Environmentally conscious funeral home offers green burials to Northern Nevadans
By News 4
Environmentally conscious Nevadans can now be laid to rest in an earth friendly manner, according to officials at a south-Reno funeral home.
Northern Nevada Memorial Cremation and Burial Society is the first funeral home in Nevada to receive Green Burial Council certification, according to a news release issued by Spokesperson Michelle Kress.
“We are proud to have Northern Nevada Memorial as our first ‘approved provider’ in Nevada,” said Joe Sehee, Executive Director of the Green Burial Council, a nonprofit organization with more than 200 approved providers in its national network.
The council is “dedicated to minimizing the environmental impact of burial and cremation,” according to Kress.
The cremation and burial society is part of Walton’s Family of Funeral Homes, Kress said.
The backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountain range,was the original inspiration for “going green,” the owner said.
“We have served thousands of families in the Reno/Sparks community over the years,” said Tammy Dermody, owner of Northern Nevada Memorial. “And we recognize that leading the way towards environmentally-friendly funerals and providing sustainable burial and cremation options is also of great service to our community.”
The funeral home offers eco-friendly products like hand-crafted caskets woven from bamboo or willow, biodegradable urns suitable for scattering or burial of ashes, Kress said. Officials also ensure a “green burial” will take place without the use of formaldehyde-based embalming, and both burial caskets, and cremation containers are toxin-free, Kress said. The home’s crematory is regularly monitored for emissions and has exceeded clean air requirements for years, officials said.
“We understand,” Dermody said, “that offering nature-friendly options for burial or cremation is the best way to remember a life and remember our earth at the same time.”
Visit www.northernnevadacremation.com for more information, or call 322-2772. Viewers and readers may also write to the Northern Nevada Memorial Cremation and Burial Society at 10101 South Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89511.