Eco-Friendly Funerals

As people become more cognisant of their impact on the environment, eco friendly funerals are becoming ever more popular. For those who strive to reduce their carbon footprint in life, it only makes sense to incorporate concern for the environment into the final arrangements. If you want to plan this kind of funeral, it pays to take some time and consider every aspect of your funeral arrangements. This includes not only the disposition of your remains, but also other elements of the funeral, like flower arrangements.

The goal of eco funeral services is to return the body to the earth as naturally as possible. Many people look at cremation as a green alternative to burial, but is it? While cremation does create less waste because no casket or burial ground is needed, it does involve a sizable carbon footprint. Cremations use a significant amount of energy, but there are amendments that can be made to the cremation process to make it a greener process. One way to make it more environmentally friendly is to skip the embalming process before cremation. Another is to use electric cremators, which use renewable energy. Green burials are natural, typically taking place in a green space like a wildflower meadow or a protected forest.

Green funerals are extremely flexible and allow for a great deal of customisation options. To make the burial as environmentally-friendly as possible, choose a natural burial, without embalming, or with a lower index embalming fluid. Use a natural casket or shroud instead of a traditional coffin, and have the body buried at a natural burial site or green cemetery. One beautiful option is to have a simple, personalised service in a scenic location, and plant a tree or flowers instead of using a headstone or memorial.

All of these elements — the embalming fluid, coffin and memorial — make a difference in how a funeral impacts the environment. Traditional coffins are made from wood and metal, often using woods like mahogany and cherry, which take decades to replenish. Natural caskets and shrouds use biodegradable, eco-friendly materials, like bamboo and willow. When a body is buried without embalming, in a way that allows it to naturally return to the earth, natural habitats remain undisturbed, and the tree or flowers planted as a memorial marker encourage biodiversity. Beyond benefiting the environment, green burials are typically less expensive than traditional funerals, because the process is not as labour intensive, and the coffin materials are not as costly.

It may not have occurred to you, but traditional funeral flowers are not sustainable because they’re made with plastic floral foam. They are set in single use plastic, and once the flowers die, the end-of-life arrangements often remain at the cemetery for a long time, deteriorating and leaching microplastics into the environment. What’s more, they contribute to the problem of groundwater contamination created by cemeteries. So, what is the alternative? The solution is simple: ask for arrangements that use only plant matter, like a hand-tied sheaf. If you prefer a traditional look, talk to the funeral home about eco-friendly alternatives to foam, made of natural fibres or mineral-based supports, which can create a traditional look without the traditional issues.

At Bridgwater Funeral Services, we embrace the concept of green and woodland burials. We offer natural burials in which the headstones are replaced by trees or wildflowers, creating havens for wildlife, bees, or butterflies. Our green and woodland burial sites are in some of the most peaceful, beautiful settings in the country. The burial site we most often use it the area we have in Westcombe Hill Nature Reserve. This gorgeous property is based in Somerton, and you can find more information about it here.

Given the rigorous regulations and safety measures in place, Golden Charter funeral plans are considered extremely safe. The FCA regulations ensure that the company operates to the highest standards, providing confidence to its consumers. The secure management of funds and the clear information provided further enhance the safety of these plans. Customers can rest assured that their investment is protected, and their funeral wishes will be honoured at the time of death. This regulation by the FCA also means that there is a complaint procedure in place, allowing customers to raise concerns and have them addressed in a structured manner.

No matter how you want to plan your funeral, particularly if you are interested in green burials and sustainable flower arrangements, choose funeral services from a business with experience, compassion, and strong ties to the community. Founded in 2002 by Nigel Gillard, Bridgwater Funeral Services Limited, in the centre of Bridgwater, Somerset, is a family business that provides personal service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nigel has been working in the funeral business for over 15 years, and his daughter Corrinne Foster, who is the highest qualified Funeral Director in the area, assists in running the business. We are committed to taking care of all funeral arrangements, welcoming our clients into a professional, friendly environment, with a luxurious waiting room and a beautiful Chapel of Rest. We offer Green and Woodland burials, horse-drawn funerals, military funerals, and services in all religious denominations as well as non-religious and humanist life celebrations. We also offer low-cost funerals and Golden Charter pre-paid funeral plans. If you have queries about the services we offer, or you just need help and advice, please do not hesitate to call us at 01278 457755, pop into our office on Bristol Road, or contact us through our website.