We had the privilege of speaking about green burials last night at Making Choices Michigan, a local non-profit organization that helps people determine their end-of-life preferences, document those preferences in an advance directive (AD) and develop a system for storing and retrieving the AD.
For centuries we have buried our dead. Today, more than half of all Americans choose cremation. However, with increased concern about “carbon footprints," more people are interested in learning about green burial. Last night we discussed a variety of topics, including:
- What happens when someone is cremated?
- What is the difference between green burial and regular interment?
- What are the cemetery regulations regarding green burial?
- What is a “green casket?”
- What is a home funeral?
- When do I need a funeral representative?
- What is a death doula?
It is our responsibility to educate people on the variety of end-of-life options that are available to them. Some of those, like a green burial or a home funeral, may be something individuals have never considered or even knew anything about.
Check out the video from the BBC that we showed during the presentation.
