Holding An Environmentally-Friendly Funeral

When a loved one passes away, it is common to want to honour them with a memorial or a funeral service. Many people are now looking at the traditional funeral a bit differently, though. They want to remember their loved ones while still holding an environmentally-friendly service that won’t do damage to the environment. 

How can you go about holding a funeral that pays respect to your loved one but also is easy on the environment?  Learn more about how you can host an environmentally-friendly funeral here: 

Skip the Flowers

For many people, their first thought when they hear that someone has passed is that they should send flowers. Flowers can be a thoughtful tribute, but that money may be better spent in other areas that make a bigger impact. 

Instead of requesting that mourners send flowers, send a short note requesting donations to a charity that your loved one was actively involved in. Donating money in their honour is a great and eco-friendly way to pay tribute to their legacy. 

Eco-Friendly Urns or Caskets

No matter whether your loved one requested a direct cremation or a more traditional burial, you can impact the environment by choosing an environmentally-friendly urn or casket for them. You will have many options for the material, including bamboo, banana leaf, cardboard, seagrass, and more. These types of caskets and urns are more biodegradable and have a lesser impact on the world around them. 

Alternatively, you may be able to rent a casket if your loved one requested a traditional funeral service followed by cremation. This cuts back on waste and allows you to select something nice for them without having to worry about the environmental impact of burying the casket. As a perk, it also tends to cut back on the cost of a funeral service. 

Transportation

A funeral procession can be made up of many cars, each using gasoline to transport themselves from one stage of the funeral to the next. One way to combat this is to request that attendees ride their bicycles to the funeral home, burial site, or scattering location. If the distance is too far for them to walk or bike, then you can request car sharing. 

Avoid Paper Products

Many families choose to have memorial pamphlets, hymn books, and other documents printed for guests to take and remember their loved ones. However, this creates a great deal of paper and tree waste. Instead of having Order of Service sheets printed, you can create a digital landing page where attendees can view the information on their smartphones. For those who don’t have smartphones, you can email them the documents ahead of time. 

If you do decide to print out some of these documents, make sure to use recycled paper! 

Choosing Direct Cremation

If you’re interested in direct cremation in Winnipeg, Alterna Cremation offers the packages you need. Our locally-owned funeral home can help you plan the direct cremation services that bring honour to your loved one’s memory. Give us a call today to learn about how we can help you.