Death

Funerals have increasingly become more and more lavish. Coffins are lined with luxurious material, hundreds of dollars are spent on flowers, and people pay to give their departed loved ones the best farewell they can manage. However, I doubt the dead cares what they're laying on.

Funerals are meant, not for those that have died, but for the families. People generally put a lot of thought into every minuscule detail, but I doubt they consider the environmental aspects.

Obviously, a traditional burial isn't the most eco-friendly option. Vast amounts of land are used for graveyards, and modern coffins aren't exactly biodegradable.

Recently, cremation has come under fire (haha). A professor from the University of Melbourne named Roger Short has discovered that cremation produces carbon dioxide, which is a culprit of global warming. Thus, this also isn't the best option.

Before I go further, I want to say that I do not wish to impose my opinions on people. Everyone is free to decided what they want done with their bodies after their death. I only want to show people that there are ways to keep the environment in mind.

Something that Mr. Short is a proponent of are green burials. The boxes, like the bodies, are biodegradable.

Or you could donate your body to science. This could actually be a great idea for animal rights activists who wish to save animals from the hand of scientists.

Personally, I don't care what happens to my body after I die. I'm sure it won't matter to me. But I hope that my family and friends will keep the environment in mind.