I am extremely supportive of offering families a greener alternative in Funerals.

We know from many sources that there is a global movement towards green burials.

Natural burial means no headstone, no embalming, no fancy furnished coffin, and no 'six feet under' either.

Centennial Park Cemetery chief executive Bryan Elliott said that every cremation created around 160 kg (353 pounds) of carbon dioxide, compared to 39 kg of carbon dioxide for each burial. But when the cost of maintaining grave sites, mostly covered by lawns at Centennial Park, is taken into account, cremations came out 10 percent greener than burials.

What about the latest option of 'aquamation'. QLD has a centre opening on the Gold Coast - little is known yet as to it's environmental impact.
Zenith Virago, death consultant and president of the Natural Death Centre Australia in Byron Bay is a wonderful example of someone who has supported the alternative funeral concept for many years.

A greener alternative can take many forms:

From the car that takes you to the ceremony, to coffins made from woven wicker, plantation pine or recycled cardboard.

The venue of the funeral - this can be any option you wish. Australians have been conditioned to believe the only option we have is to sit in dreary dark chapels. This is not the only option we have. There are many gorgeous venues that offer a better alternative. Why not consider a special venue - outside.

Many people do not realise that in many cases you can have the body at home until the funeral - and some families even apply to have the body buried n their private property. It is possible to bury someone on your own private property, and not in a cemetery. For more detail on this you would need to contact your local council to enquire about their policy for burial on private ground. Please note it is imperative that you comply with council regulations.

To bury a person on private land there are a few things that will be taken into account :

• the size of the land
• making sure the person who owns the land has given permission
• you will be required to register the grave site on the DP (Deposited Plan of the property),
• the Health Dept will have to approve the selected spot
• and the grave must be dug to the approved depth, with a minimum clearance from the lid.

Building a coffin

All bodies that are buried or cremated must be in a coffin at the time of disposal, unless approval is granted by the Director General. (For example, many Muslims are granted approval for burial in a shroud.) The Regulations do not specify any design restrictions but the funeral industry is currently producing some guidelines. This is to make sure that coffins meet logistic requirements such as fitting standard grave dimensions, or cremators, and meeting occupational health and safety requirements.

All coffins for cremation must have a fixed, but easy to remove nameplate, that is used in tracking the identity of the remains through the cremation process. It is possible to build your own coffin, to purchase a cardboard coffin from interstate, or to purchase a bamboo coffin from overseas. However, it may be difficult to find a funeral director who is prepared to use a coffin that they have not supplied. Cardboard coffins are legal and accepted throughout Australia.

Decorating a Coffin

Over the years I've seen many beautifully decorated coffins. Some are painted and decorated with a variety of things and others were covered with hand made quilts. The The DIY Coffin from LifeArt is finished in white recycled paper suitable for artwork using decoupage, crayons, oil pastels, charcoal, felt pen, oil paints, acrylic paints.

So that prompts the BIG question : WHY USE A FUNERAL DIRECTOR?

There is no legal requirement to use a funeral director. So why not think about how you could handle this yourself. There are many options avaialble to you and your family - with a little planning and the assistance of others (a good celebrant) you could handle most of it yourself.

What are ways that you can reduce the impact on the environment?

• One thing that you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your final rest, is to skip the embalming process, have a closed casket funeral ceremony and a quick burial. This is often a preferred way to go for green funerals. Embalming uses highly toxic agents to slow the body’s decomposition. This is done mainly for the benefit of loved ones and isn’t absolutely necessary for a closed casket service, especially if burial is accomplished soon after death. By avoiding the embalming process, you avoid release of toxic agents, either through the soil or in the atmosphere.
• Have an environmentally friendly casket/coffin made. Have a coffin constructed from bamboo, jute, or even cardboard. These materials degrade much faster than hardwood. You even have the choice of using a biodegradable urn, if you wish.
• Have your order of service made from recycled paper.
• Order flowers that have been grown organically.
• Carpool from the funeral service to final site.
• Any step that can be taken to lessen the impact of the event upon the environment is a green initiative.

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