Latest news with #TerraCartaDesignLab
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Reefs made from human ashes could revive British seabeds, says startup
Death is killing our planet. That is the stark assessment of a new business offering an innovative alternative: to have your loved one's ashes made into a reef and anchored to the British seabed. There are increasing concerns about the environmental cost of traditional funerals: a single burial generates 833kg of CO2, while a typical cremation has a footprint of about 400kg CO2. In addition, 1.6m tonnes of concrete and 14,000 tonnes of steel is used every year for building graves in the US. Chemicals from embalming processes seep into the soil. But now a British startup, Resting Reef, is redefining what a cemetery can be by turning the ashes of humans into memorial reef structures. 'Cemeteries should be places that reconnect us with nature and remind us that we're part of a larger ecosystem,' said Aura Pérez, the company's co-founder who met her business partner, Louise Skajem, when they were doing their masters at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Resting Reef uses aquamation, an alkaline process for cremation, to combine pet or human ashes with crushed oyster shells and concrete into a material proven to enhance marine growth. 'Artificial oyster reefs can help regenerate marine growth but 85% have been lost due to human activities, so we are using animal and human ashes to replace them,' said Perez. The formula is then 3D printed into reef structures designed to create diverse habitats for a variety of fish species through differing heights, textures and tunnel systems. When the reef is ready, it is anchored to the seabed at a depth of about 10 metres where it will regenerate marine biodiversity, filter water and prevent coastal erosion. The reefs can capture as much as 2.2m kg of CO2 in three years. Resting Reef began incorporating the ashes of pets into artificial reefs in Bali, Indonesia, last year. But demand has been so great that the company is opening up the offer to humans. The company is working to secure licences to replace degraded seabeds with artificial reefs at the Plymouth Breakwater on the south coast of England, a 1,560m stone breakwater protecting the Plymouth Sound. 'It's time for the death industry to change: we want to shift the industry from focusing on death, to life and regenerate growth,' said Pérez. The business has won the Terra Carta Design Lab, a global competition established by King Charles and the British designer Sir Jony Ive, and an Innovate UK grant. The co-founders were named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Social Impact in Europe. 'We conducted a pilot reef in Bali in 2024, collaborating with the local Balinese community,' said Pérez. 'We have placed 24 memorial reefs for beloved cats, dogs, lizards, fish and exotic birds for owners in the US, UK and other countries. 'The pilot project attracted 59 fish species and achieved fish diversity 12 times greater than nearby degraded areas,' she added. 'This is very exciting.' 'We do not see ourselves working with death but rather providing better lives for coming generations by changing a very polluting industry and practice,' said Skajem, whose masters was on the decline of oyster reefs and coral reefs due to the climate crisis and human activities. Resting Reefs hopes to have the UK licences in 2026 and establish the first reef six to 12 months later. Human memorials have an initial cost of £3,900 although families can pay more for a range of curated activities at the site. Prof Rick Stafford, who specialises in artificial reefs and marine biodiversity at Bournemouth University, praised the company for increasing local biodiversity. 'Resting Reefs is different from other companies because it focuses on enhancing biodiversity close to the shore,' he said. 'It's entirely in line with environmental policies like protecting 30% of the world's land and sea by 2030, and the Marine Net Gain policy to ensure developments in the marine environment leave the ecosystem in a better state than before, with a focus on improving biodiversity.' Peter Holt, director and co-founder of the Plymouth-based Ships project, a marine consultancy service, also praised the business. 'I'm very excited by the project and its potential to improve marine habitats and support a range of maritime industries,' he said. 'The project has received support from the whole community here, including the King's Harbour Master, because it will potentially boost diving tourism and fishing, while aligning with the Plymouth Sound national marine park's goals to re-engage the public with marine life.'
The Independent
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
King jokes with guests and views exhibitions at sustainability event
The King joked with Stella McCartney about getting her father Sir Paul to perform a gig for him as he inspected projects to solve environmental problems at a sustainability event. Charles welcomed executives and representatives of international government on Tuesday at Hampton Court Palace as part of the Terra Carta exhibition hosted by the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI). The SMI was set up by the then Prince of Wales in 2020 to accelerate the world's transition to a sustainable future. The King was welcomed by Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, chief executive of SMI, and Dr Andrew Forrest, executive chairman and founder of Australian tech company Fortescue, as the sun was setting over Clock Court. The Halo string quartet played covers of Wicked's Defying Gravity and Pink's What About Us as they shook hands. Charles was then shown Fortescue's electric Formula GEN3 vehicle, one of the world's highest-performing all-electric race cars, prompting him to say: 'God, this must accelerate to 100 in seconds. Terrifying.' The King was then led inside to meet a number of guests, including fashion designer McCartney, who has worked with SMI since 2021. She told him: 'I am loving being here. I love that you have included me, thank you.' Charles then asked after her father, Sir Paul McCartney, who is currently on tour. 'You should get him to come and do a gig here for you,' she quipped. He then met winners of the Terra Carta Design Lab, a global competition set up by SMI to challenge students to create sustainable solutions to environmental problems. Speaking about meeting the King, the US winner of the Terra Carta Design Lab, Felicia Neuhof, whose project turned discarded shellfish waste into furniture and fixtures, told the PA news agency: 'It's an absolutely surreal experience and it's extremely exciting and just engaging to know that his support is making this not just a concept but a real prototype for the future.' The King then joined guests in the Great Hall, where he watched a video on the work of SMI, which he launched in Davos in 2020. The King stood on the stage as Ms Jordan-Saifi gave a speech to guests. She said: 'As we think seven generations ahead, we must ask ourselves if we are doing enough, as CEOs and as leaders, we look to you, your majesty, for your vision, for your lifelong service, your moral courage and your relentless commitment to action.' Her voice began to break as she added: 'At this point in the journey, we would like to thank you and assure you that we remain committed and will continue to raise the bar. Thank you.'
