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It's no longer enough to live a greener life — now people are being encouraged to be environmentally friendly when they leave the Earth too.
Cardboard coffins, shell-shaped urns and fireworks that can be packed with people's ashes were met by smiles at the Natural Death Center's Green Funeral Exhibition Saturday in London.
"People are trying to think about what's the best way to live and with that, what's the best way to die," said Roslyn Cassidy, a funeral director for Green Endings.
People know funerals can be expensive, Cassidy said. "So they want to spend that money greenly."
However, funeral directors say there are misconceptions about the costs of a green funeral. Some people expect them to be as cheap as a do-it-yourself project, while others expect price hikes similar to what grocers charge for fair trade food.
Green funerals can be as opulent and expensive — or as low key and cheap — as any traditional funeral. The Natural Death Center has a handbook for green funerals and has set nonbinding environmental targets for cemeteries. "You can take any funeral and make it greener," said Michael Jarvis, the center's director.
In a green funeral, bodies are not embalmed and are dressed in pure fiber clothes. Green campaigners say refrigeration or dry ice is a better alternative to (1) formaldehyde, which can seep into the water system.
Cassidy described small details as being important for green funerals, such as using smaller cars instead of limousines in funeral processions.
Biodegradable coffins also differ from the traditional mahogany. Cardboard coffins — which are as thick as their wooden counterparts —can be decorated by family and biodegrade within three months.
"The trouble is, they are a bit ungainly to use," said Oakfield Wood burial ground director Oliver Peacock. "They're not terribly easy to handle and if it's wet, they don't look their best either."
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