Waiting for Prof Maathai's last conservation lesson

When the remains of Macharia Thiong'o were buried in Nyeri recently in a sack, according to his will, many were shocked, with some branding his burial ceremony 'bizarre'.

But, there is no doubt that his choice of a gunny bag, instead of a wooden coffin, is an idea that the late Prof Wangari Maathai would have approved.

Maathai, reknowned for her love of trees, had long expressed her wish not to be interred in a wooden coffin. As we bid good-bye to Maathai, Kenyans will be keen to see what her casket will look like; this might be the last of her environmental conservation lessons to us.

Notably, the funeral business is also going green in the rest of the world, but we are lagging behind. There are eco-friendly coffins made from all kinds of materials bamboo, recycled paper, wool, willows, banana leaves, cardboards and even cartons. Most of these caskets are unavailable here but a local company is making cardboard and carton caskets known as eco-jeneza. So, will it be eco-jeneza? Kenyans should be ready to follow in her footsteps for the sake of our environment.

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