About Us
ECO WARRIORS™ LLC herein referenced & trading as ECO WARRIORS™ Funeral Supplies, is a division of ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies International ..- an AUSTRALIAN-based Company the brainchild of & founded by Funeral Industry Disruptor, Australian-born Mark Thomas.
ECO WARRIORS™ Funeral Supplies USA is a joint venture / mixing of the minds & a Company formed by two well-seasoned Funeral Industry Disruptors in Mr. Mark Thomas & his US-born counterpart in Mr. Edward ( Ed ) Bixby.
Mark approached Ed with the business plan and opportunity to bring top-shelf quality products to the market at much better pricing without an ounce of compromise when it comes to quality.
Ed listened to Mark’s pitch and liked what he heard, and the Business was born to serve a real need – and offer the established Family Owned- Independent Funeral Homes, Independent Funeral Directors, and Green Burial Cemetery Owners and Operators right across North America – along with Consumers a much better deal.
Both Gents are real pioneers in their own right – with Ed Bixby being involved in the rapidly growing GREEN BURIAL marketplace by lovingly restoring several Cemeteries right across the US – and where Ed agreed to join Mark where they both are truly driven to assist change in the Human Death & Pet Death Care & Memorial Supply Market.
Both Mark & Ed understand that in 99.5% of all Funeral Services, a Funeral Home & a Funeral Director is still needed and engaged. Due to this ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies have reasonable focus upon serving Independent Funeral Home for all parties involved.
PLEASE NOTE :
- It must be made clear for all please – NEVER-EVER can the Consumer attain a better price from Eco Warriors Funeral Supplies than what is advertised on our website.
- If you are a Consumer and are looking for a better deal, we kindly suggest you contact your local Independent Funeral Home.
- Independent Funeral Homes can be found via the Order of the Golden Rule ( OGR ) and The Selected Independent Funeral Homes Group links above.
- Furthermore, a Consumer will NEVER – EVER be offered nor allowed to purchase a Casket at TRADE PRICES or anything like it from Eco Warriors Funeral Supplies – because that is NOT FAIR & SHARE.
- Consumers will never be able to beat the already heavily discounted Pricing as Listed on our WEBSITE when purchasing from Eco Warriors Funeral Supplies, where TRADE CLIENTS – Independent / Family-Owned Funeral Homes & Funeral Directors etc. obtain a significant further TRADE Discount to assist in running their business.
- TRADE PRICING is Offered to TRADE ONLY – WHY ?- again they have businesses to run, costs to meet and frankly they can, do and will buy many Caskets over a given period – be it per Quarter or Per Annum.
- It is clear to us general consumers are NOT TRADE CLIENTS & thus can-not open a Trade Account nor purchase at TRADE PRICING – PERIOD !
- The Consumer must understand we have NEVER and WILL NEVER Discount a Sale more to take all away from a Family Owned – Independent Funeral Home- Funeral Director.
The Independent Funeral Director & Independent Funeral Homes – along with the General Consumer are very much at the center of all of Mark & Ed’s drive, vision, and “Green Funeral product/s” offerings.
Both Ed & Mark are not “ Tree Huggers & ardent Greenies “ as a rule, – yet they both have respect for the Earth. They recognize the trouble we here on Earth have caused and are now in ! They absolutely subscribe to the Global Warming Belief and do their best at all times regarding their own carbon footprints –
yet don’t sing from the Tree Huggers Bible and act in a hypocritical manner as many do.
Let it be said on record- BOTH Ed Bixby & Mark Thomas are also of the same belief and cut from the same cloth.
They BOTH are Game Changers, Disruptors, and proud of it.
Both Gents travel often for work, and drive cars, – yet are mindful and constantly looking to reduce their own carbon footprints and at least do their bit and contribute to a better world in many aspects – including & offering realistic Funeral Supply costs
WE choose NOT to be part of or add to these Pollution & Disposition Statistics
Burials in the United States use approximately:
(From Mary Woodsen of Cornell University and Greensprings Natural Preserve in Newfield, New York)
- 4.3 million gallons embalming fluid,
- 827,060 gallons of which is formaldehyde, methanol, and benzene
- 20 million board feet of hardwoods, including rainforest woods
- 1.6 million tons of concrete
- 17,000 tons of copper and bronze
- 64,500 tons of steel
- Caskets and vaults leaching iron, copper, lead, zinc, and cobalt
Who is ED BIXBY ?
Ed is a highly respected Leader in the Green Funeral- Green Burial movement and was for near 15 Years ( he stepped down and out as President Mid-April 2023 ) to concentrate on the Development and Growth of his much bigger plans & dream forming right now & known as the GLOBAL GREEN BURIAL ALLIANCE – a whole NEW GLOBAL represented Alliance that Ed is now President. Many former Office Holders of the Green Burial Council & Organization have also stepped aside from the GBC to join Ed in a much broader focused GLOBAL ALLIANCE.
The Global Green Burial Alliance headed up by Ed Bixby will be a one stop shop for Eco Friendly Burial Resources with a much wider audience around the Globe rather than where the GBC is and can only focus on the smaller market in North America.
Ed is a true visionary – and where he and his Management Team – & Alliance Directors see the need now on a GLOBAL platform for a GLOBAL one stop directory offering Eco Friendly Options, Information & Eco Friendly Funeral related Products for Funeral Directors, Funeral Homes, Funeral Professional and CONSUMERS etc. as well as an Alliance and a GLOBAL NETWORK & Social Media platform and presence for ALL PARTIES to unite and share knowledge, resources and key information as the Green Burial Market grows rapidly month to month Globally.
A growing GLOBAL Market needs so much more and that is what Ed now heads and is bringing to market for the better- and to assist ALL interested parties that shall abide by an “ Alliance Pledge “ rather than self-serve and treat the Trade and Consumers with contempt and treat the market with narrow vison & a closed self-serving mindset. Its just NOT Ed’s vision, desire or drive and so he stepped down and out of the GBC as he knows there is a much better way to assist the market – GLOBALLY !
These days Ed is multi-based moving between his New Jersey based Family Home in Steelmantown. Ed was a former real estate developer & Executive Home/s builder who never really expected to get into the cemetery business.
Things ALL changed when Ed & his mother were visiting Ed’s younger brother’s grave at Steelmantown Cemetery in Upper Township, New Jersey. They were horrified by the poorly kept state of the cemetery grounds.
Ed told the owner he wanted the cemetery cleaned up, or he would buy it. The owner sold him Steelmantown Cemetery for one dollar ($1) in 2007. www.steelmantowncemetery.com
Ed Bixby is now the owner and operator of the Steelmantown Cemetery Company. A New Jersey native, Ed took over the Steelmantown Cemetery in 2007 and has been reclaiming and restoring abandoned historical cemeteries ever since.
A marina proprietor and captain of the Sundquist Jersey Sea Skiff, he also accompanies families on the sea journey to scatter their loved ones’ ashes off the coast of the Ocean City/Absecon Island.
Ed is devoted to assisting families seeking to find environmentally responsible and meaningful ways of honoring their loved ones on land and by sea, and now on a GLOBAL basis via the New Alliance as it builds over the coming months and years ahead.
Some fifteen years later Ed Bixby is now a fully-fledged Cemeterian & a multi- cemeteries owner concentrating on the Green Burial Services for those who choose ( or to leave the world with ) as little carbon footprint – and certainly NOT wanting to litter, contaminate & poison the earth with embalming chemicals, or burying excessive priced massive steel caskets and / or rare solid non-sustainable exotic Timber/s for Caskets etc.
At the time of writing this update ( April 2022 ) Ed now currently owns & manages +10 Historic Cemeteries across the U.S. starting in Half Moon Bay C.A. right across & out East in Steelmantown NJ.
Again – with Ed being The Former President of the much smaller Green Burial Council & his Vision now to Build the GREEN BURIAL GLOBAL ALLIANCE with his Team he clearly offers an extensive background and knowledge of best practices and BEST PRODUCTS to offer the Funeral Directors, Funeral Trade, and Consumers – ALL without cutting QUALITY or corners in manufacturing as others do to be “ Cheap.”
“ Upwards and Onwards” says Ed with his cheeky grin.. & he closes in saying “ The power of the universe is at play right now “.. with so much more and better coming to market for both the Funeral Trade clients, Funeral Trade Buying Groups, and Consumers.
Both Mark & Ed agree -.. Its time the market was shaken up a little says Ed – even disrupted if so need be, so as the Independent Funeral Homes, Independent Funeral Directors, their clients at or pre-need and of cause the general consumer looking for TOP QUALITY well priced options – all 2nd to none best quality product options were offered & given just that,… without cutting corners or a single ounce of compromise.
Ed ( Edward ) Bixby – Equal Partner in ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies
& the Owner of many Natural Green Burial Cemeteries
from the East Coast to the West Coast right across the USA
Ed Bixby ( in Black Shirt ) an authority on Natural & Green Burials helping attending to preparations for a Family and local region Funeral Director to conduct a Green Burial at The Steelmantown Cemetery which Ed owns in New Jersey, USA.
Who is MARK THOMAS ?
Mark is a true Entrepreneur that is a Motor Mechanic by trade yet left that all behind back in the mid-80’s when he built a very sizable Property Maintenance & Landscape installation and maintenance Company serving hundreds of Commercial Buildings and Industrial Park clients right across his native Sydney where he was born and raised.
Over a decade or more Mark built the business to a sizable one and had some money and was looking to invest into a product that he could be involved with and move on into a different field- and sell the large Maintenance Company off –so he could concentrate and help develop the product on an international expansion.
Being in business, and travel, was and still is his passion.
He understands Memorial Gardens and Cemetery Maintenance very well – and finds the whole Green Burial – Eco-Friendly markets most rewarding on many levels and great peace of mind.
It’s why he has started ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies with Ed Bixby as his chosen Funeral Product Supply Company partner – you can’t go wrong with a Gent of Ed’s ilk working with you for a common belief and cause.
The fact is, Mark is tired of watching the Funeral Industry get away with exorbitant pricing – and he believes it’s high time the CONSUMER had a win also.
Mark ( and Ed ) are quite happy to work with the established Funeral Industry, Funeral Homes, and Funeral Directors but he just wishes to see the playing field a little more evenly balanced.
Mark says – “ If this NEW PRICING and BUSINESS MODEL means that ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies has little chance to serve the larger – more established Funeral Home Groups- Conglomerates & Companies then so be it ! We are more focused on helping the smaller Independents anyway.
Mark Thomas circa 2008
Mark further adds … “ We as ECO WARRIORS Funeral Supplies. are NOT here to help pay for or finance Corporate Ivory Towers, Big 30 chair Boardroom Tables, Fine Artwork hanging on said Boardroom Walls, The Chairman’s Office Wall or fund Fat Cats hiding up and down the Corporate Isle, we just want to be part of a fair playing field and where ALL parties along the supply line have a WIN.. – & certainly INCLUDING the End User, Client Family – Consumer. “
Mark just wishes to treat others as he wishes to be treated – it’s really that simple – fair & square .. nothing needs to be complicated or 2nd guessed ! Backhanders, secret deals, corruption and / or extravagant pricing & onerous charges he cares NOT for – and play NO part.
Ed Bixby also is of the same belief and is cut from the same cloth. They BOTH are Disruptors and are proud of it.
Mark Thomas is also a founding member of the Advisory Commission of the newly formed Global Green Burial Alliance, which Ed Bixby is President.
Back in late 1993- Mark invested in a Patented Product – a Memorial Urn Concept called The Everlasting Urn® ( see www.theeverlastingurn.com ) for the retention of Cremated Remains and used either in a Memorial Park or the larger market focus was for HOME GARDEN placement where families had their loved ones at home – all in a nice corner of the family – or loved ones back yard. A place of peace and quiet – and the freedom to sit and reflect in one’s own comfort zone.
Mark had an interesting time trying to work with the established Funeral Industry- it was a personal struggle – and stepped back for some time back in 2004. Mark also was in the midst of developing the Companion Animal Memorial Market also back in 1997-2001 where he was based just outside Harrisburg in Pennsylvania for some time helping develop the Pet Cremation – Pet Funeral Director concept & opportunity – particularly as the Pet Cremation Market needed a real “ clean up “.
Mark for personal reasons need to & stepped back in 2005 from both the Human and Pet Funeral Markets and stayed back in Australia for the next 18-19 Years – all while keeping his eyes and ears open.
Mark has no “ Skin Children” and his “ Fur Children – Fur Babies “ or Pets / Companion Animals are his life and joy – with having up to 70 animals on his acreage north of Sydney for over a decade. Sadly his best mate ever a German Shepherd named “ Sarrazo TOP GUN “ a.k.a “ TOPPY “ and another German Shephard named Kara have now both passed away – and his current “ critters – fur babies “ are two beautiful Blue Russian Pussy Cats that Mark rescued back in 2016. (See the pictures of Marks’ Cats down below)
‘Sarazo TOP-GUN’ – a.k.a “Toppy” and his friend "Kara" (sitting) at WEDGWOOD
circa 1997
Here is Mark with "Toppy" & where it was a desire & a need to Memorialize “Toppy” and have him back home in a little quiet corner of Mark’s Home Garden that was the catalyst & helped start all this !
“Kara” on the left & “Toppy” on the right living the Dream at WEDGWOOD circa 1999
Being in the Death Care Supply, Service & Memorial industry – Mark still has today “Toppy“ his German Shepard with him all these years later in a Garden Urn Memorial ( The Everlasting Urn ®) in his own home garden on The Sunshine Coast of QLD in Australia.
Funeral Services, Funeral Supplies for Humans & Pets, be it Eco-Friendly Caskets, Urns, Body Shrouds, Memorial Options for Cemeteries and Home use, Urns and service to the Death Care Markets are his 100% focus these days.
It was back in October 2021 that & based on some news from the USA – where Mark decided to wrap up all that he was doing in the past 14 years in the Rainwater Harvesting Market in the Brisbane & The Sunshine Coast Regions of Queensland Australia and get back to his core love of business working in and around the Death Care Markets and be a renowned supplier of choice.
Mark re-engaged at this time & stepped back into the Funeral Industry where he had much-unfinished business to attend in both the Human and Pet Cremation and Burial Market primarily first up in the USA – which sees him a great deal Stateside in support of his dreams and service provisions.
Mark has the same style of business interest in Australia where he works with his sister Kris who helps oversee the day-to-day operations in Australia & where she is based on the Central Coast of NSW.
Mark adds “ Sure it’s early days just now – but with my dream, my vision and my 100% focus, added that failure is NOT an option – ( and Ed couldn’t agree more ) – where between them with their knowledge, key contacts and more – there is / are some very interesting times ahead- all with the CONSUMER as their main focus.
Below are the two cute Fur Balls that bring Mark and his wife Gigi great memories and much happiness daily.
"Wile.E" is one of Marks' original Pussy Cats
Wile.E loved the Australian outdoors.
Mark at home playing speed boat rides
with "Bluey & Pinky" his current Pussy Cats.
"Bluey" playing it Cool
while enjoying his rest time.
Again, Mark agreed with Ed is reiterating, -.. Its time the market was shaken up perhaps even more than a little – & yes even truly disrupted if so need be, so as again, the Independent Funeral Homes, Independent Funeral Directors, their clients at or pre-need and of cause the general consumer looking for TOP QUALITY well priced options – ( all 2nd to none ) were offered & given without cutting corners or a nasty compromise.
We have ZERO interest to race to the bottom on price – we are here for the long haul- yet we make no excuses for seeking, offering, and demanding “ Fair and Share “ in a market that has been driven historically by greed primarily by the very sizable conglomerates and shareholders expecting crazy profits and returns on their investments & share portfolios.
Hey’ we are happy to earn a decent living from what we do said Mark- .. we just do it with smaller margins and lots of- it’s a totally different business model funded by Ed where ALL parties aligned and WIN! – and “ what’s wrong with that “ he asks ?
I can sleep at night without worry of taking advantage of a Grieving Client and Family when they are at their lowest, in pain, grief stricken and not thinking straight – NEVER would we take advantage of a client and their family’s grief .. EVER ! … that is just pi$$-poor Karma said Mark.
If others wish to try and charge ridiculous pricing for Funeral Goods that’s their call, but when the CONSUMER finds a better deal, a GENUINE deal without compromise because their Funeral Home want to charge way too much and buy their Casket or Coffin and supplies from ECO WARRIORS- so be it.
We are here to keep it REAL & allow the Independent Funeral Homes and Directors to serve their clients & obtain and keep a solid mark-up , that is called business – that is how they stay in business and we are all for it and their health mark-up …but we don’t play nor will support “ Bonnnie and Clyde & R.I.P. folks off “… said Mark.
Mark offers .. “ This main focus 20 Years later, comes about particularly if & where major Publicly Traded Funeral & Casket Conglomerates, Group Funeral Homes, and Greedy Funeral Directors don’t wish to play fair – ( and they are certainly entitled to a healthy mark-up, profit etc. ) – but I’m NOT going to stand by and see the larger Listed players screw the Consumer ever again as they jointly screwed me many Years back.
Both Mark & Ed remain very proud that finally its available to the Trade & Consumers where we can proudly offer sensational Funeral Trade & Consumers best pricing all based on low overheads – and a boutique operation that aims to move to market significant volume of product ( is the plan ) says Mark.
Mark closed off in saying – … “with, from and via ECO WARRIORS FUNERAL SUPPLIES – … QUALITY is NEVER EXPENSIVE … it’s actually PRICELESS ! “