It’s Good To Be Green, Kermit
Written by Gary Holdgrafer
This is the second article of a series on green or natural burial from the Gabriola Green Burial Exploratory Committee (GGBEC).
Cremation and burial or scattering of ashes is common. It is believed to be eco-friendly but has significant environmental cost. A cremation is said to use the same amount of energy, with the same emissions, as two tanks of gas in a long automobile trip.
Green burial is the most environmentally friendly. It was practiced before the establishment of the modern funeral service industry in the early to mid-1900s with funeral homes, embalming and coffins contained in burial vaults. The toxic embalming fluid and the chemicals used in the manufacture of coffins are detrimental to the environment along with the metal and concrete in the ground. In green burial the body is buried directly in the earth to decompose naturally in biodegradable shrouds or coffins minimizing negative environmental impact.
The GGBEC is volunteered-based. It is Co-Chaired by Mary and Gary Holdgrafer, hosts of the Gabriola Death Cafe. Members include Jared Hooper, Chair of the Gabriola Cemetery Commission, Leah Prentice and Elfi Shaw, founders of the Gabriola Death Care Collective, community members Maureen Wild, Kristina Baerg as well as Laura-Jean Kelly and Cameron Murray who are also principles of Topographics Landscape Architecture.
We began meeting in December to learn more about green burial. The committee gathered resources and contacted Denman and Salt Spring Islands for advice. Committee members have made field trips to the natural cemeteries there.
We are cooperating with the Gabriola Cemetery Commission. They expressed support for a natural burial cemetery while continuing current services. There have been green burials there but it is not as a natural burial cemetery. We consulted with the Green Burial Society of Canada which has offered support.
The critical first challenge is finding suitable land having community acceptance and appropriate zoning. The current Gabriola Cemetery is on donated land as is the Natural Burial Cemetery on Denman Island. We are considering suggestions we have for land donation and welcome others.
There is movement among advocacy groups to dispel myths about green burials and educate the public. Cremation may be chosen because consumers have limited knowledge of green burial. There are requests for burial and scattering of ashes in natural burial cemeteries although it is not green. A study in a community offering green burial revealed that residents identified as environmentalists had little awareness of it.
The Green Burial Council (greenburialcouncil.org) is one such advocacy group. This organization offers an extensive list of FAQ on their website (What is green burial) in order to inform the public on the details of green burial and is highly recommended reading.
Our email address is naturalcemeterygabriola@gmail.com.
GGBEC was established at the request of Island Futures (IF) to explore the possibility of a green or natural burial cemetery on Gabriola with the support of IF.
