Green Funerals & Death

Memorial Death Sayings

When we think about how to ‘green’ a funeral some of us picture a woodland burial and a woven willow coffin. This is becoming the ending of choice for the ecologically-minded, with new natural burial grounds opening every year. But there are many less obvious ways to have a ‘green’ send-off. You could try the following: pick garden flowers for the coffin, or use only local, seasonal flowers and compostable wreaths; wire, plastic and ‘oasis’ mean flowers cannot be composted: taking flowers to the tip costs the 244 crematoria in the UK £10,000-£12,000 each, every year, to say nothing of the cost to the environment.

Memorial Death Sayings

Go by bus or minivan, as taking numerous cars to a woodland burial site rather defeats some of the purpose. Even if you’re using the crematorium, consider organising a bus and some pick-up points. It may help create a sense of community as well. Halve your cremation emissions by refusing to embalm and use coffins made from jute, bamboo, wicker, willow, papier-mâché, cardboard, untreated pine, or a reusable coffin. There are some very beautiful and creative coffins for sale, or you can make or decorate one yourself.

Memorial Death Sayings

Dying can be a profound and sacred time where sadness and suffering are intermingled with joy and deep peace. Death can be graceful and peaceful, a deep learning and rich gift for all concerned, when there is someone to help ease and hold the fear and pain. Have a meaningful funeral, that’s very important. Keep all things in balance. Talking about dying, what’s being experienced and one’s true feelings about it, is at the heart of companioning the dying. A funeral is a final gift to a loved one. A good funeral can be satisfying, inspiring and moving, and give us a sense of belonging.

Memorial Death Sayings

Whether you are elderly and have a sense that death is not far off, or have a loved one who’s been given six weeks to live, having someone accompany you through the process can make a huge difference to your experience of death. Our society finds dealing with the subject of death difficult, so dying can be a lonely journey. Increasingly people are seeking truly appropriate and personal funeral services or ceremonies, ones that leave no doubt as to whose life is being honored.

Memorial Death Sayings

True individuality can be expressed through the choice of venue, type of coffin, music, readings and poems, symbols and decorations. A unique and relevant ceremony tends to unfold as we spend time reflecting on possibilities and reminiscing about your loved one. Make sure you know a cemetery’s conservation policy for planting trees and wild flowers. Ask crematorium staff if their waste metal from hip joints etc is recycled. £30-50,000 a year goes to UK charities from this recycling, but most crematoria don’t use the facility. Ask about reclaimed graves and common (earlier known as paupers’) graves; neither use virgin land space. Ask where the granite for your headstone comes from. It’s probably been shipped all the way from China; use local stone.

Memorial Death Sayings

People often speak about funerals that have left them feeling alienated, isolated and angry yet whatever the circumstances of the death, a funeral can be positive and healing. Grief and loss are not ignored, but take their place alongside remembering, gratitude and joy. What makes the difference is largely the degree of involvement on the part of the family and close friends in planning the funeral.

Memorial Death Sayings

A sense of satisfaction, togetherness and meaning comes from being involved in creating a funeral because feelings of grief have somewhere to go.

Free Questionnaires and Mini Courses are available on the 7 Words website (http://www.7words.co.uk/life-management/memorial_death_saying),
interactive fun with the “satisfaction index calculator” at http://www.7wordsassociates.org/memorial_death_sayings.php