The larger part of the UK population can now see the adverse effect that traditional burials have had on immediate environments. Most of them are now opting for green burials to counter the long-time effects of conventional burials. Ideally, this follows the recent championing for green solutions, which has been cutting across most, if not all, industries of late. Now, every industry is creating regulations for reducing environmental pollution. There are more and more campaigns for using clean energy and sustainable food sources. In the same manner, give forethought to how you plan the funerals of your loved ones. You can make that final send off more worthwhile. Use environmentally-conscious burial solutions.
Why Green Burials?
Green burial systems focus on reducing elements that traditional burial methods have been using over the years. Any burial planning that works towards reducing these elements qualifies as a green burial system, however small that may be. Well, you can consider only embalming the body of your deceased loved. But, some people may find this tending towards the extreme green burial movement. For such, you can arrange for wooden coffins which easily and quickly degrade when budgeting for your pre-paid funeral plans. The more degradable materials that your burial technique uses, the greener it is.
Is This Another New Movement?
No. Green burials had, for long, been what families in the UK used in the past before funeral home became commonplace. People only bathed and dressed the body, and placed it in a biodegradable box. The family members would then bury their loved ones in their family land. In the same spirit, cemeteries of this age that have adopted green burials need grave markers to be of local stone. You also can use wood or any other natural materials. Granite and marble, however, do not pass for this category as using them do not leave the landscape undisturbed. You should only use engraved stones, flowering plants, shrubs, and trees as markers.
The Compromise
In most cases, you will hardly find yourself with any choice but to sign up for pre-paid funeral plans in a traditional cemetery. If it has been your family’s final resting place, you do not have much of your choice here. That, however, does not mean you cannot adopt an eco-friendlier approach to their traditional burial methods. You can discuss with your funeral service provider to determine how best you can achieve that. Typically, it might include opting for embalming in place of the traditional body preservation methods. Insist on using non-toxic embalming compounds. You also can request to use biodegradable burial boxes instead of the ones from toxic or undegradable materials. You can use a shroud alone, too, to replace the burial boxes.
Conclusion: Green over Traditional Burial
It is no longer news in the UK to learn that cemeteries use concrete liners to house caskets during burials. But, such burial techniques are only contributing to environmental pollution all the more. If you have to use a gravemarker for your loved one, make one with the most minimum dimensions that the cemetery allows. Further, insist that the monument builder uses indigenous than imported gravestones.