I've been thinking about my earthly remains the last while. I could wonder why, but maybe all of us do it. Maybe everyone who's lost someone does it. I know my mother's complete and utter lack of preparation or written instruction left us all in the shit when it came to her burial. I don't want to do that.
But as far as I know, I've no family plot, I don't have the family for it and if there is one I don't know that I'm welcome or particularly enthusiastic about that idea anyway. Made me wish I'd bought a plot before land was so scarce here, before there were so many people - now it's like purchasing a 2x6 foot basement appartment...
I don't want to be cremated. I couldn't attend my mother's cremation. The idea is all wrong to me. I want to go back to the earth, and fertilise it and grow into new things. Danielle said it's water we come from, we develop into, and I agree, but I still want my body to dissolve into the earth, not ... slime and fishfood :) I also really miss having a place to go visit - not everyone needs that, but it would work for me.
Axel wants to be cremated, and scattered by firework. Alrightee.
I was worrying about this, indeed. But! I recently read about a natural burial site in Wexford, first of its kind in Ireland and right up my street. One issue against burial is the ecological impact - here is a beautiful solution.
Green Coffins Ireland have purchased land beside Woodbrook House in Wexford. Their intention is to plant a tree on every grave, and create new woodland as the wood matures. With native trees. It's in a beautiful setting, any loved ones can visit my grave by having a nice walk in the woods. And it's affordable! They also offer a range of eco coffins.
I'm almost excited at the idea. They're looking for new sites round the country too. The deforestation of Ireland has always made me sad, and I love the idea of - instead of granite jungles of managed tombstones - we reafforest parts of the country with our dead. Two birds...
The website says:
Gone are the marble headstones and concrete surrounds that are common place in Irish graveyards, replaced instead by a small grave marker and the planting of a native Irish tree. Visitors will be able to walk along pathways surrounded by native Irish trees and flowers, spotting wildlife in their newly created habitats.
These natural burial grounds will be sacred and natural places where people of all faiths and those without any religion will find a beautiful final resting place. Allowing your funeral to be used as a conservation tool will leave a legacy of care and respect for our planet.
Yes yes.
11 comments:
Hmm. Seems a good solution.
I'm of the cremation state of mind. Mostly because I don't like the headstones and expensive boxes. It just doesn't make sense to me.
The tree solution seems a good alternative.
I love this idea so much that I want to buy many wooded acres and open a green cemetery where I live. Paths and little benches, trees and wildlife.
I'm thinking about it. I am.
A grave under a plum tree is the same as one under a slab of marble, in 100/200 whatever years it will be sold to some fucker building flats or space pods or some such and the remains will either be built over or dug up to be moved elsewhere if anyone still gives a shit.
Cremation all the way. http://www.islandcrematorium.ie/index.htm for me.
I feel you're missing the point here, Martin. A) why do we need to stay preserved forever, what's the point? The whole point of this is bio degradability.
And b) I imagine a wood will last more than 200 years - there's those still around that are a thousand years old...
However: I did see that Island Crematorium on Nationwide last night, along with the other, and the beautiful handturned urns that a lady artist is making for them - gorgeous. I meant to put it in the post, but then I forgot, so thanks for the link.
Sure, if being cremated is what you want, great. It just doesn't feel right for me.
Craig - they do all sorts of eco coffins too, from cardboard up! No standard ones allowed...
Mary, you could start small? And you could have an animal cemetary too?
oh i love the idea..and i m exited about it too...i almost wish i ha dsomeone right now i could burry there!!!
Bahaha, funny, Dan. You can bury me there :)
Why don't you turn your grandmother's estate into one?
Responses from Colin to your various observations :)
Hi Jo
Thank you for that – I must admit that I know nothing about blogging but I enjoyed reading your post.
To answer a few of the questions that your friends threw up
A) A space pod will be built on top. Woodbrook is in the middle of the country – to get planning for a graveyard you must get a change of land use to cemetery use. To do anything else with that land you must get it changed away from cemetery use. That means re-applying for planning – I don’t think the council would permit any type of other planning being granted.
B) Expensive boxes / cremation – A coffin is always used for cremation, it helps the burning process.
C) Other people establishing natural burial grounds – we would encourage this and will assist anyone looking to develop such a site. We will also soon be accepting investment in our company to help us develop more sites and we are in talks with a number of land owners to manage their sites for them.
Hope that helps.
I feel you've missed mine ;-)
Whether the remains are gone or not, the land will be bought and sold and reused for another purpose.
Tis a nice idea mind.
Hmmm, I always wanted to be buried (I think it was that's what happen to my great-grandmother, the first person who died in my life), then I quite liked the idea of being cremated and scattered over my favourite places.
So just currently I'm at the 'I need to be sawn in two, half buried, half burnt.'
Best I don't die anytime soon.
I love that, too. My personal favourite would still be to be left on a rock for wolves to eat. But failing that, eco-burial seems nice.
Post a Comment