Green Burials: A Natural Option for Your Final Resting Place

This summer my husband and I made a day trip to Pembroke to visit a very special cemetery. The Locksley and Calvin United Church Cemetery on B-line Road in Pembroke looks like any other cemetery, but tucked in the back corner of the cemetery is something you can’t find in Ottawa. What this cemetery has is an area designated for green burials.

What is a Green Burial?

So what is a green, or natural, burial? Green Burial Ottawa Valley defines it as: “… a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that furthers such legitimate ecological aims as:

• the conservation of natural resources,
• reduction of carbon emissions,
• protection of worker health (embalmers and medical professionals who use formaldehyde), and
• the restoration and/or preservation of habitat”

A Meadow, Not a Manicured Lawn

Here is a picture that I took while standing in the middle of this beautiful cemetery:

It looks like a meadow of gorgeous native flowers. As soon as I saw it I knew that this was something very different and something that I want for myself one day.

Unlike other cemeteries, in this green burial cemetery there is no manicured lawn that requires frequent mowing, watering, herbicides or pesticides to keep it beautiful. Something else unusual is that there are no grave markers. This is because only natural resources can be used in a green burial cemetery, such as using a stone as a grave marker. However, given the tall wildflowers growing everywhere, stones wouldn’t be visible and would be a tripping hazard. Instead of gravestones, each green burial lot is assigned a number and can be found using a large cemetery map.

Why I Think Green Burials Matter

A green burial is important to me because I care about the environmental impacts of my death. Just as death is a natural part of existence, I would like my end-of-life decisions to be as natural and harm-free as possible.

Unlike green burials, traditional burials often include toxins in the preservation process. Over time, these chemicals leach out of the casket into the soil and groundwater. As well, traditional caskets are typically made with hardwood and steel. Cremation can also harm the environment. A cremation typically uses natural gas or propane at extremely high temperatures and releases CO2 into the atmosphere. Other pollutants that may be released into the air include vaporized dental mercury as well as toxic chemicals contained in the casket.

Planning a Green Burial: Things to Consider

These are some of the considerations when planning a green burial:

1. Will the body be buried in a shroud, a wooden casket or a natural casket? Whichever coffin or shroud is chosen, it must be made from natural, 100% biodegradable materials, free from toxic finishes, synthetic glues, plastics or metal hardware. If a shroud is chosen, the back board used to lower the body into the ground must also be 100% biodegradable.
2. How much or how little will a funeral home be involved? It is completely legal in Ontario for families of a deceased loved one to perform all the tasks involved with their burial. That can include washing and preparing the body; transporting the body to the cemetery; performing the ceremony at the grave site; and completing the necessary government paperwork. On the other hand, all of these steps can be handled by a funeral home. In Pembroke, all the local funeral homes are familiar with the requirements of a green burial at Locksley and Calvin United Church Cemetery.
3. How soon after death will the green burial take place? Although no formaldehyde can be used, it is possible to delay the burial for a week or more, as funeral homes use refrigeration or dry ice to keep the body cool.
4. Which cemetery is right for me? As in the case of any decision regarding a final resting place, one must consider location and cost. Unfortunately, as of today, there are no green burial cemeteries in Ottawa, so location is a bit more complicated. Beechwood Cemetery is planning a green burial section, but it remains to be seen what this will look like and when it will be ready.

For more information on green burials, you can check out The Green Burial Society of Canada, which serves as the country-wide organization focused on establishing standards, approving providers, and promoting eco-conscious end-of-life options across Canada.

Looking Ahead

When I saw the beautiful Locksley and Calvin United Cemetery I knew that a green burial is what I want for myself, and I shared my wishes with my family. Now I am waiting to see whether there will be a green burial cemetery in Ottawa. I am hopeful that the beautiful Beechwood Cemetery will have an area just as natural and beautiful as the one I found in Pembroke.

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