The National Home Funeral Alliance provides the following tips to guide families in making a decision on a home funeral option (National Home Funeral Alliance, 2015): ● Consider the condition of the body, the wishes of the deceased, and the level of comfort of those who will be caring for the body at home. ● A home funeral guide for preplanning is important. It is also possible to consult a funeral home that assists with home funerals. ● Know the state regulations regarding transportation, timelines, and burial on private land. Some states require a funeral director to assist with certificates and permits, such as a certified death certificate. ● Learn the principles of body care. Home funerals are typically handled by family members, but professional desairologists, that is, funeral cosmetologists, are trained to prepare a body and can be hired to help. The National Home Funeral Alliance and other home funeral organizations recommend preparing the body according to certain guidelines: Bodies need to be washed and kept cool to slow decomposition; if the time before burial is less than 24 hours, cold air conditioning may be enough; but for longer periods, cooling gels packs can be placed under the body. ● Consult books available to guide the home funeral process. 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 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. More people are choosing organic and/or fair trade flowers or flower alternatives, although only 20% of flowers sold in the U.S. are certified as eco-friendly and/or socially responsible (Flower Review, 2014). 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. ● 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).
to ban the practice. Most states have nearly eliminated any requirements that professionals play a role in funerals. It is now legal in all but nine states (Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York) to care for a family member after death (National Home Funeral Alliance, n.d.). The growth of community-based, nonprofit home funeral groups and the establishment of burial grounds that support home burial indicate an increasing demand. A number of books provide guidelines for families. By bringing the body home, embalming is avoided; family members may even build the casket. When they are ready for burial, family members can transport the body to a cemetery or call a funeral home to assist. A funeral home can help ensure that the person transporting the deceased has the proper permit and follows approved procedures regarding cooling and length of time before burial that may be required in their state. Funeral homes willing to accommodate home funerals can help put family members at ease regarding necessary documentation or decision making. Flexible funeral homes can provide the level of assistance needed. The number of backyard burials has increased dramatically in the past decades, as have the number of businesses that assist with these services. The FCA reported only 2 companies that aided families holding home funerals in 2002, but now there are more than 50 companies. Trends in green funeral resources Green funerals attempt to minimize resource consumption, practices associated with forest destruction, and unhealthy effects on the planet and workers, such as mainstream high-volume flower production. To address these problems, products can be certified as fair trade or environmentally neutral. Forest certification was launched in the twenty-first century to help protect forests from destructive logging practices. Like the “organic” sticker on produce, forest certification was intended as a seal of approval and as a means of notifying consumers that a wood or paper product comes from forests managed in accordance with strict environmental and social standards. Because flowers must enter the U.S. pes -free, farmers often saturate flowers with pesticides and other chemicals, many of which are banned or restricted in the U.S. 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. 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 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 be made of material that has been harvested in an environmentally friendly manner.
EliteLearning.com/Funeral
Book Code: FMA0825
Page 42
Powered by FlippingBook