The Season of Creation (September 1-October 4, 2023) recognizes that humanity has been entrusted with the care of the earth. It presents the church with new opportunities to reflect on the meaning of our embodied lives and how they can positively impact this world that God loves. In the present day, some people are asking themselves whether we can continue to care for the earth even after our death. The growing interest in natural, or green burial offers a response to this question.
Green burial is as simple and environmentally friendly as possible. It returns bodies to the earth covered in natural fabric shrouds or in a coffin made of biodegradable materials, such as cardboard, wicker or light wood. Chemical embalming fluids are not used, nor do non-biodegradable concrete, steel, fibreglass, or plastics go into the grave. Burial grounds can be meadow-like places, with indigenous species and wildflowers making them publicly attractive. Rather than a headstone, green burial involves having a modest, natural stone or a communal marker for the graves. Nevertheless, relatives can easily find a grave, because the place of each one is registered by the cemetery and often trackable through GPS coordinates.
Many environmentally sensitive people choose cremation rather than burial today. But even the most responsible single cremation releases between 300 to 600 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — more than what an average gas-powered car emits in a month! That is a significant contribution to greenhouse gases.
The focus of natural burial, however, goes beyond this. Natural burial also contributes to land conservancy. It fits in well with a theology that celebrates embodied life. Our bodies can be a blessing, not a blight, on the earth. As they decompose over several years, they release rich nutrients into the soil, replenishing it for growth on the surface. Research has shown that this restores natural habitats and contributes to land conservation, maintaining green on the urban fringe, or supporting forest adjacent to conserved land. As well, some biologists argue that natural burial’s potential for encouraging biodiversity and preventing loss of species is considerable.
And it is not just about earth care. Green burial can also be an occasion for community — for family and friends to be directly involved with deathcare. Aileen Stewart is a deathcare guide in Kingston, Ontario. In her role of helping people plan for death, she points out that “we can still speak to our families now about what matters most to us for our after-deathcare.” In this respect, natural burial presents a unique opportunity for families to be involved in the care of those they love at the end of life. Have you considered the environment in your plans for how your family will say goodbye when your time comes?
Presently, sites for natural burial in Ontario are not common. Within the Diocese of Ontario, however, there are sites available at Glenwood Cemetery in Picton. Moreover, the City of Kingston has recently approved plans for green burial to take place in its Pine Grove Cemetery. These are local manifestations of a movement that has been steadily growing over the past decades in North America and Europe. In fact, what green burial represents is not simply a commitment to the future but also a return to a venerable past. In most times and in most cultures, as our indigenous brothers and sisters can tell us, natural burial has been the most common way to return our bodies to the earth.
An introduction to natural burial will take place on Sept. 17, 2023 from 2:30-4:00 pm at St. James Anglican Church, Kingston. All are welcome to come and learn more.
More information is available through Green Burial Kingston and through the Natural Burial Association.
Environmentally friendly green burials
Natural burials minimize impact on local environment and contribute to land conservancy, greenhouse gas reduction and ecological sustainability
The Season of Creation (September 1-October 4, 2023) recognizes that humanity has been entrusted with the care of the earth. It presents the church with new opportunities to reflect on the meaning of our embodied lives and how they can positively impact this world that God loves. In the present day, some people are asking themselves whether we can continue to care for the earth even after our death. The growing interest in natural, or green burial offers a response to this question.
Green burial is as simple and environmentally friendly as possible. It returns bodies to the earth covered in natural fabric shrouds or in a coffin made of biodegradable materials, such as cardboard, wicker or light wood. Chemical embalming fluids are not used, nor do non-biodegradable concrete, steel, fibreglass, or plastics go into the grave. Burial grounds can be meadow-like places, with indigenous species and wildflowers making them publicly attractive. Rather than a headstone, green burial involves having a modest, natural stone or a communal marker for the graves. Nevertheless, relatives can easily find a grave, because the place of each one is registered by the cemetery and often trackable through GPS coordinates.
Many environmentally sensitive people choose cremation rather than burial today. But even the most responsible single cremation releases between 300 to 600 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — more than what an average gas-powered car emits in a month! That is a significant contribution to greenhouse gases.
The focus of natural burial, however, goes beyond this. Natural burial also contributes to land conservancy. It fits in well with a theology that celebrates embodied life. Our bodies can be a blessing, not a blight, on the earth. As they decompose over several years, they release rich nutrients into the soil, replenishing it for growth on the surface. Research has shown that this restores natural habitats and contributes to land conservation, maintaining green on the urban fringe, or supporting forest adjacent to conserved land. As well, some biologists argue that natural burial’s potential for encouraging biodiversity and preventing loss of species is considerable.
And it is not just about earth care. Green burial can also be an occasion for community — for family and friends to be directly involved with deathcare. Aileen Stewart is a deathcare guide in Kingston, Ontario. In her role of helping people plan for death, she points out that “we can still speak to our families now about what matters most to us for our after-deathcare.” In this respect, natural burial presents a unique opportunity for families to be involved in the care of those they love at the end of life. Have you considered the environment in your plans for how your family will say goodbye when your time comes?
Presently, sites for natural burial in Ontario are not common. Within the Diocese of Ontario, however, there are sites available at Glenwood Cemetery in Picton. Moreover, the City of Kingston has recently approved plans for green burial to take place in its Pine Grove Cemetery. These are local manifestations of a movement that has been steadily growing over the past decades in North America and Europe. In fact, what green burial represents is not simply a commitment to the future but also a return to a venerable past. In most times and in most cultures, as our indigenous brothers and sisters can tell us, natural burial has been the most common way to return our bodies to the earth.
An introduction to natural burial will take place on Sept. 17, 2023 from 2:30-4:00 pm at St. James Anglican Church, Kingston. All are welcome to come and learn more.
More information is available through Green Burial Kingston and through the Natural Burial Association.
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