Michael Davis
As environmental concerns continue to grow, the funeral industry is seeing a shift towards eco-friendly options. One such option is the mushroom coffin, also known as a 'living coffin', which is made from a mushroom root called mycelium. This coffin is designed to speed up the body's decomposition, enriching the surrounding earth and reducing the need for land dedicated to cemeteries. The mushroom coffin is also significantly more affordable than traditional caskets, with prices ranging from $1,500 to $1,250. In addition to the mushroom coffin, there is also the mushroom burial suit, made from organic cotton and seeded with mushroom spores, which helps decompose the body and neutralise toxins. These green burial options are gaining popularity, with over 60% of families expressing interest in exploring eco-friendly funeral choices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Coffin, burial suit |
| Material | Mushroom root called mycelium, organic cotton, mushroom spores |
| Price | $1,500, £1,250 |
| Weight | 55 pounds |
| Eco-friendly | Biodegradable, no embalming, no concrete vaults, no synthetic linings, less land use, neutralises contaminants |
| Environmental impact | Reduced carbon footprint, less harmful gases, no toxins |
| Funeral type | Green, environmental, natural, eco-friendly |
| Funeral home | Not always necessary, eco-conscious |
| Location | South London, Maine |
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What You'll Learn
The mushroom burial suit
The Infinity Burial Suit was created by Jae Rhim Lee, an artist and founder of the Infinity Burial Project and Coeio. Lee's goal was to create an environmentally sustainable burial option that would reduce the carbon footprint of traditional burials. The suit gained widespread recognition when actor Luke Perry chose it for his burial in 2019.
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Eco-friendly alternative
Traditional funerals are losing popularity due to the growing awareness of the damage they cause. According to the Green Burial Council, traditional burials in the United States use an estimated 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, 17,000 tons of copper and bronze, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete each year. These toxins leach into the surrounding soil, and the manufacturing and transportation of these materials use vast amounts of energy.
Cremations are also damaging, emitting carbon dioxide and toxic, mercury-laden gases. Traditional funerals can also be expensive, costing upwards of £5,000 or $7,000 in the US.
Mushroom suits and coffins are eco-friendly alternatives to traditional burials and cremations. The mushroom burial suit, also known as the Infinity Burial Suit, is made from organic cotton and seeded with mushroom spores. The mushroom spores help decompose the body and clean toxins from the body before they leach into the soil. Mushroom coffins, also known as "living coffins," are made from a mushroom root called mycelium. Mycelium can also be used to replace plastic containers and boxes, reducing the amount of material that takes longer to decompose in landfills.
Mushroom suits and coffins are considerably less expensive than traditional caskets and coffins, retailing for approximately $1,500. They are also more environmentally friendly, as they do not require the use of embalming fluids or concrete vaults.
Other eco-friendly funeral alternatives include aquamation, which breaks down the body using water, temperature, and alkalinity; biodegradable coffins, which can be buried directly in the ground; and choosing digital bulletins instead of paper ones.
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Green funerals
A "green funeral" is an environmentally-friendly funeral option that is rising in popularity. The term "green funeral" is often used interchangeably with environmental funeral or natural burial. Green funerals are motivated by a desire to reduce the environmental impact of traditional funerals, which use large amounts of resources and energy, and release toxins into the soil.
One of the most popular green funeral options is the mushroom coffin or mushroom burial suit. The mushroom coffin is a "living coffin" that helps to speed up the body's decomposition and enrich the surrounding earth. It is made from mycelium and wood chips, and can be purchased for around $1,500. The mushroom burial suit, created by Jae Rhim Lee, is an eco-friendly alternative to cremation or a traditional burial plot.
Other green funeral options include aquamation, which uses water, temperature, and alkalinity to break down the body, and biodegradable coffins that are buried directly in the ground. Some people also choose to simplify their funeral by skipping embalming, concrete vaults, and bronze and steel coffins, and choosing digital bulletins instead of paper ones.
The cost of a green funeral is typically much lower than that of a traditional funeral, as they often forgo embalming, caskets, and vaults. The average funeral costs about $10,000, while a green funeral can be significantly cheaper, with the mushroom coffin costing just under $1,500.
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Environmental impact of traditional burials
Traditional burial methods have a significant environmental impact. Burial grounds often use herbicides and fertilisers, which can contaminate the surrounding soil and water. The process of embalming uses toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, menthol, phenol and glycerin, which are preserved in the ground along with the body. It is estimated that 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde are buried in U.S. cemeteries annually. Burial grounds also require a significant amount of land and resources. Ten acres of a typical cemetery contain nearly 1,000 tons of casket steel, 20,000 tons of concrete in burial vaults, and enough wood used in coffins to build 40 homes.
Cremation is often considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional burial methods. However, it still has a significant environmental impact. The burning of bodies releases gases such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and other heavy metals into the atmosphere. Crematoria also release mercury from tooth fillings, accounting for 16% of the UK's mercury emissions in 2005, as well as other toxic emissions from prosthetics and bone cement.
To reduce the environmental impact of death, green or natural burial methods are becoming increasingly popular. These methods involve using biodegradable materials, avoiding toxic chemicals, and being buried on land maintained using good conservation practices. Burial grounds for these methods are often called eco-cemeteries, which preserve the natural beauty of their land and act as valuable land conservation tools. Human composting is another eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial methods, which uses renewable energy and provides soil that can be used for land restoration projects.
While the funeral industry is becoming increasingly damaging to the environment, new technologies are being developed to reduce the environmental impact of death. Promession, the freeze-drying of bodies, and alkaline hydrolysis are alternatives to cremation and burial that are currently being developed. Resomation, a water-based process, is another alternative that leaves six times less carbon footprint and uses seven times less energy than burial.
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The world's first mushroom coffin
The Loop Living Cocoon™ is the world's first mushroom coffin. It is a sustainable coffin that biodegrades in 45 days, enriching nature by giving human nutrients back to the earth. The company behind the innovation, Loop Biotech, is a Dutch startup founded by Lonneke Westhoff and Bob Hendrikx.
The idea for the mushroom coffin came from a question posed to Hendrikx: "What happens if my grandma dies in your home?". Hendrikx explained that her remains would become a source of nutrients for the forest floor, and this sparked the idea to turn mushrooms into coffins, allowing people to give back to the earth. The company's founders were also in awe of how mushrooms can take dead, fallen trees and turn them into new life.
The mushroom coffin is made from 100% natural materials. It is grown in seven days using a combination of mycelium and upcycled hemp fibres. The mycelium is grown in a coffin-shaped mould with wood chips, and once it has filled out the frame, the coffin is dried to stop the growth process. The dried coffin is strong and hard, with wooden poles inserted into grooves so that it can be transported.
The mushroom coffin is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial methods, which can use harmful chemicals and materials that damage the environment. It is also a more affordable option, costing around $1,500 USD, compared to metal caskets which can range from $4,000 and above.
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Frequently asked questions
A mushroom funeral home is a funeral home that offers mushroom coffins or burial suits as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial methods. These coffins and suits are made from mushroom roots or mycelium, which help to speed up the body's decomposition and enrich the surrounding earth.
Mushroom funerals are becoming increasingly popular due to their low environmental impact and affordability. They do not require embalming fluids or concrete vaults, which can be harmful to the environment. They are also significantly cheaper than traditional caskets, which can cost anywhere from $1000 to $15,000.
Mushroom funeral homes are starting to emerge worldwide. The world's first mushroom coffin was sold at a funeral home in South London, and the first mushroom casket was buried in rural Maine. There are also sustainable funeral homes in the UK and several other locations.
