Sustainability is something that can be integrated into all aspects of life, including funerals. If your loved one was passionate about the environment or you like the idea of being green even once you’ve passed on, there are plenty of ways that you can plan an eco-friendly funeral.
Here are some top ideas for green funerals that are respectful and beneficial for the environment.
Arrange a woodland burial
If you’re deciding between a cremation or burial, the latter is best suited to those concerned with the environment as cremations involve the burning of fossil fuels. As an alternative, woodland burials take place in designated woodland areas and instead of marking the burial spot with a headstone, graves can be marked with a memorial tree or plaque. Green burials focus on preserving the natural beauty of the woodland environment and creating a beautiful resting place for the deceased.
Skip the embalming process
Planning a funeral comes with its own set of environmental impacts including how the body is embalmed. The chemicals used in embalming can seep into groundwater and damage the environment, however, if you go with a green burial this step is usually skipped and alternative methods are used.
Choose a sustainable casket
You should also consider which casket is most eco-friendly. Eco caskets, such as those biodegradable materials, break down naturally and therefore has less impact on the environment. They are an ideal choice for green burials or cremations that helps protect the landscape by allowing bodies to return to the earth without the use of toxic chemicals and containers.
Pick seasonal flowers and tributes
Whether you choose an eco burial or a traditional funeral, you can still make green choices for the send-off. When it comes to flowers and tributes, choose local, seasonal flowers as they will be more readily available compared to non-seasonal options that may clock up air miles. Alternatively, why not ask for charitable donations or set up an online tribute page where everybody can pay their respects?
At Stockman & Loram, we have a range of green burial options for you to choose from across Torbay, Teignbridge and South Hams. Perfect for nature lovers, green burials are designed to limit the impact on the environment and our team is on hand to help you organise every detail including finding a casket, burial spots and more. Contact us today for more information.
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