Returning to the earth in death

Natural burial must have come into my awareness once upon a time from one of the environmental blogs I read. I know, I know—death is not exactly a fun topic and is one I’d rather not think about, but it’s important and unavoidable.

            So, I tried to get past my mental roadblocks of not even wanting to think about it and started doing some research.  With gratitude to google, I easily learned about the resources for how to obtain a green burial, which, as it turns out, isn’t quite as easy as googling is.

            But what is natural burial and how does it compare to conventional burial?

            It basically means being buried in a biodegradable, sustainable casket without the use of toxic formaldehyde embalming fluid.  This appeals to me because I try to avoid chemicals in my body in life, so I really don’t want to have them in my body in death.  The casket part is important to me too. I want a simple casket that’s not made of veneer, plastic, steel, and/or exotic, non-sustainably harvested wood. I also don’t want to be encased in a concrete vault. 

             One of the few funeral homes here in Indiana who offer this natural option say that “it allows your body to gently reunite with the earth while nurturing and renewing the land.”

            It’s like composting, at its essence.  Returning to the earth.  I like that, the thought of being buried in a natural setting along winding paths, or at least in an environmentally sustainable way.

            Even though today only a handful of funeral providers offer this option, it’s gaining in popularity as more people learn about it.  Visit www.greenburialcouncil.org for a listing of approved providers.

            For those interested in the this route, there is a ‘green’ cemetery, Kessler Woods, located in Indianapolis.  No state requires embalming or concrete vaults for burial, and there are no laws prohibiting unembalmed bodies from being buried in biodegradable caskets.  

            So even though a cemetery may not be certified ‘green,’ it’s worth asking funeral directors and cemetery caretakers about.  The more requests are made, the more accepted and mainstream it will become.

            See www.indianalivinggreen.com for a great article on this topic.

10 Tips to Get Back What You Paid--Tricks and Tips on Becoming a Indy Resale Pro

Savvy shoppers can often break even on purchases by buying items and re-selling them when they're outgrown. With everything from books and music to kids resale shops, swaps and online selling, here are 10 ways to sell your stuff and make a little Green while being green:
1. Books, Music, Movies & Games: Cash offers are made while you wait. Bonus: It's a great way to clean out bookshelves and a potentially free outing, depending on how many books wind up in your shopping basket.
2. Consignment Sales: These sales, often held in three-day increments in the spring and again in the fall, offer current baby gear, toys, clothes from newborn to size 12 and maternity clothes. Consignors earn 60-75% commission from sales.
3. Kids Resale Shops: Parents may sell clothing and accessories purchased within the last five years for cash.


4. Sports Equipment: Some sporting goods stores will turn your used sports equipment that has lots of life left into cash, or trade it for new or used equipment.
5. Women's Consignment Stores: Consigning your in season and current clothing is a great way to make 40-50% of the selling price. Stores usually consign clothing for 90 days, after which it's either donated or can be picked up. Some consignment stores also offer cash buyouts.
6. Online Selling: Whether selling on eBay or craigslist, the best way to sell clothing via these venues is usually by the lot in order to make it worth your time.
7. Mom Forums: Local forum www.indianapolis.momslikeme.com has an active Buy & Sell page. With categories for Baby & Kids, Toys, Clothes and Household, it's a free and easy way to let other moms know what you have.
8. Garage Sales: If you're planning a garage sale in the spring, here are some tips: neatness counts—keep clothing items grouped by size and gender and on tables and racks. Advertise on craigslist and local forums. Price to sell. Good signage is key, as is neighborhood participation. (People are more likely to stop if there are other sales nearby.)
9. Online Swaps: Who doesn't like getting packages in the mail? For just five bucks plus shipping, thredUP online clothing swap allows parents to pick from boxes of gently used kids clothing, buy it and get it in a few days. Then you list a box of your own (it is a swap after all) and ship it for free.
10. Local Swaps: Indy has a monthly free swap at Earth House Collective. For small groups, organizing a swap at someone's home is a fun & frugal way to acquire some new clothes or accessories as well as declutter some items you'd donate anyway. Leftovers get taken to Goodwill or other thrift stores.


Indy's Child website.