- The Observer,
- Sunday May 20 2001
Apart from arranging to donate organs when you die, you can also help the living after your death by opting for an environment-friendly funeral. These green funerals normally involve the planting of a tree as a memorial instead of a concrete headstone, so they are helping to provide more woodland in the UK.
Although you can choose to be cremated and have your ashes scattered, a burial is more ecologically sound, according to Stephanie Wienrich of The Natural Death Centre in London.
She says: 'Cremations not only use up considerable amounts of energy but also create toxins both from the cremation process itself and such things as the burning of the mercury in people's fillings.' Biodegradable materials need to be used in burials and nowadays it is increasingly easy to obtain simple cotton shrouds or cardboard or wicker coffins that break down quickly.
The demand for green burials has increased rapidly over the past eight years. In 1993, there was only one woodland burial ground in the UK. Now there are over 130, run by farmers, wildlife charities and local authorities. A few even collect the body and drive it to the site. For Londoners there are three within range that offer this service: Greenhaven near Rugby, Northants; Hinton Park near Christchurch, Hampshire; and Oakfield near Manningtree, Essex. Their prices range from £570 to £1,248.
A good starting point if you are interested in a green funeral is The New Natural Death Handbook (£13.50 inc p&p) available from the Natural Death Centre (020 8208 2853). It gives details of woodland burial grounds, cardboard coffins, organising a green funeral, advance funeral wishes forms and so on. It discusses ways of buying a funeral in advance, although the centre does not recommend prepayment because of the potential for a trust or foundation to go bust. Instead it advises setting aside money in a savings account set up for the purpose.
Of the mass market plans it suggests a Golden Charter scheme, which is available from small independent funeral directors. Its cheapest Standard Way plan costs £1,110. The Woodland Trust is paid to plant a tree for each plan bought.
