Estate Planning

Eco-Funerals - Green to the Grave

By Hull & Hull LLP

We all know of ways to lead a greener life, but how about ways to go green after you leave the Earth?  Eco-friendly funerals have been steadily gaining momentum among those who wish to live, and die, in the most environmentally conscious way.

Although the rising trend in eco-funerals is a relatively new phenomenon in North America, Britain has been a leader in the area for some time.  In fact, new legislation in the UK has further encouraged the trend by requiring reductions in the mercury content of plastics and treatments used in coffins starting in 2010.  All biodegradable coffins will meet the new standards.  Recent studies have also suggested that cremation is less eco-friendly than burial, with the average male body producing as much carbon dioxide during a cremation as one dozen cars attending a funeral.

So what exactly makes a funeral eco-friendly?  Green funerals do not embalm bodies with chemical preservatives, but rather dress them in clothes made from natural fibers and place them in cardboard coffins.  Although they are more challenging to handle (especially when they are wet), they biodegrade within 3 months.  Trees or shrubs are often used to mark individual plots, rather than marble tombstones, as marble is not a renewable resource.  Irrigation and pesticides are not used.

Like any eco-friendly choice, going green comes down to values and priorities, not price.  Even the smaller details in your funeral planning, such as using fuel efficient cars instead of limousines in a funeral procession, can make a big impact if enough people take the initiative.  Find out more about eco-funerals in Canada and elsewhere around the world here.   

Be sure to notify your family and friends of your intentions if you are considering an eco-funeral, and reflect those wishes in your estate planning documents as well.

Sarah Hyndman Fitzpatrick

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on May 16, 2008 (boomark / email).