Greening Up Those Final Wishes: Eco Burials

None of us want to think about it but death is a constant companion to us all. One minute everything is fine and the next…well the next moment never comes. But all is not lost. In fact our final preparations are also a final opportunity to reduce and offset our carbon footprints.

And the green funeral concept is gaining wider acceptance.

So what is a green funeral? The environmentally aware funeral focuses on a natural display that utilizes sustainable materials and eliminates carbon producing choices.

To begin with, embalming is out. As we have already learned we are half embalmed by the time we die anyway from the amount of formaldehyde in many everyday beauty and cleaning products. It’s a choice to reserve a body chemically. Some places may insist that a law exists about such matters but it’s more a funeral home policy than an actual federal regulation. Check with a funeral home in advance to ensure embalming is not an issue.

Grave markers are greened by using only natural sustainable materials. A rock or tree make a perfect replacement for bronze plaques and hard to replace marble. The less processing and manufacturing the lower the footprint. Planting a tree instead of killing one is much better for the planet.

In the green burial, you can even forego the coffin if you want to. Concrete tombs and steel coffins are a no no. A funeral shroud or biodegradable coffin is the preferred choices costing less money and reducing the amount of precious materials that get buried in the ground.

Traditional cemeteries aren’t recommended for the green burial. The preservation of the natural landscape is preferred with private forests and meadows a better option that cemeteries carved out of hillsides and filled with turf grass and concrete.

For those who want to avoid the burial thing altogether and really reduce their carbon impact, cremation is the way to go. Cremations have increased in popularity over the last few years. Not just because of the whole green evolution thing but because they are drastically cheaper than traditional burials. Cremations save space, save trees and fertilize the earth. It’s a win win really.

So when thinking of additional ways to save money and help the planet, think about a green burial. But please plan ahead and always check your insurance covers your wishes.

That way you can definitely rest in peace.