Our bodies are containers for some really harmful chemicals. It is sadly a truth that has become part of reality at this point in time. Pesticides, growth hormones, preservatives, and other chemicals are injected, sprayed, and incorporated into our food sources. This doesn’t even take into account the air we breathe and the other chemicals we come in contact with daily. Besides being really discomforting to think about, what do all of these toxins mean when we die?
Unfortunately, they go right back into the environment. While cremation is a more eco-friendly option, the smoke produced by the cremation process leaches all of the harmful chemicals found in the body straight into the atmosphere. Burials around the country are notorious for using mountains of chemicals simply to preserve the body for a few more days so that it can look more lifelike at the time of the funeral. Not to mention all of the cosmetics brushed, sprayed, and caked over the deceased’s body to make it suitable for viewing.
When a body starts to decompose, the toxins collected throughout a person’s life and the chemicals added after death begin to seep into the soil and contaminate the very ground in which they were buried.
Ways to minimize the amount of pollution your body creates after death:
Eat Green
This is a step you can take before death, that will probably actually make your life more enjoyable overall. The fewer toxins we put into our bodies during our lives, the less will be there when we die. Choose organic, all-natural, hormone-free groceries to prevent toxic buildup. As an added bonus, you’ll probably begin to feel better and have more energy during your life.
Choose Resomation over Cremation
A relative newcomer to the funeral industry, resomation is a much greener alternative to cremation with essentially the same end result: cremains. The body is broken down using water and an alkali mixture. The result is nearly pure water and dried ashes, which can be stored in a cremation urn, the same way that cremated remains can be.
Invest in a Green Burial
More people are turning to green burials as an alternative to traditional funerals in order to do their part to preserve the environment. These funerals do not use embalming or any cosmetics and the bodies are buried directly into the ground. One new project, the Infinity Burial Project, is actually working on a prototype “burial suit” that will grow toxin-consuming mushrooms in order to clean the body as it decomposes, thus preventing chemicals from ever reaching the soil.
