Funeral service and burial is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are over 3 million people in the USA who have chosen cremation for their burial, but that leaves room for improvement. While installing a traditional burial suit can cost thousands of dollars. However, mushroom burial suits offer a more affordable alternative with less impact on the environment. In fact, you might even consider it a cause worth supporting!
What Exactly Is Mushroom Burial Suit?
Just as the name implies, Mushroom Burial Suits are made from mushrooms. This is not some far-fetched science fiction tale — it’s the real deal. The body is placed into the suit and covered with a layer of mushroom spores. The body will be irrigated with water and nutrients, which causes the mushroom to grow and extend into a network of fibers that will eventually cover the entire body.
Once the body is buried into the ground, the role of the mushrooms comes into play. The mushroom helps the body decompose. They start eliminating waste along with turning body toxins into enzymes. It is the best way to keep a dead body from contaminating the plant life or trickle into a water supply.
Who invented this Mushroom Burial Suit?
Jae Rhim Lee, an entrepreneur and artist came up with the idea for the suit. Jae Rhim got concerned with how the human body impacts its natural environment while she was a student at MIT. Rhim was interested in mycoremediation, which is the study of using fungi to clean up the environment. She observed that mushroom spores spontaneously decompose heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical waste.
Science Behind Mushroom Burial Suit
To acquire a mushroom burial costume, one can visit Coeio and follow the on-screen instructions. If you keep your suit in a dark, cool place, it will last until you’re ready to be buried. After you’ve purchased the suit, tell your loved ones to dress you in it and bury you within 24 hours. The mushrooms will germinate if they are planted within that time frame.
The suit’s magic begins after the burial. Mushrooms grow in a self-seeking manner. Mycelium is the principal fungus in this suit. The mushrooms and other microbes in the suit begin to germinate and proliferate. They gradually decompose the body around them as they grow.
Many pollutants in the body, such as lead, mercury, pesticides, and BPA, are neutralized by this process. This method results in a nutrient-dense carcass used to feed the earth.
Why Are Mushroom Burial Suits Needed?
The traditional burials used to bury dead bodies are made up of caskets coated with toxic preservatives. Due to the caskets, it decays very slowly into the earth once buried. Along with this, the toxins leach into the soil. Moreover, because these toxins get left in the ground, it adversely affects the burial plot’s nearby area.
Not only while burying, but cremation also creates pollution. To perform a funeral, a very high temperature is required. To fulfill this high temperature, a lot of fuel is burned. Moreover, the smoke from a funeral spreads into the atmosphere and starts air pollution. Chemicals like carbon monoxide and mercury (from dental fillings). These chemicals also pollute the soil after the burial. In addition to this, traditional burials impact the environment in the long run.
This is the reason behind people being highly interested in green burial. Green burial or mushroom burial suits are used for burying a dead body. This process is much more convenient, affordable, and, most importantly, safe for the environment. This suits easily and quickly helps the body decompose into the ground.
How Much Does a Mushroom Burial Suit Cost?
Since only one company makes these mushroom burial suits, it makes a monopoly market. However, the price is reasonable as compared to the advantages it holds. $1500 is the cost of one mushroom burial suit.
The only company currently manufacturing this product is Corio. Along with these human mushroom burial suits, they also offer small pouches for burying pets’ bodies. It costs approximately. Opting for a mushroom burial suit costs way too less than a proper funeral in the US. The traditional burial costs something between $6,000- $9,000.
Green funerals are getting popular among people now. Graveyards are also looking forward to new burial practices. However, if someone prefers traditional burying, then mushrooms also help decompose the body more quickly.
If you wish, you can have a burial on your land. To guarantee that the mushrooms germinate correctly, ensure the burial area is at least four feet deep. Also, before you bury your loved one, double-check that your decision is lawful. The regulations governing the burial of human remains on private land vary by state. And you don’t want your loved ones to find out after you’ve been buried. These aspects should ideally be sorted out ahead of time. That way, your bereaved loved ones will not be stressed.
Conclusion:
As the world becomes increasingly aware of environmental issues, more and more people are beginning to contemplate their options for burial. The “traditional” ways of disposing of human remains require a great deal of energy and resources, both of which have negative effects on the environment. Mushroom burial suits are an ecological way to handle our funerary needs. If you want to make sure your funeral isn’t hurting the environment, mushrooms may be just what you need.
