Woman laid to rest in coffin made from mushrooms in Australian first
8 hours ago
- A woman named Carolyn was buried in a mushroom coffin in Springwood Cemetery, Australia, in the nation's first eco-friendly burial of its kind.
- The coffin, made from mycelium and hemp fibers by Dutch firm Loop Biotech, decomposes in about 45 days, compared to up to 50 years for traditional wooden caskets.
- Carolyn's husband stated the choice reflected her values of helping others and giving back to nature.
- Loop Biotech's founder Bob Hendrikx noted thousands of similar burials in Europe and the US, and hopes to improve sustainability in Australia's funeral sector.
- Cultural anthropologist Dr. Hannah Gould observes a rising interest in eco-friendly funerals, driven by shifts away from religious beliefs and toward returning to the earth.
- Cremation, chosen by about 70% of Australians, emits an estimated 125kg of CO2 per cremation, while natural burials using cardboard coffins emit less than 10kg of CO2 equivalent.
- Other eco-options like alkaline hydrolysis and natural burials without embalming are becoming more available as people plan ahead for their own departures.