What are Natural Burials and Green Funerals?
‘Natural burial is a term used to describe the burial of human remains where the burial area creates habitat for wildlife or preserves existing habitat, which are rich in flora and fauna. Where a funeral precedes such burial, it would seek to minimise environmental impact by prohibiting traditional embalming methods and, where a coffin is used, ensuring that this be made of natural, biodegradable materials.’
A Guide to Natural Burial, Ken West MBE 2010
The essence of a green funeral is an age-old elemental simplicity. It rejects the so-called traditional funeral in favour of an outdoorsy, homespun, back-to-nature look. It prefers an unspoilt landscape to that of a regimented conventional cemetery. If it’s a look you like, natural burial is as lovely as it gets.
A Green Funeral
Some of the more important elements of a green funeral are these:
- Rejects cremation
- Opts for burial in a site serving a conservation purpose
- Creates an environment which is not visually definable as a burial ground
- Reviles embalming
- Requires a coffin made from natural, sustainable materials
- Forbids traditional marking of the grave with permanent memorials forbids tending of the grave
It is not the grave that commemorates the life lived, it is the entire site.
Losing the plot
Some burial grounds will let you mark the grave with a temporary marker, usually a wooden one. Others will let you mark the grave with a small, simply worded stone marker laid flat and some will allow nothing at all or supply you with the Gps coordinates of the plot.
If you are considering natural burial, you need to think very hard about this. Many people find it very difficult to lose sight of exactly where a person is buried.
Green products
You can green your funeral with one of a variety of ethically sourced coffins which are just as attractive to people who simply like the look of them. Have a look at our coffin range which includes the required Wicker coffin.
Green Cemeteries
For a comprehensive list of available cemeteries, please contact us directly.
* Published with the kind permission of the Good Funeral Guide, UK 2020