pesticides or other chemicals, which eliminates a major threat to the health of farmers and workers. Fair trade ensures that farmers are adequately compensated for their product and guarantees humane labor conditions, which often include chemical-free growing conditions. Natural funerals may also try to cut down on transportation resources by reducing the number of cars in a funeral procession or by using hybrid vehicles. Funerals with graveside services might rent passenger vans or arrange for families to carpool to reduce carbon emissions. There are even green limousines and car services for funeral cortèges, which can avoid some carbon emissions. Green cars, limousines, and shuttle services can be hybrids, or they can use biodiesel or compressed natural gas (CNG). Having the memorial-related locations contained to a small geographic area also cuts down on transportation costs and the use of resources. Often, good planning will allow a green funeral to maximize efficiency and minimize waste. be made of material that has been harvested in an environmentally friendly manner. ● Finishes and adhesives cannot contain plastics, acrylics, or synthetic polymeric materials, and they cannot release toxic byproducts. ● Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation of materials at any point in the manufacturing chain must be offset through a recognized program (GBC, 2016). willow, bamboo, sea grass, and fibers into woven containers and sew fabric shrouds of organic cotton, silk, and hemp. Each year, more natural versions of traditional funeral goods appear. While eco-friendly supplies for burial were previously sourced from outside the United States, more U.S. manufacturers are now taking part. Purchasing simple wooden caskets and fabric shrouds not only supports local businesses but also reduces the need for fossil fuels in shipping heavy metal and wooden caskets. ● Biodegradable casket that is not made of endangered tropical wood. ● No vault. Most green cemeteries do not resemble traditional cemeteries, that is, green manicured lawns and headstones lined up neatly. Natural cemeteries tend to look more like nature preserves, with trees, grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. There are often walking paths leading visitors to burial areas, with inconspicuous, engraved stones marking individual burial sites. Other common features of natural cemeteries include the following: ● Excavation of the burial site is usually by hand to minimize impacts on the surrounding land and to protect native plant diversity. ● Earth is mounded on top of the gravesite, and the mound eventually disappears as the earth settles. Native grasses, flowers, trees, or shrubs may be planted on the mound to quickly rehabilitate the site. ● Caskets and burial shrouds must be made of biodegradable materials. No hardwood caskets are allowed. ● Grave markers are simple, engraved stones indigenous to the area. Sometimes a native tree or shrub is planted instead. To ensure family members will always be able
Because flowers must enter the United States pest-free, farmers often saturate flowers with pesticides and other chemicals, many of which are banned or restricted in the United States. Unfortunately, flower imports are not inspected for pesticide residues because they are not food products. As a result, these chemicals enter the soil, blow across landscapes, and enter the air via evaporation. Once chemicals leak into groundwater and soil, they can enter ecological food chains. They can also adversely affect pollinators, including bees. Organic and local flower growers reduce the carbon and chemical footprint of flowers but tend to cost more than noncertified bouquets because the cost of growing them is higher. Premiums are often added for community development projects in flower farming communities. While organic flowers are not necessarily fair trade, and vice versa, these two green attributes help protect the health and livelihood of flower farmers. Buying organic means purchasing a product that has not been treated with Product sales associated with green funerals Green funerals and burials typically require a number of products whose sales are growing along with the green demand. This trend is likely to continue, with merchandising becoming an increasingly important part of overall sales. The Green Burial Council (GBC) sets product certification standards that include the following. ● All GBC-approved caskets, urns, and shrouds must be constructed from recycled, reclaimed, or renewable materials that are biodegradable. They can also Trends in green product manufacture and sales More companies and individuals are undertaking for the industrialized funeral sector what organic farmers and food producers accomplished for the agricultural arena, that is, meeting consumer demand for alternatives that challenge conventional practices that may have a detrimental environmental impact. These natural grave products are stimulating a renaissance in the weaving arts, with handcrafted and recycled paper and alternative fibers being made into caskets and coffins. Artists fashion Natural cemeteries Given the increase in individuals requesting natural burials, the need for natural grounds to accommodate these requests will also increase. Creating natural burial grounds is also a way to address limited burial space and increase open space with recreational vegetative areas. The United Kingdom, for example, utilizes natural burial sites to replenish countrysides with woodlands and grassy meadows. In the next few decades, green cemeteries will provide a unique opportunity to mix commercial use and land conservation. Sites that had previous uses, for example, quarries or industrial sites, may be rehabilitated to some extent, and traditional cemeteries with undeveloped land may eventually be open to green burials. Natural grounds do not allow embalming chemicals, metal caskets, or reinforced cement with the body. Like natural burials, the goal is to use as few resources as possible to allow the body to decompose quickly. Since 2005, the Green Burial Council has certified green cemeteries and funeral homes that follow their guidelines, and many more locations are offering natural or green burial options without certification. While different cemeteries have different standards for what they will allow to be buried with the body, minimum green burial standards typically require: ● No embalming fluids.
Page 41
Book Code: FTX1626
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
Powered by FlippingBook