Home Forums FineTunedMac Community Lounge Here's a neat, green idea...

Cremation Urns : BIOS URN

I note that the Bios Urn can hold the ashes of one very tall person:


(I've always thought that biodegradable caskets would be a great item for Tupperware; I'd love to own the film rights to the first "Tupperware Casket Party.")

Or, one that's shorter but wider.

It's an interesting idea although I suppose a person could accomplish "planting Dad in the backyard" without a special urn.

It seems to me that, a few years ago (England??), there was a cemetery where you could inter the entire body (without the embalming process) and stick a sapling in the ground above. That way, as the body decomposed, it nourished the growing tree.

Either way, it does help reduce the ecological impact of embalming poisons.

Most jurisdictions in this country, even rural jurisdictions, require the casket to be waterproof and lead lined for burial. The rationale, supported by research evidence, is to prevent disease organisms and harmful chemicals found in the human body from leaching out of the casket and into the ground water. Don't think you can get around this by simply digging a hole in the ground somewhere out in the country, or back yard, and planting Dad in it, many, probably most states have regulations against burying anyone anywhere but in land registered and deeded as a graveyard. (Did I mention the funeral industry has a very effective lobby?) Cremation doesn't help either as no few jurisdictions have laws against distributing or spreading the cremated ashes in the air or on the ground. Of course this last is almost impossible to police, but the laws are on the books.

It is possible to avoid embalming, but only in the case of the deceased being a member of a recognized religion such as some sects of Judaism or Muslim that have prohibitions against embalming. However those usually incur a religious requirement for burial within the day or before sundown on the day of death.

So the idea of using mortal remains to fertilize the growth of a tree may have some appeal but at least in this country it is likely to land you in jail.

I wasn't thinking of planting Dad "in toto" but rather cremating him first....which means the family wouldn't need a special urn. As the "Dad", I figured that feeding a tree would be much preferable to sitting on a shelf in the hall closet.

I'm not sure what the rules are in Canada although this wouldn't be too difficult to accomplish without detection.

I don't think those rules apply to cremation. Which should take care of biohazards. And last I checked, they remove hardware (replacement hips etc) before you get them. Crematoriums have big bins for hardware, go have a look!

Be that as it may, there are jurisdictions where it is against the law to disburse crematorium ashes on the ground or in the air. Virtually impossible to enforce, of course, but the laws are still on the books. At her request, my mother-in-law's ashes were spread under a mesquite tree in a small (pop 200) town in west Texas. We were assured no one would say anything about it, but if it appeared in the newspaper, the sherif would have to issue a warrant for illegal dispersal of ashes.

Like I said, the funeral business has a powerful lobby.