Death

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Obit (2016)

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Obit (2016)

Who gets an obituary in the New York Times? Obit (2016) gives us a glimpse inside the most prestigious obituary outlet in modern day America. Editors and writers tell us what makes for a good obituary as well as the types of people they profile in these widely-read life histories. We also learn about the history of obits such as how old obits used to avoid words like “death” or “died”. Moreover, did you know many obituaries of famous people are written well before they die? These are called “advances” and are often composed when notable individuals become ill or pass a certain age.

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Unsustainable American Burials

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Unsustainable American Burials

Vox, 2017, 5:51… The modern way of burying a body, the "casket in the ground method" most of us are used to is horrible for the environment. It uses an incredible amount of resources, emits toxic pollutants into the air, and pumps the ground full of formaldehyde, which is known to cause cancer. It's also prohibitively expensive. The average cost of a modern funeral costs between $10,000 to $12,000. There are a number of greener options available though. Cremation uses less resources and requires less space than a traditional burial, but isn't perfect. There are more experimental methods on the horizon such as promession and alkaline hydrolysis. No matter which method we choose, it's clear that we need to reform how we bury the dead.

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Unsustainable Death Care

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Unsustainable Death Care

Vice News, 2020, 6:48… Americans are largely fearful and avoidant of death and dying. This is partly a consequence of the professionalization of death care which removes and sanitizes death from everyday life. Embalming makes a corpse look life-like, but it is also terrible for the planet. Traditional cremations also require an unsustainable amount of resources while releasing pollution into the atmosphere. So, what can you do to not further damage the earth upon your death?

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Do Not Be Afraid of Dead Bodies

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Do Not Be Afraid of Dead Bodies

Inside Edition, 2019, 3:47… Death is a topic few people in the West care to discuss, and mortician Caitlin Doughty would like to change that. Doughty helps people confront the nuts and bolts of death on her YouTube channel, “Ask a Mortician.” “I think that people want to hear the information we're presenting,” she told InsideEdition.com “They want to hear somebody like me talk about death as if it's not strange.” She added, “People should not be afraid of death.”