FAQS

What is an eco-friendly funeral?

Conventional funerals can be very hard on the environment. Eco-friendly funerals do away with the elements that make this the case. Usually it involves preparing the deceased in a way that allows for natural decomposition in a natural environment, such as a managed parkland or bushland.

Sometimes the burial spot will be marked by a tree, rock or plaque. Other natural burial sites simply map the coordinates so that you can always find the spot where your loved one has been interred.

Over time, the body will become part of the soil, as all other living things do. This means that the same site can be used for multiple people over the decades and centuries.

 

Do you work with other providers?

We do. We can do everything, or just the steps that you need. Perhaps you have a funeral director who doesn’t offer natural burials and you need us to work with them to make that happen smoothly. Or else you have a very particular ceremony in mind in observance of cultural or religious traditions. Perhaps you simply want to purchase a biodegradable coffin from us. We can do all of that. We exist to make it easier for you to organise an eco-friendly funeral – in whatever ways you can manage.

 

Is a conventional burial bad for the environment?

In many ways, big and small, conventional burials are not sustainable. The processes of preparing a person for a conventional burial involves the use of toxic chemicals, which creates waste that’s toxic to the environment. Most coffins also contain non-biodegradable elements including plastics, lacquered wood, and even materials treated with preserving agents that would be toxic to the soil and groundwater. Traditional cemeteries are very resource intensive to maintain. They require enormous amounts of water, a particular problem for an Australian environment, and produce a surprising amount of carbon emissions.

 

Is embalming mandatory?

In most cases, embalming is entirely optional. However, if a deceased person needs to be transported, embalming may be required by law. There are other reasons you may choose to embalm your loved one, for example if the service must be delayed. We will happily guide you through your options.

Are funerals good for the environment?

Conventional funerals are not very environmentally friendly. The biggest strain on the environment comes from the use of landscaped cemeteries, the way the deceased is preserved and prepared for burial, and the materials used in conventional coffins.

There is a more sustainable way!

 

How much does an environmentally friendly funeral cost?

We have a wide range of packages to suit most budgets. If you’d like to organise an eco-friendly funeral but you’re worried about the cost, please get in touch.

 

Are cemeteries bad?

Absolutely not! There is nothing wrong with wanting to memorialise our loved ones, and it is very important to have traditions that mark the passing of life. However, as our values change as a society to further embrace sustainability and to adapt to the challenges of climate change, the cemeteries of the future will be a little different to what most of us are used to.

 

Do you do religious ceremonies?

We work with all denominations to provide a fitting and sustainable send off.

 

What is a natural burial site?

Natural burial sites, or natural cemeteries, are similar in some ways to conventional cemeteries. However, instead of landscaped plots, people are laid to rest in bushland that’s native to the area. These sites usually ban conventional coffins and sometimes embalming, too.

 

Can I pick any spot to bury my loved one?

There are a range of burial options that we can provide. However, it is against the law to bury a person outside of a demarcated burial site.

 

What can I do to make a funeral eco-friendly?

There are many things to consider when making a funeral sustainable. Many decisions go into making it possible: burial, preparing the deceased for burial, how the service is run, right down to where the flowers are bought and how printing is done.

 

What don’t funeral directors focus on sustainability?

Conventional funeral directors really are doing their best! It’s just that they’re working inside a set of burial and funeral traditions that don’t easily lend themselves to sustainability. This is changing, thought, and we’re part of that change.

 

Can I make a burial sustainable?

Yes! Natural burial practices make sure that everything put in the earth will decompose into organic matter that will fertilise the soil. This is the most meaningful way that you can make a burial sustainable.

 

Why have an environmentally friendly funeral?

There are many reasons for an environmentally friendly funeral. Perhaps you or your loved one tried to live a sustainable life. Why shouldn’t they also have a sustainable death? Values aside, it’s also worth thinking about how much space and resources conventional cemeteries use. An environmentally friendly burial ground can be reused for centuries