Promessa Organic AB of Sweden is developing a new method of disposition for the dead called ‘promession’. Promession is described as an environmentally friendly form of burial, and could in fact be the greenest of green disposition options. In addition to its green credentials, promession is offered as a more ethical option than cremation or burial.
[...]The process of promession involves a promator, freezing human remains in liquid nitrogen (a byproduct of the compressed oxygen produced already for medical purposes.) Once frozen, the casket and remains are agitated with a shaking motion from a table below them, causing them to shatter into tiny pieces. These pieces are then freeze dried to remove all the moisture from them. Metals are then separated, and after being laid in a biodegradable coffin can be buried, returning all the nutritious components to the soil.
It’s a patented process which means the inventor thinks it should be profitable, too. Even when dead you have to pay.
I can’t wait for Al Gore to try it out!
It all reminds me of when Winston Churchill was informed that his Mother-in-law had passed away. I paraphrase here:
He was asked whether the body should be cremated or buried at sea. He replied, “Both. We’ll take no chances!”
But really, Soylent Green or just plain old wrapped in a sheet and buried works for me. Stuffed and mounted on a wall somewhere might be okay too, as long as they get my hair right!
I want to disposed of in the way that releases the most carbon possible. I would also like ever single attendee to my wake to light up their own charcoal grill.
And then there is always Lifegem
Creating Diamonds from Cremated Ashes
Man, liberal guilt over how you leave this planet! This is fun!
I’m dying to try this..
Getting buried is stupid. You’re dead, you don’t need to be taking up space for generations. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, after that – dust in the wind.
OTOH, Solyent green is the true ‘green’ solution.
I was going to suggest a paper mache coffin and no embalming but then I realized that all you have to do is to pick a location and leave the remains to the scavengers. Everything will get recycled.
This nitrogen freeze-drying process uses about 1/3 the energy of cremation, allows for decomposition of the remains in less than a year (years faster than simple shroud burial), and removes toxic metals like mercury for safe disposal.
A variant: superfreeze your body then let your surviving friends smash you into bits like a pinata.