Blog Archives

Our Certification Process: Looking to the Future

3/22/2022

Prepared by the Green Burial Council's board of directors for distribution on 3/22/22.

The Green Burial Council's mission is to inspire and advocate for environmentally sustainable, natural death care through education and certification. We aim to hold our product providers to the highest standards and expect them to treat all descendants with respect, and engender trust between members of the deathcare community.

The Tree of Life Ovum Fungi met enough of our Burial Container Standards Evaluation criteria to pass with a 2 of 3 Leaf rating. This certification looks at the materials and methods used to produce a product and evaluates to what degree they were harvested sustainably, will biodegrade anaerobically, are non-toxic to fabricators and nature, and impact the warming of our planet.

That being said, the messaging around this product has made additional claims as to how the product works and should be used that were not approved by The Green Burial Council, and are not consistent with our mission. We have requested information to support the claims around the impact of living mycelium and suspended our certification for the Ovum Fungi until further review.

We also recognize that our product certification process can be improved to ensure that all providers align with our mission and represent the mission and values of the GBC. We have convened a standards committee to review our processes and will be creating a scientific advisory panel to ensure the best standards and practices are used during certifications. It’s an exciting time in the death industry, as new disposition methods and burial containers are becoming available. It is with the best intention that we must create new methods of how we can review these products ethically and effectively, if at all. Thank you for your patience as we challenge our own review processes.

Natural Burial and Cremation: Things to Consider

3/18/2022

Written by Tamsin Ramone & Alyssa Wormald for the Green Burial Council. Read more about the authors at the end of this article.

The Green Burial Council was founded to help educate people who are interested in gentle end-of-life options. When researching burial alternatives and cremation, here are some things to consider.

Cremation has a reputation of being eco-friendly, because before natural burial came along, it was the most eco-friendly alternative to conventional burial. While there is evidence that it does cause harm to the environment, it is sometimes the most suitable option when considering personal and family circumstances. Oftentimes cremation is the least expensive burial option. It is also a sentimental way to memorialize a loved one and keep them close to you.

Cremation continues to gain popularity for many reasons. In 2018, the Cremation Society stated that in Australia nearly 70% of people chose cremation for their final send off. With the ecological issues surrounding conventional burials becoming more well known, many people are choosing cremation because they believe it is the more environmentally conscious option.

Here are some facts to consider when choosing between cremation, a standard coffin burial or a natural burial.

Call for Entries

We welcome original content with unique perspectives for the GBC Blog, preferably not previously published. The views and opinions expressed on the GBC Blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the GBC. Send entries to sabrina@greenburialcouncil.org
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