The Green Picture: Martha Stewart’s Dog Gets A Natural Burial

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by Michael dEstries April 17, 2008
Categories: People
Tags: .

Over on her blog, Martha Stewart paid her respects to a dearly departed family member — her 13-year-old Kublai Khan “Paw Paw Chow Chow Chow”. The whole thing is in pictures with captions and is incredible sad — but most people on the web are focusing on the picture above and labeling it as “creepy”.

Of course, I disagree — it’s a photo of the dogs saying goodbye to their friend — get over it. And it’s nice to see that Stewart didn’t purchase some elaborate hardwood coffin or other wasteful accessory to return Chow Chow to the earth. Makes you wonder why we dump so many chemicals, concrete, copper, cash, and other resources into our own funerals.

Personally, I plan on going the same way as Chow Chow. What’s the point of sitting in a watertight coffin surrounded further by concrete for all eternity? This is a much better way to get back to “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust” than anything the funeral industry proposes.

Interested in natural burial? You can find out more details — and check out the natural cemetery I’m planning on one day chilling out in — here.


Categories: People
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

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  • Ran

    What’s wrong with that? I think it is beautiful. When one of our barn cats died, our dog was in the room & cried & licked her “big brother”.
    He was here 1st. She came as a puppy & they were cohorts & loved each other.
    Don’t fool yourself, just because they walk on all 4′s & can’t speak like we do doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings.

  • Julz

    i wonder y we would find this humorous or repulsive. i have never wanted to interred any other way and am having a difficult time convincing my spouse to honor this request. at the risk of sounding provincial, this would be the kindest “footprint” we will ever leave on the earth. i don’t always agree with ms. stewart, but this time she got it exactly right.

  • Randi Marx

    I’m so glad you posted this. I think some people are afraid of emotions and block them by being snarky. As for me, I bury all my small animals by simply putting them in the ground under a small concrete disk and angel statue. They are part of nature and will be returned as such.

    As for my larger animal, my own chow, well, I don’t want to think about that at this moment, but it won’t be much different. She’s part of nature, as we all are, and I wouldn’t dishonor her physical remains with chemicals and a silly “vault”. What’s the point?

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