Green Funerals Vermont

 

A Natural Funeral is about making the funeral process simpler, more personal, more creative, more environmental, and less expensive.

 

In a full traditional funeral, a funeral home director transports the body after death to the funeral home. The body is embalmed. There may be a viewing, wake or calling hours at the funeral home. An ornate casket is purchased from the funeral home. The body is kept at the funeral home. The funeral director transports the body to a church for the funeral service. The funeral director transports the body to the town or church cemetery for a burial service. Cemetery employees or contractors construct a concrete vault for the casket. They place the casket in the concrete vault, bury the vault, and erect a headstone.

 

In a natural funeral, the family or friends may direct or perform some or all of the funeral tasks. Here are opportunities (or not) for hands-on participation by family and friends in a full scale natural funeral:

• Transportion of the body to the home
• Bathing, dressing, and preparation of the body
• Purchase or build, and decoration of a coffin, shroud (cloth), or cremation container
• Prepararation of a special place for the body in the chosen burial container to reside for one or two days
• Having family and friends visit in this special place
• Holding meaningful and personal funeral rituals, ceremonies, or services
• Transportion of the body for burial or cremation
• Participation in burying the body or spreading ashes in a natural burial ground, green cemetery, on private land or in a traditional cemetery.

Common Questions 

Is it legal for someone other than a funeral home director to transport the body of a loved one? Yes.

Is there any other choice than having the body embalmed? Yes.

Is it legal to bury a body on private land? Yes.

May I purchase a casket, coffin, shroud, or urn myself? Yes.

Is there any alternative to being buried in an expensive casket in a concrete vault in a typical cemetery? Yes.