Make a Green Funerary Urn from Dryer Lint

Many of us have heard of Earth Day but aren't really picking up what is being laid down. Some have described Earth Day as a birthday of sorts for the planet. Of course, it is not the date that the planet was actually born, but it is a celebration of the planet that we live on and that provides for us in so many ways.

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, and it has continued to be celebrated on that date in the United States every since. Since that day, people around the world have learned they can't take the environment for granted and that there is something they can do. Earth Day teaches people they can help the pollution in the air and water, they can conserve water and electricity, and that they can control the litter on the streets and in the landfills.

If you do the math, you'll observe that this year marks the 40th anniversary. And what did I do in anticipation of this day? I launched a line of papier-mâché urns made with dryer lint. I even named the urns after people who donated their recycled remains, as an added incentive.

That's right. I reached into my clothing tumbler, scooped out the clingy bits of fiber and fluff, sautéed them in water in a large saucepan, and stirred well. Slowly adding flour, I cooked my dryer dust dregs over medium heat, rousing constantly until the mixture held together, forming peaks. It was then poured out onto several layers of newspaper to cool.

My first foray with dryer lint was an enlightening afternoon looking on as Portland artist Marliese Franklin used pond water as the sluice through which she separated the mere sludge from the golden nuggets. She stuck her hand in the cloudy goo while I snapped photos.

Our cooked pulp later tanned in the afternoon sun as we ventured downtown to check out non-toxin paint and rice paper. By evening we were slapping the mash over a myriad of moulds, such as a boxes, balloons, and bottles.

Many of the urns were made with a type of paper that can have seeds embedded in it, so once it breaks down, it can actually create new living things, and that is a great way to honor the memory of a loved one.

So why did two saucy broads spend their glorious Sunday mucking in the muck? Green burial education, my friend. Creating awareness about the Earth. A chance to meet the neighbors. Case in point: The good folks at the Estacada Coin-Op Laundromat called and were happy to donate 20 pounds of public lint to the cause. Ain't small towns something?

Benefits of an Eco-Lint Urn

Why make your own urn from lint? The first and most obvious advantage is that they are environmentally friendly, as one would expect a biodegradable urn to be. It is a natural demonstration of the cycle of life: we are born, we die, we replenish the Earth, and the cycle begins again.

Another advantage to the eco-lint prototype is they are substantially cheaper than traditional urns made of rich hardwoods, stone, marble, or metal. Is free a great price or what? This is a great option for those who are on a budget. Sometimes when we lose a loved one, it is very sudden and it can lead to families scrambling to afford the cost of a funeral. Biodegradable lint is obviously very reasonably priced, so this can take some of the stress off a family who already has to endure a loss on top of thousands of dollars for a funeral. With average funeral costs being close to what a new economy car costs, every little bit of savings can help.

Papier-mâché has many merits; it is lightweight, economical, durable, and pliable. All you need is something to operate as a form. Papier-mâché is made from a variety of sustainable bits and pieces: fiber is combined with a binder, then molded and baked. It becomes very hard and can be painted with toxic-free paints.

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