More people are looking for a farewell that reflects their care for the natural world. On the Sunshine Coast, options include natural burial at Eumundi Cemetery, alongside personal choices about the ceremony, flowers and burial materials. What is suitable will depend on your wishes and the requirements of the cemetery or provider.
Engaging your eco values in a funeral for your loved ones is a continuation of life values.
It begins with a holistic approach to the end of life, and continues into the way we say farewell. Many options are available to families, to make rituals for the end of life more deeply personal and down to earth, and …. green.
Imagine a farewell shaped around your loved one’s values, with natural materials and a ceremony in a place that holds meaning for you. A garden, beach or forest setting may be possible for a ceremony or memorial, with the appropriate permission. Choices about care and transport of the person who has died, and the burial or cremation itself, need to be checked with the relevant providers and authorities.
Imagine a burial ground near forest, that is allowed to return to nature once the graves are buried. Imagine visiting the site of your dear one, in a leafy forest, and sitting on real ground amongst bird song and breeze. A place full of natural life and vigour.
What is possible?
When someone dies, it’s natural to be unsure whether you feel shocked, sad, angry, depressed, relieved, guilty, fearful, or all of these at once. Coping with these feelings while preparing a farewell can be challenging, especially when you think there is a way it all “has to be done”. You can do things differently. Do things your family way and truly reflect the life you are commemorating. Sometimes doing something different and taking charge can help. Sometimes being able to act according to your or their values helps.
Conventional funeral practices work well for many people but may not provide the scope to be as deeply and personally involved as you may need to be. Fortunately, there are other options available with end of life care. Most people simply aren’t aware that ceremonies, budgets, caring for the dead or even ways of transportation and burial are not set in stone.
Then when it comes to planning a ritual of farewell, you can be involved at every step of the way. AND you can engage your values.
A Green Funeral?
Did you know that:
- Sunshine Coast Council offers natural burials at Eumundi Cemetery.
- Natural-material coffins, caskets and shrouds are permitted there, subject to Council’s requirements.
- The natural burial area has no individual headstones or grave markers, and sites cannot be reserved in advance.
- You can be personally involved in creating a farewell that reflects your loved one’s life and values.
Read Sunshine Coast Council’s natural burial information.
If you would like a personal farewell that reflects your loved one’s life and care for the natural world, let’s talk about the ceremony you have in mind.
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