Are you looking for affordable green funeral options?
We understand that organising a funeral can be expensive, we also understand that many of our families are wanting a green, more eco-friendly funeral so they can leave a lighter foot-print on the earth when they die.
Greenhaven Funerals can assist with both of these options!
We are proud to be recognised as one of Melbourne’s leading independent funeral service providers that specialises in offering green, eco-friendly funerals to our local communities here in Melbourne.
We have lots of ideas to share with you about keeping funerals green, eco-friendly and affordable!
COFFINS: Choose a coffin made from natural, sustainable materials. This can mean coffins made from hand-woven wicker or untreated, sustainably grown timber. For some people keeping it green means NOT using timber for a coffin and using recycled cardboard.
We have these as well!!
FLORAL SHEATH FOR THE COFFIN: Create your own floral arrangement using cuttings from the garden or leaves and branches from grown locally.
CARE: Request that you or your loved one NOT be embalmed when you die. Embalming is not a mandatory process for your body to be subjected to as part of your care and preparation . Feel free to discuss this issue with your funeral care provider and if you feel strongly about the embalming process, request that this is not part of your preparation.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES: Using recycled paper to print memorial tributes or perhaps no memorial tributes and keeping it all online.
THE WAKE: Have a local catering company provide refreshments or perhaps everyone can make something and contribute!
SYMPATHY FLOWERS: Let everyone know that you don’t want flowers when you or a loved one passes. You would prefer other alternatives such as planting a tree or a shrub in honour of the person who has died. Alternatively friends and family can make the bereaved a meal or perhaps shout a massage or something else that would be appreciated.
YOUR FINAL RESTING PLACE; Whether you want your ashes to be sprinkled in your favourite place or you want to be buried in a natural burial ground, make your wishes known. Write them down and keep them with your important documents like your will and your pre-paid funeral documents. No use just thinking and talking about these things, it’s good to be specific about the details and put pen to paper!
TRANSPORT: Consider sharing a ride with others and travelling together, to the funeral or even catching public transport if that is possible.
DEALING WITH THE HOUSE: Perhaps you are responsible for cleaning up the house where the deceased lived and you are the executor of their will. Hold a garage sale to sell and recycle the items that you don’t want to someone why may treasure them, give away left over items to charities who may find a good use for them.
Green Funerals: By the Numbers
56.5 million: The approximate number of people that die each year around the globe.
50 million: Trees that are cut down in India each year for funeral pyres. This releases 8 million tons of carbon dioxide.
270: The number of green and woodland burial sites in the U.K.
Up to 16 percent: Mercury emissions in the U.K. that come from crematoria because of the fillings in teeth. This percentage is expected to increase to 25 percent by 2020.
1.6 million: Tons of reinforced concrete buried in the U.S. each year in the construction of vaults.
If you want to discuss more options about keeping things green and eco-friendly when you or a loved one dies, talk to the team at Greenhaven Funerals.
We love learning about this subject and educating the community about the options available to them.
Call the team at Greenhaven Funerals on 9569 0534, we’d love to hear from you and learn more about your unique funeral requirements.
Carly & Tim
Greenhaven Funerals