CNN: The Biodegradable Burial Pod that Turns Your Body into a Tree
Your carbon footprint doesn’t end in the grave. While you rest in peace, the wood, the synthetic cushioning and the metals generally used in traditional coffins ─ as well as the concrete around reinforced graves ─ continue to litter the earth. Jennifer DeBruyen, an Associate Professor of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, spoke to CNN as an expert in the field.
“A lot of energy also goes into producing these materials, which are used for a very short time and then buried. They’re not going to break down very fast,” said DeBruyen.