a possible business suggestion for you.  That is, open up a "green" burial service company here in Kansas City.

It's a thought.

Enjoy that beautiful weather out there in the meantime, folks.

Links:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101014/ap_on_re_us/us_green_burials;_ylt=AlfKvcpiKnR9tF1PSfGc6wSs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFpZG01dWpmBHBvcwMzOARzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX21vc3RfcG9wdWxhcgRzbGsDZ3JlZW5idXJpYWxz;
http://www.greenburialcouncil.org/