A new solution has been found to restore Florida coastlines through the burial process: by dropping concrete balls, filled with human remains, to the sea floor. This process have been trialed off the coast of Eastern Florida by Reef Innovations. These concrete balls have been transformed into underwater tombstones and have been tailored specifically to survive underwater.
These underwater tombs are created from non-toxic concrete, they are made to resist currents and become hosts for sea life and coral to grow. Reef Innovations have been established for 30 years and work to improve marine restoration. They have partnered with Eternal Reefs, a memorial company, to create 2,500 reef balls containing human ashes and distribute them along the Gulf of Mexico and East Florida.
These concrete balls are known as ‘pearls’, they are mixed with the ashes of the deceased and can be mixed by family members and friends to honour the person. Messages, handprints and dedications can also be engraved onto the ‘pearl’. The ball is then dropped to the sea bed in a part of the memorial service.
Insider has stated that the price of this method of burial equates to the price of a traditional cremation, however, it encourages behaviour that is environmentally friendly and sustainable; an affordable way to give back to the environment in honour of friends and family.
This method arrives at a time when conservationists have been analyzing the impact of dropping objects in the sea in hopes that these items will have optimal surfaces in which coral can grow and thrive. However, there have since been arguments by conservationist experts that this process has been causing an inadequate environment, actually causing the coral to suffer. In addition, there are fears that the heavy, sinking objects have also been damaging the new coral as it tries to grow.
However, this method has changed the game. In association with Reef Innovations, they have revolutionized the burial process and discovered an innovative way to sustain coral in an affordable and unique manner. This method also prioritizes the protection of marine life, an aspect of society that needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, especially with the growing concerns of climate change.
Business Insider has named this process a ‘green burial’, an eco-friendly way for people to be ‘laid to rest in artificial reefs’; a sustainable way for them to remain in direct association and contact with marine life.
Not only are these concrete ‘pearls’ creating a habitat for sea creatures, they also benefit humans as well. In an event of a hurricane, they provide a natural barrier against storm surges. This is particularly useful for Floridians as hurricanes are an increasingly growing risk on the coastline.
These ‘pearls’ mark a huge development in the search for eco-friendly methods to restore coral and protect marine life.
For more wildlife-related news, check out this article!
