How to Make Sure That Your Funeral is Eco Friendly

Losing a loved one is never easy, but planning a funeral can be a way of helping you to get closure, have an outlet for your grief and feel closer to them. As the focus on our environmental impact continues to rise in all areas of life, it’s no surprise that more people than ever are looking into eco-friendly funerals. If your loved one was conscious of the environment, an eco-friendly funeral is a lovely way of taking their green approach further than just making a positive impact when they were alive. Here are some top ways to make sure a funeral is eco-friendly.

Consider a burial, not a cremation

While cremation tends to be a very popular option, it isn’t the most eco-friendly. Cremation can emit huge quantities of harmful gas into the air and isn’t very energy efficient. By opting for a burial it is a more natural process that doesn’t damage the environment. Many people also prefer the personalisation of a burial as it can take place in a more beautiful setting such as outside in a forest rather than a plain room.

Organise a green burial

A green burial is conducted with the aim to be as kind to the environment as possible. The embalming process tends to be forgoed and bodies are usually wrapped in biodegradable shrouds and then placed in the ground. Each step is planned with the idea to minimise any negative impact on the environment and reducing the carbon footprint.

Choose an eco-friendly coffin

There are many coffins out there, but when looking for an eco-friendly option, it's important to research the materials and the process by which it's created. Eco-friendly coffins are made from recycled or environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo, cardboard or willow. The paint and ink that decorates them, as well as the glue that binds them together, is also eco-friendly. 

Keep it local

The further people have to travel to get to the burial, the more emissions are being released into the environment. A simple way to help keep the funeral more eco-friendly is to have it closer to home, or where the majority of friends and family are. There are many natural burial grounds situated all around the UK for you to choose between. If you do need to travel, try and share transportation with others that are attending to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. One of the lovely things about natural burial grounds is that they aren't easily distinguishable between traditional forests and meadows, making it not only eco-friendly, but a beautiful place to lay your loved one to rest.

If you choose cremation, consider how to help the environment

If cremation is something that your loved one really wanted, think about how you can do it in a more eco-friendly way. Have the cremation locally and then choose to have their ashes in an eco-friendly urn. There are many to choose from, including those made from bamboo or card. You could also opt for a bio urn that grows a tree in combination with ashes or cremated remains. This can then be planted in a special place in memory of your loved one, leaving a beautiful tree and piece of nature to grow and flourish.

Request donations to a nature charity as opposed to cards and gifts

Cards and gifts can use a lot of paper and other materials which might not be sustainable or friendly for the environment. Instead, ask people to donate digitally to a nature charity or a charity that was close to your loved one’s heart. This is a meaningful way of giving back both to the one that has passed and to the environment.