Gail Rubin (L) and Ellen Dupuy at Journey Santa Fe
“Going Green with Your Final Arrangements” was the title of my talk this past Sunday at Journey Santa Fe, a regular gathering of thoughtful folks at the Collected Works Bookstore.
Among the topics we discussed: green burial opportunities in the Santa Fe area and greater New Mexico, the carbon footprint of cremation, how Jewish burial traditions are naturally green burial, donating your body to science, and what you need to know NOW before there’s a death in the family.
Ellen Dupuy, a former reporter with KSFR, interviewed me years ago for a series she produced about death in America. She invited me to speak to this group. Everyone had a wonderful time.
You can listen to the entire hour talk, with Q&A included, in this embedded MP3. This presentation will also air on KSFR Radio in Santa Fe on Friday, March 20 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
There was a retired dentist in the audience, which gave me the opportunity to ask him about the value of gold crowns. Many people have asked me about the possibility of saving gold from dental work prior to cremation or burial. The funeral directors I’ve talked to will not remove gold crowns prior to disposition.
Since gold crowns cost so much, and the price of gold is so high, they must be of some value, yes? Apparently, not so much. The dentist said the value of the gold in crowns amounts about two to three dollars. The majority of the cost for creating and installing a gold crown goes for labor, rather than parts.
Hope you’ll take a listen to the talk! Feel free to post any questions below and I’ll answer.