By M. Kotch

Environmental awareness comes in many forms and shapes. Some walk or ride a bicycle to get where they need to, others eat only organic produce and some try to stay on top of recycling their plastic bottles. Whatever part of the spectrum you fall into, you’re probably aware of the fact that being eco-conscious is open to interpretation. However, there are certain criteria that set green products and services apart from the rest. For example, a product must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients before it can be certified and labeled “USDA Organic.”

But is there a way to certify a funeral as green? Believe it or not, one organization—The Green Burial Council— is attempting to do just that: regulate the green funeral industry to ensure that when you pay for a green burial, you get one. The following information should help you understand some of the differences between real versus fake green burials.

Embalming: Traditional embalming does not conform to green burial standards. This is why so many choose to skip the use of formaldehyde formulas to preserve the deceased’s remains. What are some green alternatives? The first is refrigeration or dry ice to preserve the remains until the funeral and burial. Another promising trend is the ever-growing industry of non-toxic embalming fluids. The United Kingdom has been a leader in the green funeral industry where AARDBalm, which was founded in 1999 by a chemist, microbiologist and funeral director, creates embalming products that are non-toxic and prepared with organic ingredients. Based in Ohio, The Champion Company offers a line of embalming fluids that are made with essential, plant-based oils and contains no formaldehyde in any of its formations. The Green Burial Council has certified this American company’s line, which is also known as Enigma Fourth Generation.

Caskets: Many have been seeking alternatives to traditional coffins for financial and environmental reasons. According to green-burial advocates, modern caskets can be made with treated wood, steel and fabrics that do not belong in the ground. Fortunately, there are many green casket choices that include those made of cardboard, pine and recycled wood—all of which are natural, biodegradable and often much cheaper. The greenest type of burial method? One that forgoes a coffin altogether and buries the remains in a shroud that is made of natural cloth.

Burial Location: There are certain criteria that a cemetery has to fulfill before it meets with the green burial stamp of approval; the Green Burial Council certifies three types of burial grounds: natural burial grounds, low-impact burial grounds and conservation burial grounds

• Natural burial grounds: This refers to grounds that are maintained to represent the cemetery’s surroundings by using naturally-found plants and materials to complement and recreate the local eco-system.

• Low-impact burial grounds: This type of facility incorporates energy-saving and non-toxic policies. These include minimizing the carbon footprint in the facility’s day-to-day operations, banning any use of toxic embalming fluids and/or non-biodegradable materials and prohibiting vaults.

• Conservation burial grounds: This type of cemetery meets the top standards of The Green Burial Council and receives their highest certification. Such grounds implement the practices of both natural as well as low-impact burial grounds, and operate in conjunction with an established conservation group that enjoys long-term stewardship over the lands.

In short, any burial that includes formaldehyde embalming (which is deemed as a possible carcinogen by the Center for Disease Control), a casket made with any materials that are not biodegradable or placement in a cemetery that has not been certified by the GBC is not green. The Green Burial Council is a great resource for anyone interested in an environmentally-conscious burial. For a list of certified cemeteries, funeral homes and products visit their providers’ page.

Other eco-conscious steps you can take to make a funeral even more green include: purchasing a casket locally to minimize transportation fuel emissions, posting a death notice online to limit paper use and asking mourners to plant a tree in lieu of sending flowers.

Sources:

http://www.aardbalm.co.uk/about.php

http://www.enigma-champion.com/

http://www.greenburialcouncil.org/

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts111.html#bookmark05

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 at 5:50 am and is filed under Planning a funeral. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.