Choosing Sustainably: A Comparison of Bio-Burial and Cremation
As pet owners, the love and companionship shared with our furry friends often extend far beyond their years with us. When the time comes to say goodbye to a cherished pet, the decision we make about how to treat their remains not only reflects how we honour their memory but also impacts the environment. While cremation is the possibly more well-known and conventional choice, our Bio-Burial process offers a greener solution. When comparing bio-burial and cremation, there are various considerations from sentimentality to sustainability.
Cremation, a traditional option for many pet owners, involves the intense application of heat to reduce the body to “ashes”. While this process allows owners to keep the “ashes” as a keepsake, it comes at a high environmental cost. The energy required for cremation contributes to a substantial carbon footprint, adding to climate change concerns. Also, the cremation process emits pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. While the “ashes” from this process hold sentimental value for many pet owners, they do not enrich the soil or foster new life to the same extent that natural decomposition (like our Bio-Burial process) does.
Bio-Burial offers a more sustainable alternative. This process involves placing the pet’s body in a closed container on a bed of wood chips within a specially designed composting chamber that also keeps out pests and contains odours. Moisture and heat are controlled with air flow and together with microorganisms and other natural components the decomposition process is managed. Over time, microorganisms break down the organic matter, transforming it into nutrient-rich soil. This humus serves as a fertile foundation for new life to flourish. By returning the pet’s remains to the earth in this manner, Bio-Burial completes the cycle of life and offers a tangible way to honour their memory, while also contributing to ecological regeneration.
The benefits of bio-burial extend beyond its environmental sustainability. Many pet owners find solace in the idea that their beloved companions continue to nourish the earth, fostering the growth of trees, flowers, and other living organisms. We also offer pet owners the option to take some of the humus home with them. So, the emotional need to have a keepsake of their animal can be fulfilled in that way. In this way, the bond shared with pets becomes an enduring legacy that sustains life long after they are gone.
It’s important to consider not only emotional significance of your choice, when faced with the decision of how to bid farewell to a pet, but also the environmental impact. Opting for Bio-Burial offers a meaningful way to honour our pets’ legacies while promoting sustainability for future generations.
