believe it or not, love can spring eternal without a warranty.

a few weeks ago i went on a bit of a rant about what i thought was an especially hideous version of a "living monument," the VIDSTONE, a headstone that plays ten minutes or so of home movies starring the deceased. i stand by everything that i said, but i do understand the desire to erect some sort of lasting tribute to a lost loved one. oh so happily, phila, in his friday hope blogging at bouphonia, has brought some infinitely preferable options to light.

Environmentally friendly funerals featuring coffins made of cardboard from fast-growing trees and urns that decompose in the soil are becoming more popular . . . Saiju Temple in Kyoto made a "garden cemetery" in May, where they plant plants instead of setting up grave stones. Instead of urns, they use capsules made from tea leaves that decompose in the soil.

If you prefer a watery grave, you can have your ashes made into a coral reef.

Eternal Reefs can take your ashes and mix them with special concrete formula to mould "reef balls", which are then placed in the ocean to provide a marine habitat compensating for the many we are destroying. Your loved ones can do the mixing, if so desired, and they can observe your remains being deep sixed and be given a GPS reference, with the longitude and latitude of your living marine memorial.

i can't decide which method i like most just yet, but to the best of my knowledge there's no rush. i guess i'll wait and see where things are at when the time comes. i've always been pretty steadfast in my belief that, after everything you take from the ground over the course of your life, your body is the least you can give back. the mandatory impenetrable coffins made the gesture more than a little hollow, though. if i can get around the big dumb box i'll feel better about it, but the coral reef option is pretty enchanting. maybe i can go half and half.