When I ask a Funeral Director about Green Burial I am usually asked “How GREEN is GREEN?” I took this question to Erik Lees of Lees and Associates,. Erik is a landscape architect who specializes in Cemeteries and in Green Burial.
Erik shared a slide (see image) depicting “different shades of green”. From least difficult, and least green to more difficult and more green the suggestions include (but are not limited to):
- Do not embalm the body.
- Use a simple shroud or a biodegradable casket
- Do not use a memorial plaque, or use communal or group plaques
- Plan for ecological restoration and preservation
- Optimize land use (example?)
- Re use graves in the future
In working with families it may be helpful to share this information. For those planning cemeteries it may be helpful to identify which items easiers to integrate and which items might be a bit more difficult.
[Subsequent to this post, the Ontario Association of Cemetery and Funeral Professionals published an article on Green Burials in Canada – Dec 2014]
Would this be helpful information for you?
