12 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Funeral and a Sustainable Burial
Sian Victoria © - Green parkland surrounded by trees
Guide to Green Funerals: How to Plan a Sustainable Burial
Most of us dedicate a lot of effort to being responsible for our planet, for as long as we walk on it. We are careful about sorting recyclables in their right containers, feel an ongoing sense of guilt about buying strawberries from imports during the dead of winter, and use our reusable grocery totes until they eventually give way.
However, for whatever inexplicable reason, very few people seem concerned with our legacy once our time has come and we finally go. The fact of the matter is that traditional funerals leave an incredibly large carbon footprint due to toxic preservatives used, as well as tons of concrete and steel forever buried underneath lush green yards.
So, this article provides a complete guide to doing something a little bit different than the standard funeral practices, leaving aside any scientific jargon, and focusing instead on the possibilities to make our departure from the Earth an environmentally responsible one. The tips listed below are going to help you plan a truly personal goodbye without harming the planet.
1. Drop the embalming entirely and choose natural cooling
Very few people know that conventional embalming processes depend heavily on formaldehyde. This is an extremely aggressive substance that is carcinogenic and ends up being dumped directly into the ground and nearby water sources during the burial process. But here’s the sad truth: there is no need for any of this. This is merely a standard practice within the industry.
There are natural cooling techniques that work just as effectively in preserving the peace and dignity of your loved ones before the ceremony. Skipping the embalming process is an extremely easy way to keep our natural environment clean and free from toxins.
2. Look into beautiful woodland burial sites
Instead of a congested cemetery in a busy urban setting which features rows upon rows of gleaming stone monuments and concrete pathways, would it not be more interesting to take a look at natural burial grounds?
Natural burial grounds in the UK include some of the most amazing wildflower meadows, preserved hills, and woodlands where the gravesites harmoniously integrate into the existing surroundings.
Once you decide on using natural burial grounds, you get yourself a very nice and protected haven for wildlife, bluebells, and ancient trees. If you’re anything like me you’ll think that this is an amazing gift that will ensure that the area remains green and free from any construction in the years to come.
3. Woven and cardboard coffins work beautifully and look fantastic
The traditional coffin with its high gloss shine seems to be a solid choice but is usually made of treated wood filled with artificial lining of polyester along with plastic or heavy brass handles, which take years to decompose. Whereas, eco-friendly burial calls for materials which decompose back to nature without any trace at all.
The weaving of the coffin uses willow, wicker, banana leaf or bamboo and creates an extremely beautiful coffin that is soft in texture. So, if you desire something which is simple and friends and family can decorate with their own handwritten notes or poems, then a cardboard coffin is great for your requirements to preserve nature and tradition.
4. Consider wrapping things up in a simple fabric shroud
There is no requirement at all for you to use a solid coffin – another shock for many who have their first exposure to eco-funerals. There are plenty of woodland burial sites that are perfectly happy with shrouded burials.
This is the practice of wrapping the deceased in high-quality natural materials such as organic cotton, pure linen, hemp, or British wool, which is an old tradition that is very beautiful and intimate.
The body can then reconnect with nature without the interference of any man-made barriers. Even a family heirloom such as a woollen blanket can be used.
5. Forget the concrete vaults and heavy liners
Traditional cemeteries have huge vaults underground made from concrete and metal. The major factor behind these vaults lies in the desire to ensure an extremely flat ground, which would help industrial mowing machines run over them without any sinking of the soil. Green burials do not require all the construction mentioned above.
Instead, the body will be buried in a much shallower pit filled with very alive and oxygen-rich soil, which will help start the process of decomposition exactly the way nature intended it, providing the surrounding vegetation with nutrients from the body.
6. Go completely paperless with the invitations and admin
However, when one considers the extent of the paperwork involved in planning a contemporary funeral, one will realise how rapidly all these administrative tasks will create an enormous pile of waste in a short while.
Using online invites, email communication, and virtual tribute pages not only helps to reduce paper use but also allows distant guests to send photos, locate themselves, and RSVP more conveniently.
If you desire the need for a paper version of the order of service, then you should choose recyclable paper and ask for vegetable-based ink in order to ensure that the papers can be recycled after the event. If you want to do something even more beautiful, than opt for plantable seed paper so that your guests can go home and plant wildflowers, it will be a lovely soulful feeling when they begin to flower.
7. Source local seasonal flowers and skip the plastic foam
The very formal floral displays that are normally used at traditional funeral services are made up of highly toxic green plastic foam blocks that do not biodegrade at all. Additionally, the actual flowers are normally flown in from other parts of the world on refrigerated cargo planes.
Instead, it would be much more eco-friendly to simply ask the attendees to provide cut flowers from their garden or from a local, organic farm. These are going to be much more organic, vibrant, and wild, and after the funeral, you can just leave them at the gravesite to compost.
8. Rethink the transport and shared travel arrangements
The typical procession for funerals starts with a long queue of vehicles that use large amounts of fuel, going from the church to the crematorium. As an alternative way of reducing CO2 emissions, you could consider renting electric hearses, since most independent funeral directors now rent out such vehicles.
As for the guests, organising an old-fashioned carriage or just asking everyone to carpool would make the whole trip a joint activity where they can exchange stories without emitting too much CO2 overall.
9. Keep an eye on cutting-edge green technology
When conventional earth burial is not exactly your thing, there is a lot to be gained from looking out for innovative green technologies that are coming up. Water cremation is also called resomation, and it involves the use of water and alkali solutions that assist in accelerating the natural process using just a small amount of energy used by flame-based cremation.
There is also the equally interesting human composting that is gaining momentum in world discussions, and human remains are transformed into fertile soils within weeks making them good enough for planting a forest.
10. Use a living memorial instead of imported marble
Headstones made of granite and marble tend to come from quarries abroad, being brought in from great distances and looking very impersonal in the midst of a wild meadow. Using a native British tree such as silver birch, rowan, and wild cherry as the tombstone will certainly be a much more dramatic choice.
Not only is it going to grow, change with the seasons and provide a home for different birds and bugs, but also if you need a physical sign to indicate the exact location of your loved one's grave, all that you need is a little stone or a carved wooden plaque. Similar to Viking burials, you could use stones collected nearby to decorate.
11. Keep the wake catering local, seasonal, and sustainable
The wake is an opportunity to drink a nice cup of tea and some comforting food and drink, while having a laugh, and a cry with your old buddies, but it is not impossible to make a responsible menu. It’s better to look for independent caterers from the neighbourhood who would be happy to use only fresh and seasonal produce from the neighbouring farms.
To have an eco friendly funeral do not use any disposable cups, plates, and cutlery, and make sure you have organic wine and beer from the local brewery in the bar instead of imported alcohol.
12. Swap out plastic clutter for meaningful charity donations
Of course, people who love you naturally want to demonstrate that and support you, but as a result, there is going to be plenty of stuff like plastic-wrapped little trinkets, candles or sympathy cards that are likely to collect dust somewhere later.
You can always hint to your friends or relatives that they should consider donating to some wildlife trust or forest conservation organisation rather than giving gifts. This way, your dear ones will be sure that their money is going to do something good.
To conclude
Arranging a funeral or reflecting upon death is never a particularly easy matter, but going the eco-friendly route provides a bizarre comfort. It comes down to stripping away the stiffness of the funeral industry, which revolves around formality and the presence of man-made elements, and moving towards a more natural process.
Everything we do, from what sort of coffin we choose to how guests arrive at the service, helps preserve the nature we have been surrounded by all our lives. We don’t need to be perfectly precise, but we want to take care of the Earth that took good care of us.
