Bob Hendrix: Loop Biotech inventor and founder on the company's new biodegradable mushroom coffins

0:00This is a first. In the last few days, a woman became the first person in Australia to be buried in a mushroom coffin. It's a new eco burial service which is being launched in New Zealand this week as well. It's the brainchild of the Dutch firm, Loop BioTech and Bob Hendrix, is the founder and the inventor of the living cocoon. Hi, Bob. Hey, hello. Thanks for having me. You're welcome. Why would I want to do this? Because right now, you can be pollution when you die, and we offer you an opportunity to be nutrition. How long am I pollution for? That's a good question. Probably maybe decades. And if I go your way, how quickly am I nutrition? Actually, the cool thing is that our product, which is a mushroom grown coffin, we grow them in just seven days, it's completely biodegradable, but it's actually itself nutrition for the soil. So we have an opportunity to feed the earth when we die. And it breaks down how quickly? And ideal conditions is actually very fast. It's 45 days.

1:03And then what about the human body? That's also a good question. That of course depends on the soil quality and different qualities. But our estimation is around two to three years. Oh, really? Because our products helps to facilitate the decomposition. And if you compare this to traditional products, they of course form a barrier, which in my opinion doesn't make sense because why won't do you want, yeah, you want to become part of the cycle of life, I guess. And we could take up to 10, 20 years. But, but wow, so do I want to, do I want to, if I'm in your mushroom coffin, do I want to go in raw, like no formaldehyde or anything? Now we actually, we, yeah, now that's definitely true. And we actually buried the photographer of the royal house of the Netherlands. And he made a statement. He went in, but make it with only his wedding ring. Into the coffin. Into the coffin. Why did he take this wedding ring? That's like, there's a white gold, isn't it?

2:04I guess he was. He met the lovers of his life. But the cool thing is that you're actually late on a bed of moss. So it's, it's very soft. The product is very soft. We're probably are the only coffin people actually want to hug. Oh, dear. Why are we even doing coffins? Bob, why don't we just go in like, go and Egypt styles, wrap us up in some cloth and chats on the ground? True. Now, I think that thing that's a very valid point, but what I also learned when entering in this industry, you need to basically carry a human around. So also for practical use, it's also for ceremonial people who have a ceremony. We actually also have an option where you just have a bed and you're late also for mushrooms. And you're late inside like a cloth, which is very good, very environmentally friendly. But it's like maybe 1% of people want it. And so probably we'll take some time. Maybe in a few decades, we'll see you more often. Interesting. Bob, thanks very much. Bob Hendrix, loop bio tech inventor and founder. Have you got that song in your head now?

3:04I've got, I want to lay you down in a bed of, in a bed of moss, romantic. For more from Heather Duclasy Allen Drive, listen live to news talks. It be from 4 p.m. weekdays or follow the podcast on iHard Radio. This is Ashley Akinati from the almost endless podcast. You ever notice you and your spouse keep saying we need to get away, but you never actually plan anything. That was us until we did something fun and spontaneous. We went to resort pass.com. There are hundreds of hotel resorts, pools and spots and private beaches that you can enjoy. You can spend the day at a luxury resort, pool, spa, massage without booking an overnight stay. And listen, I may have only been like 15 minutes from home, but it felt like it was a whole different world. And I'm thinking this is exactly what I needed. So just go to resort pass.com, choose your resort, choose your day, luxury, resort day passes start at just $1,000. Once you post your daycation, people are going to ask where you are.

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