If I had my druthers, when I go I would prefer to be discreetly integrated into the existing process which puts out blood-and-bone fertiliser; while those who are so inclined gather together in other, cheerful surroundings, to close off with frank discussion my tenure as a human being.

I agree with the previous comment. Green funerals are the way to go. The loss of habitat for beautiful animals who share this planet with us is a source of grief to me. I welcome any solution that promises to lessen human impact on the earth. It's a pity however, that I may be dead before this becomes a reality unless I contribute my mite to furthering the cause. So, where do we begin?

I thought the ultimate for the green deceased was to be buried with the backside above the ground, so that environmental cyclists could use the new departed as a bicycle rack.

Being an (unofficial) Secular Humanist, I’ve already opted for when I do finally give up this mortal coil the remains are promised to the local teaching hospital for the apprentice surgeons thus giving ‘surgical practice’ it purist meaning. Apparently they want cadavers with real pathologies; lamentable as I get older I seem to be collecting then like stamps or seconds at a not so fine porcelain factory (misspent youth or dodgy genes?).
After two years they have a memorial service and cremate what’s left and give it to the family to?
In this way even after death I can continue to instruct (albeit passively) the younger generation…thus making my suffering and death meaningful. :-

As I understand it, after donated cadavers left to universities have been used, they are returned to the family of the deceased. I agree with examinator. This would be doubly useful. I had already considered bequeathing my body for such use. With a natural burial ground added to the equation it becomes even more desirable.

I liked the first cardboard coffin/death story but three in a row looks like carelessness or a campaign.

I'm not sure if these people are sending OLO readers a message - do you really think us babyboomers are going to die? Never happen. We're not only here for a good time, but a long time.

And we're going to start procreating all over again. Starting tonight!We have the technology. I want to see the earth's population get BIGGER.

This is good news for the 'cardboard-box-fundamentally-ching-ching with-one-hand-taking-the-money and the other making with the touchy-feely White Lady approach (don't call us undertakers).

It's all very confusing.

This is good stuff, but didn't go nearly far enough.
What about plant a tree?
And I don't mean 'economically sustainable' species, which are allowed to sprout for 30-50 years, before copping the chop, I mean the biggies.
When I go, I want to be blood and bone for an aussie red cedar (2000 years+, lifespan), preferably in an area that used to have these giants, but has since been degraded to marginally profitable grassland.
Just think, if every corpse was blood and bone for a tree...

I like this brief article. In the past few years - including the last month - I've been far too close to death of loved ones and the arrangement of funerals and disposal of remains.

For the life (and ultimately death) of me, I can't see why those of us who have a few acres can't just be stuck in a suitably deep hole once we die, and have a nice tree planted over us. My partner was recently called upon to be the honorary celebrant at her sister's funeral, and she did just fine to manage the day.

Cheryl - from the timing of your post it seems a bit too early to be tiddly. You may not have noticed that this month's featured topic on OLO is:

<< Final frontier

They changed music, they changed fashion, they even changed debt. Now on the final frontier, how are the baby boomers changing the business of death? ... >>

As for this:

<< I want to see the earth's population get BIGGER. >>

Are you nuts?

I lie corrected.

I think you should stand agreed.