The Centre for Natural Burial

By Kristen Banker, Modern Eco-Homes

I was contacted this past Sunday by an old acquaintance. She wanted to let me know that her Grandmother had passed. Knowing that I had a strong liking towards Nonna, (as we Italians call the Grandma’s), I appreciated being informed. It’s never easy loosing someone, even when you know they lived a long and healthy life.

I’ve been reading about “eco burials”, “eco funerals” and “biodegradable caskets” for a while now, but resisted writing about them. I’d rather talk about new eco gadgets and prefabs homes, than discuss how to have an “eco friendly” funeral for a loved one. But I was reminded today that life’s a cycle and all things come to pass.

In an era where politicians preach about protecting the environment and consumers gobble up organics, it seems only natural that a growing number of Americans want to go “green to the grave”.

Eco-friendly funerals aren’t new. They are modeled after Native American traditions and funerals from the pioneer era. In Europe, embalming is rare; natural cemeteries are common in England. Law in the U.S. doesn’t require embalming, but it became popular to allow families to hold wakes over multiple days.

The best company I have found for biodegradable urns and caskets made with natural wood is The Natural Burial Company. They are the foremost distributor for biodegradable coffins in North America. Responsible companies who want to supply environmentally friendly options in the US make their products.

John Muir and Coleridge opened the first of the United States’ green burial grounds, the 350-acre Ramsey Creek Preserve in Westminster, S.C., in 1998. For more info refer here.

Treehugger.com has a good top ten list to a green funeral.

In our circle of life, it makes sense to return to nature and help save the planet while doing so.