Dear Friends--Forwarded from the "Fostering Sustainable Behavior Listserv". This is certainly a non-trivial issue and we are fortunate to have Green Springs Natural Burial in Newfield so close at hand. Tom
>From: "Paul Payten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "'Fostering Sustainable Behavior Listserv'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 14:44:14 +1000 >Subject: THE GREEN COST OF DYING >This is one of those tricky questions that are worth asking and which >could make a notable difference to more sustainable actiivities, if we can >get past the cultural and ethical issues attached. > >Kind regards, > >Paul Payten >GEENI > >THE GREEN COST OF DYING > >Tuesday 17 April 2007 (Updated Thus 19 April 07) >NATIONAL MEDIA BRIEFING > >Way to go! © or how to plant a tree and feel better about dying. > >There is life after death, according to an Australian scientist who is >calling for an end to the practise of cremation around the world to help >prevent further global warming. > >Professor Roger Short from the University of Melbourne is the reproductive >biologist who came up with the concept of lemon juice as a contraceptive >and a means of preventing HIV in women. It is currently being trialled in >Nigeria. He will be discussing his idea of environmentally friendly death >at the World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ) in Melbourne on >Wednesday. > >"Think earth to earth," he said, "but not ashes to ashes or dust to dust". > >Professor Short's proposal is that everyone should be buried upright in a >cardboard cylinder, next to their favourite species of tree. This would >allow the remains to enrich the growth. > >"Not for nothing are trees known as the lungs of the world", he said. "A >single tree over a hundred-year period absorbs over a metric ton of carbon >dioxide (CO2), so imagine the difference it could make if everyone was >buried and had a tree planted in their memory". > >"Photosynthesis in trees is the single most efficient way of sequestering >CO2. Not only that, but they do what no other method of carbon >minimisation can do, and that is to produce oxygen", he said. > >Professor Short's idea comes in the wake of China's policy of encouraging >cremation due to lack of space and the Hindu practise in India of burning >the body on a funeral pyre made of trees. > >He said that in Australia during cremation, the average male produces over >50 kilograms of CO2 as the body is heated to 850 degrees centigrade for an >hour and a half. "And that's not counting the carbon cost of the fuel, and >the cost of the emissions involved in producing and burning the wooden >coffin", he added. > >Professor Short acknowledges that there are cultural sensitivities, legal >issues and other obstacles that would have to be overcome for the idea to >take hold. However, he said that time was short and this was a practical >idea that allows each one of us to do our bit to combat climate change. > >"Forget pushing up daisies", he said. "We should be pushing up forests >instead. And what a wonderful way to go". Tom Shelley 118 E. Court St. Ithaca, NY 14850 607 342-0864 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.myspace.com/99319958 _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
