NEXT UP! 3 70 “What did he say?” Mom sat on the edge of her chair. “They’ve been expecting our call.” He snorted. “Said this family emits about 90 tons of carbon dioxide a year. Somehow we have to cut 72 tons, get it down to 18 tons. A cremation would use a considerable chunk of our entire year’s allowance.” “I vote for taking her to the landfill,” Mom said. Dad put his hand over hers. “Amy, I know how hard this is for you, but please try to understand where I’m coming from. Aunt Olivia took me in when my parents died and treated me like the child she never had. I owe it to her to carry out her last wishes.” Mom jerked away. “It’s insane to think we can stop 80 per cent of everything we do. We’d have to sell our house and live under an overpass. Eat at soup kitchens.” “Stirling,” Dad yelled. “What?” came back. “What’s the number for that place that sets up green burials?” Stirling drifted in and read off a phone number. “It’s in Santa Fe.” “Of course,” Mom snapped. Dad called the number and explained what had happened. In a moment he said, “Today, if possible.” He listened some more. “No, we haven’t opened it.” Then, “Hold a moment while I check with my wife.” He covered the phone and said, “They can meet us at the cemetery in Galisteo by four this afternoon. Can you be ready by then?” “I was ready yesterday.” He spoke into the phone, then put his hand over the receiver again. “Do we prefer an attractive cardboard casket or a loosely woven, natural fiber shroud?” “The shroud lets the worms crawl in and out easier,” Stirling volunteered. “The casket,” I blurted. Only Stirling disagreed, so Dad relayed our decision and then talked about billing. to emit – gefa frá sér considerable – talsverður allowance – leyfilegt magn a landfill – urðunarstaður an overpass – brú woven – ofinn a shroud – líkklæði to blurt – missa út úr sér to relay – miðla áfram billing – greiðsla
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