A lot contributes to climate change. A Warren Wilson College professor decided to examine one factor that many might find uncomfortable to talk about but is something we will all face - our death.Mallory McDuff is the author of 'Our Last Best Act: Planning For The End Of Our Lives To Protect The People And Places We Love.' It looks at the growing diversity of end-of-life choices in Western North Carolina, from 'green burials' that use only biodegradable materials, to body donation to body farms such as at Western Carolina University, to 'aquamation', also called water cremation. All these options reduce the carbon footprint of burials, and in many cases are far cheaper compared to traditional burials.
McDuff spoke with BPR's Matt Bush as part of a new episode of The Porch which airs Friday morning at 9 on Blue Ridge Public Radio. Their talk focused on green burial options, the song 'Carry My Love'by Liz Teague that has become the anthem for the book, and how to talk about death and grief when it hangs around all of us, especially now during a pandemic.