Green Burial Guide

Bamboo caskets? Freeze-dried remains? The funeral business is keeping apace with the voracious demand for all things eco.

It may seem ghoulish to be planning funerals in advance, but a growing number of people, young and old, are hoping for an eco-friendly death. After all, if caring about the environment is an important part of your life, what could be more fitting than an ending that embraces the natural cycle of death, decay and new growth?

On the face of it cremation may seem appealing - the notion of a clean, hot fi re that leaves little residue combined with the high cost of burial plots has made cremation a cheaper and more attractive option. However, there is a not-so-green side to cremation. Wooden coffins are burned releasing dioxin, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and using large amounts of timber.

Ovens in crematoria burn for around an hour and half per body, at temperatures of up to 1100C, consuming the same amount of energy as an average person would use at home in a month in the process. As they burn any mercury in fillings go up in smoke, too, contaminating air, water and soil. And dioxins released from crematoria are linked with illnesses that include cancer.

There are a few green steps you can take - for instance asking whether the crematorium has installed filters which help remove mercury emissions. Most crematoria now accept a cardboard coffin and some even offer a discount as less energy is used.

If you hate the thought of cardboard, you could consider a coffin cover: typically a traditional oak casket sourced from sustainably managed trees, and an inner coffin made of cardboard or recycled composite material. Only the inner coffin is paid for and cremated; the outer casket is owned by the funeral director and reused.

Ashes can be stored in urns made from bamboo, reed, wood, glass and ceramic.

GOING UNDERGROUND

Burial can be a greener option, so long as you go about it the right way, for instance in choosing the right coffin. The majority of coffins are made of a wooden veneer pasted onto chipboard, which contains formaldehyde that soaks into the ground over time. There are a number of eco designs on the market made from natural materials without harmful chemicals, such as biodegradable papier mache made out of recycled paper, bamboo, wicker, seagrass and willow.

A WOODLAND SETTING?

If you've opted for burial and chosen your coffin, the next step is to choose a location.

Urban cemeteries are running out of space, which means that managed woodland burial sites are becoming increasing popular.

Woodland burial sites are kept as natural and wild as possible in order to promote biodiversity, and the land is preserved from development. Graves are usually unmarked, although a memorial tree or wildflowers can take the place of a headstone.

A key attraction of a funeral at a natural burial ground is the freedom offered to choose the format of the service. They are suitable for the religious and the secular alike, and the mourners can take all the time they need to say goodbye. Bodies buried in natural sites are not embalmed, to avoid harmful chemicals polluting the ground.

It is likely that natural burial will eventually overtake cremation, currently used in 70% of funerals. As nature takes its course graveyards will probably evolve to resemble wooded parkland, with wildlife roaming free, communal picnic areas and nature trails.

You can usually bury bodies on private land with permission of the owner (handy if you happen to know a sympathetic farmer), although there are rules about how and where - contact your local authority for more information. Bear in mind, though, that a willow coffin decomposing in your back garden may be green but won't exactly add to its value if you decide to sell!


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