Green funeral options
By Jordan Cleland & Aidan Belanger
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One of the most pressing issues of our time is the health of the planet. Have you considered how your death will alter your carbon footprint?
Some of the customs we have around death have a serious impact on the environment. We bury thousands of tons of metal and plastic (caskets) and chemicals (formaldehyde) that can seep into the earth. Cremation creates greenhouse gases and often burns fossil fuels. Our end of life practices deserve to be given a closer look, in order to decide the mark we want to leave.
Luckily, there are options, and those options are expanding and growing as the environment becomes more of a central focus in Canadian society.
Natural burials
They often referred to as green burials, are the act of burying the body directly in the earth. The un-embalmed body is buried in a biodegradable casket or shroud, with grass, trees, and shrubs covering the ground above. There is no grave marker or manicured lawn. Perhaps instead there’s a memorial bench the families can share to remember their loved one, a plaque with names engraved, or a specific rock or tree that marks the place.
The green burial is what we imagine when we think about giving our bodies back to the earth. In short, we become worm food! It’s also a powerful way to protect the land far into the future, as no development can occur on a natural burial ground. Currently, there are two in Canada, both in British Columbia ー one on Denman Island and one on Salt Spring Island.
Green burial sites are not easy to come by just yet. So instead, some cemeteries have opted to create hybrid burial grounds. Often, they are sectioned off to the side, in an area of their own, with no traditional markers and wild growth above. In Ontario, you can find hybrid sites in Waterloo, Niagara Falls, Cobourg, and Picton.
For more information on green burials, you can visit www.naturalburialassociation.ca or give us a call.
Aquamation (water cremation)
Now, let’s talk about aquamation. Using water instead of fire, and only 5% to 10% of the energy cremation uses, aquamation is a great option for the end of your life.
Aquamation does not rely on fossil fuels the way cremation does, in fact, the carbon footprint is 75% lower. Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, it utilizes potassium and hydroxide and a lot of water to breakdown a body until a skeleton remains. This natural and safe method takes several hours. The bones are ground into a fine dust, much like when you’re cremated, and returned to the family. Not only are these water cremations carbon-neutral, they’re also a cost effective option compared to other modes of interment.
The residual liquid, sterilized and containing no DNA, is safe enough to use like you would any other water source. Again, the life-cycle is bringing us back to where we came from ー the earth.
You can visit https://aquamationinfo.com/ to learn more or give us a call.
The question is ー when the time comes, how do you want to go? We can discuss these options together, to ensure your death is as unique as your life. If you’d like to reach out on behalf of a loved one, we’re here.