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Direct Burial is Not Green Burial

9/3/2014

4 Comments

 
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A while ago, someone I know very causally had to make plans for a sudden death.  As it turned out, she made plans for a green burial.  The funeral director informed her that a green burial would mean burial within twenty-four hours and a small graveside service.  In fact, the state in which this took place; burial of a natural body can occur for some time following a death, providing the body is refrigerated or otherwise cared for.  When I heard about her choice I did not ask too many questions.  I knew this was not an easy death, and I did not want in any way make her feel like her choices were wrong.  I, who have so much education on this topic sometimes, have felt a little insecure when facing funeral director; I can imagine the trouble people have when they meet with a funeral director at the time of death. It is not an easy thing to do.  When you have few resources to draw upon, you might feel compelled to rely on the professional across the desk that tells you what he or she thinks is green burial.

From my secret shopping days I know that the industry resists natural bodies in open caskets.  Part of their formal education and the culture in which they work glorifies embalming.  Some in the conventional industry might truly wish to have green burial on their service lists, but might not know how to go about this.  Be aware of any services listed as green if the body must be buried immediately. If you are looking for an open casket funeral with a natural body, I recommend picking a green certified provider from the Green Burial Council.  Remember a body can be refrigerated for some time before a funeral.  I had a funeral director tell me a body could be refrigerated for 10 days before burial.  I think that sounds reasonable.  As another choice, a home funeral guide also knows how to maintain the body in the home before the funeral.  We have more options than we think.  Direct burial can be a green option, but only if the family wishes a swift burial.  For those who want a full funeral and burial, they and should be able to get what they want.

When we started Midwest Green Burial Society, we knew would have our hands full.  I look out at the industry and the amount of education that remains and I know this is the work I want to do.  I love opening people’s minds to the possibilities they thought were closed to them.   On the other hand we stand against nearly a hundred years of an industry doing what it pleases as it reeducated people into fearing the dead, and believing that embalming our beloved family members, placing them in an elaborate tomb best demonstrates our love for them.  I admit this is a difficult task, changing the tide and speaking plainly about death and simple burial options, but it is a task I readily take up. Someday we hope that attitudes will change and people will be free to celebrate and mourn the lives of those they love in simple ways of their choosing
4 Comments
Gordon Tulley link
9/3/2014 11:32:05 pm

Hi Very interesting slant but your title is misleading, we offer Direct Burial in our Green Burial Parks and have been doing for some time!
Perhaps you should consider changing the title to Direct Burial in a normal cemetery is Not a Green Burial.
Thank you in anticipation for considering correcting you title
www.respectgb.co.uk www.express-burials.co.uk
GT

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Caroline M Vuyadinov link
9/3/2014 11:42:56 pm

Thank you for your comment. If you read to the end, I do say that there are those who desire direct burial as a green option, and that people should have what they want.

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maggie
2/6/2015 12:10:20 am

i recently found out about green funerals and i am trying to get much info i can on this ,i live in ohio and only reason i found out about green funerals was because i watched all the episodes of "6 feet under" recently and i really want a green funeral for myself when my time comes.do u know of any places in Ohio Valley that would fulfill my request?

Don Byrne link
9/4/2014 09:47:29 am

Thanks for these helpful words and anecdotes, Caroline.

For thousands of years, humans have, as a way to honor their dead, been pouring valuable resources into the ground. Think grave goods. So I, too, would not ever want to make a family feel bad about their choices -- expensive and modern, frugal and green, cremation, whatever. However, as a green burial/home funeral advocate, I do want to nudge the assemblage point of our collective talk about burial towards more green and more sustainable. Perhaps in our day and age we don't need to spend a lot to honor the dead. As one person put it at a green burial event I attended in Durham, NC, "Don't judge my love for my dad by how much I spent on his funeral!" -- Don from Piedmont Pine Coffins.

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    Caroline Vuyadinov


    I graduated from St. Vladamir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York with a Master of Divinity.  I trained as a chaplain following graduation and worked with a wide variety of people. 

    When I moved to Canada, I began work in a women's halfway house in Hamilton, Ontario which worked with women in conflict with the law on a federal level.  I became the program manager and  loved working alongside the women, creating their plans for their reintegration back to the community.  I also worked as a liaison with the parole board, parole officers and other community service providers.

    Upon my return to the United States, I worked in the Death Care Industry as a Family Service Counselor, which lead me to become a green burial advocate. I co-founded Midwest Green Burial Society with Juliann Salinas. I speak  to community groups and have developed practical seminars for a variety of audiences.  I have been interviewed on a national podcast and was featured on a WGN spot dealing with green burial. 

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