Green Burial - KQED QUEST

[tobeadinspired]

It would have been considerate if you had thought to include captioning for those of us who depend and/or rely on it. For us personally, we depend on it. If this seems one of those things to shrug off, I beg for you to mute *everything* that you are used to listening to and then tell me if you can understand what you've just 'watched' in its entirety. Not so easy, is it? 

[KQEDondemand]

@tobeadinspired Thanks for your comment. You are absolutely right that it's a valuable tool and unfortunately, we wish we had the time and resources to caption our online content. We do provide closed captioning for when our stories air on TV, but at this time we're limited to only those stories. We have been looking into this and hopefully we'll be able to come up with a solution in the future.

[Graciethemom]

I'm a Christian so I don't like the term "Mother Earth" because I think its worshipping the creation and not the Creator. That being said, I do want to take care of the beautiful earth God has created and love the idea of green burial and home funerals. I hope this idea will catch on and become the norm!

[mello27]

@Graciethemom in my relgion the earth is our mother and the sun our father teh earth is that of the goddess the goddess is all things and all things are her see the creation is the creator

[AkasaWolfSong]

I truly hope this becomes a movement of epic proportions to help save Mother Earth and to give honor to the bones of our loved ones, our ancestors!

Wonderful Video!

[pqwilrj]

What's the point of embalming anyway? It just delays decay. I personally don't care how fast my body decays after I die.

[brickdabrick]

Embalming is a special treatment in West-Europe, and is only done if the family wants it. We keep the body very cold and that way no bacterial infection can take place. After max 7 days every body is buried, so no need for embalming. With the right make-up and a good fridge, you can do a lot! We take care of 100.000 body's in Belgium each year, less then 1% is embalmed.

[kmu1990]

embalming is not disrespectful to the body, embalming prevents the body from decaying and releasing harmful toxins to the living causing health problems and even disease, if embalming fluid is broken down it is hydrogen ,oxygen and carbon, which are natural elements. a decaying body is more harmful then embalming fluid is

[noelygirl]

Spoken like a used car selling funeral directorl.

[744682532]

Embalming fluid contains a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol, ethanol and other solvents. There are numerous studies that show formaldehyde causes Cancer.

[stuckinthepatch]

How about just drag the naked body to the hole, roll it in, and cover it up.. Serial killers must be the greenest, enviromentally freindly group around.. Cremation for me..

[cyprixx]

Most people are not aware that traditional Jewish burials are "green". It's nothing new and has been practiced for years. No embalming, no metal hardware on the pine casket and no grave liners or vaults are required. The goal is total decomposition of the remains and the burial container. The interment process involving covering the lowered casket with shovel fulls of dirt is also done by the family members and people present at the grave and funeral.

[ZAZIZBAD]

Just put me in a pine box and bury me. I don't buy into this fancy crap and embalming. However I want a tombstone with something funny on it. I want people in the graveyard to just crack-up and then try to explain themselves.

[Medstitcher1959]

This is beautiful, and so respectful to the dead. Embalming is disrespectful and desecration to the body.

[dezinah]

what a beautiful alternative

[mentiply33]

burn me burn me in ny sucks

[mikeslovely]

what a wonderful idea!

[MrSmileyAss]

weird enviroMENTAL peeps

[kerry5101971]

Sadly, there is nothing like this in the NY/NJ/PA/CT area, the closest "green burial" park in in No. Carolina, so I am opting for direct cremation, no chemicals pushed through me, no being made up with more make up than a $2 prostitute & NO crying masses. I've never liked wakes & funerals & always felt it was a shame to waste space & pollute the earth. I hope that I can be buried rather than broiled, but I can't see this region making way for green burial.

[MaiaRikae]

@kerry5101971

There is a green cemetery in Ithaca, NY - it's called "Greensprings".

[stephenbowman18]

fuck dis wen i die i want to be embalmed or wateva and really good, in a nice casket and i can be there forever and not dug up

:)

[MaiaRikae]

@ThomasFriese

The fact that large portions of your site are hidden makes it look extremely sketchy, as does your tendency to spam green burial videos. Just sayin'.

Also, the green cemetery around here allows a natural stone and a tree, so your crusade against them seems just a little misguided.

[Azodiac]

THis Green burial stuff is how Muslims and Jews have buried their dead for hundreds of years! I am a Christian and I want a wooden box and a simple funeral no open casket or embalmbing fluid!

[tamrakat]

Wow, I love this idea. This is what I would want. It just feels right.

[Dhbrydon]

A Funeral Director hasa tough job, consider how difficult it must be to keep a straight face at a $25000 Funeral

[theRealSycboi]

What a beautiful woman. She really loved her husband. God bless them both...

[Brotherwangchops]

$12,000 for a casket, That's daylight robbery.

When my Mum passed away in 2004 we built and decorated a casket for her.

As she wanted to be cremated She did not want money to be wasted on something that was ultimately just going to be burnt.

So many people who attended her funeral were touched by the fact that it was so much more personal. I still miss her.

[perogie34]

@Brotherwangchops Daylight robbery or not, whatever suits a family is fine. Have some respect.

[ABPASupport]

I want this for myself when it is my time to go

[sas103]

My auntie becky was buried at that chapel of chimes in cali. She didnt get an autopsy but was embalmed.

[DanielR305]

My nan died few months ago her funeral was a great send off, but what I heard it used her savings and most of will was used my nan really wouldn't really wanted us to have this distress but if the was more wiliness from funeral directors to accept this concept. Then it would be another option to cremation which my would of nan had but still cremation not a cheap option in the UK I think funeral directors make quite a profit I think people should shop around even look on the net too.

[juniper30]

Mrs. Bosch kinda reminds me of my grandma.

I miss her. :,)

[belbel1981]

I love this concept, it brings it all into perspective with the quote "ashes to ashes, dust to dust"

[foolbert]

What I love is all of the "nay sayers" talking about California socialists and pot growers. YOU'RE ALL PEOPLE IN THE FUNERAL BUSINESS! So...uh...duh! Of course you're against green burial. It takes money out of your pockets. Stop trying to pretend you care about something deeper than your bank accounts.

[waynescooby]

As a funeral insider I see this as a viable option, but not very good for the industry. Hard to be gung ho about it

[kirkifer]

No, the industry needs to adapt. There always was and always will be a need for undertakers. Funeral directors should take pride in being there for the family and knowing you made the grieving process easier. Help the family heal. That should be job 1.

[waynescooby]

It is and always has been but the adaptation is a very difficult one but you are absolutely right. Serving those in need is our FIRST priority.

[wlfh]

No headstones? Need a GPS unit to find your loved one? Crazy. That is what cemetery's are for. What happens when these "green burial experts" go out of business or decide to sell the land? Is a golf course more important than a cemetery? Talk to a funeral director that you can TRUST, he or she can give you honest answers and options that are avaiable, with your best interest in mind.

[kirkifer]

Yes, you have a valid point. I involve myself in pioneer cemetery restorations. It is discouraging to know how many of these small cemeteries are vandalized, plowed/paved over or simply lost to the woods. It is sick and disrespectful. It happens and it is not right.

PBS Video did an excellent documentary called "a family undertaking." It focuses on very similar issues about the personal touch and the grieving process. Death is hard for many people but taking it more personally helps.

[Chai8Tea9]

I work at a community college built over a Catholic cemetery. Thousands of bodies were interred there, but that wasn't very convenient for a growing downtown. Try locating those remains now. I do some genealogy and I have yet to see a well-kept cemetery. My grandfather died in 1970 and was buried in a large cemetery.  There are no records on his burial. I was disgusted with the cemetery. No one cared, and his funeral director was long gone.

[19525252]

Beautiful concept. I don't think the issue is about formaldehyde or no formeldehyde but one of choices. For far to long we as a society have been lead to think that certain aspects of the funeral industry are necessary by law which is not usually the case. I think we need more of these green burial oportunities.How does one bury one's loved one without the involvement of a funeral director? Keep up the good work. NLM

[cnmmnc8852]

The ACTUAL message here is, is the burial practices of Marin County/California Socialists/Communists are touted by Left Media such as KQED as being holier than thou.Thes ugly gnomes intentially forget that they have no problem leveling forests to put up their million dollar homes and pot gardens.How did they get to direct funerals without licenses?did anyone else her them using 'green' burials as a fundraiser scheme?so then these creeps can sell it back to the county at taxpayer expense, right?

[cnmmnc8852]

Please excuse al the misspellings, such as...intentionally lol and hear

[ruralpotter]

I am disturbed by your comments. My father is being buried tomorrow in a plain pine box which is his wishes. Are you proposing that this is a political thing really? Are you proposing that if we want a truly traditional burial we are rich pot smoking hippies? My dad was so conservative that this was his choice. BTW, funerals are spiritual/religious services; license not required. Preparing a body and burial is traditionally done by families and loved ones. Why so against this and hostile?

[hammondman94]

I'm sorry, embalmed me so I won't stink and put me in an 18 gauge metal or beautiful wood casket!

[elefantgirl13]

And you are incorrect thinking that arterial fluids are only 2% formaldehyde. The strength is determined by how much straight fluid you use per 128 ounces. I just graduated mortuary school last week, and had my boards over this on Friday. I'm sorry if I come across rude, I do not mean to. I just wish there were more people open to learning about embalming and the procedures so as to be better educated.

[elefantgirl13]

By the time you drink the water in your faucet, it has laready been through a body 7 times. So anytime you drink water, it's been inside someone anyhow. But there is a company called Pierce Chemicals that just announced it is bringing the first non formaldehyde based arterial fluid to the US from Europe. Green burials are new, and we are taking them into consideration. As a new funeral director, the embalming is still good, but with non formaldehydecluid, its even better.

[dale3858]

Beautiful......

[totallycrunchy]

This is just beautiful! I'm so happy to have discovered is option.

[Navajoy]

Wow. Thanks to Ms. Bosch and blessings to the courageous and authentic life of her and Mr. Bosch's Family.

[whiteshirtsleeves]

Embalming Fluid is onl 2% formaldehyde,, anyways aardbalm has now come onto the market it is an all natural embalming fluid so it lessens danger to public health and able to present the deceased in the chapel as if they were asleep without the distressing sighns of death,, works the same as formaldehyde.

[Navajoy]

Still, I would rather not drink one single molecule of formaldehyde. Too late...likely I and all of us Earthlings are. We modern Westerners avoid the reality of Death (thereby missing the cycle of life) while bringing our future children to It's door before they are born. Post script: Search: "crossings".

[mattjasy]

Extensive tests have just been carried out in Europe regarding formaldehyde in the funeral service and in other areas and has been deemed NOT harmless to human beings if worked with to the correct requirements. Consider in the funeral profession families take great comfort in viewing their loved one and in some cases decomposition can occur at a rapid rate depending on how the person passed so therefore formaldehyde will stay till an alternative is found