Over the last couple of centuries, our remains have been either embalmed and buried or cremated and buried or scattered. Our bereavement rituals are intimately connected to these well accepted, unquestioned and unchallenged burial and funeral practices.

I want my remains to be buried more naturally; but not quite as naturally as most of Nature’s creatures; but more in the vein of how we inter our dearly departed pets. I want my last human activity to be an act that gives back to Mother Earth. I do not want my remains to consume more of Mother Earth’s valuable resources…by filling my quiet veins with toxic chemicals or burning my lifeless body with precious non-renewable fossil fuels. You might be surprised to learn the amount of fuel required to reduce your former you to ashes is equivalent to driving a modern vehicle for more than 1600 kms. That distance is in the realm of a family holiday travel trip…bringing and inspiring joy…something to be lived…with all one’s senses…with eyes wide open.

There are no natural burial sites within 1600 kms of Atikokan, though Winnipeg is in the process of establishing one. In June 2023, I attempted to address this concern; I provided a presentation on Green Burials to our Cemetery Board and several Councilors. For those in attendance, green burial was a very new and unfamiliar concept. Having not received any feedback from the Board, I recently met with our town’s CAO. I was told that there was absolutely “no traction on the information presented.” This revelation inspired me to reach out to my community. It became apparent that more information and more public awareness would be necessary to create greater traction and interest in the natural burial option. Research into natural burial site planning indicated that our local Cemetery Board would have to modify their Bylaws and endorse the concept.

The endorsement would be a necessary step…without an endorsement, a natural burial site could not move forward.

Natural burials are also known as green or eco-friendly burials. The movement toward and the acceptance of natural burials is real and slowly gaining (acquiring) ground. Acceptance is largely driven by our increased ecological awareness.

Unquestionably, we recognize and understand that humans are the primary contributors to the pollution of our air, water, earth and food resources. For some, a natural burial is a way of demonstrating a desire to leave this world a little greener and cleaner.

Further, the sustainability of cemeteries continues to be a significant concern for many municipalities. Most Cemetery Boards are finding the cost of maintaining and securing space to be top of mind. Natural burial sites should be part of every aspect of cemetery planning. The cost of maintaining a natural burial site significantly reduces costs…Mother Nature takes care of the space. Natural burial grounds do not require labour intensive and costly maintenance…there are no lawns to be mowed and manicured…there are no grave markers to be leveled and repaired. The burial area can be cycled over long periods of time; it is worth noting that within 20 years, bones are completely absorbed into the soil.

I know and understand that a natural burial is not for everyone. My aim is to inform and encourage enough likeminded people to support the concept. This support will be the critical inertia required to move and persuade our Cemetery Board and Council to endorse the natural burial option. Again, the endorsement makes it possible to begin planning for a natural burial site…a site that would be within reasonable access to Atikokan. Ultimately, I would like to see every Cemetery Board across Canada endorse natural burial sites…every community should have the option for green burials.

The Salt Spring Island Natural Cemetery is a certified green burial site in B.C. There are several sites across Canada, but none in northwestern Ontario. One is current- ly under development in Winnipeg. Atikokan resident Jeff **Lehman approached his Cemetery Board about the possibility of a green burial facility, and is working to raise** **awareness in the public.** – Green Burial Canada photo

Here is an excerpt from Green Burial Canada

(https://greenburialcanada.ca/the-five-principles/ )

The Five Principles of Green Burial

No Embalming
- Bodies are prepared for green burial without the use of embalming. Decomposition is nature’s way of recycling a body, without need for intervention by us. A body that is not embalmed can still be prepared in a dignified way for burial and viewing. This is made possible with refrigeration and the use of environmentally sensitive soaps, lotions and disinfectants.
Direct Earth Burial
- The un-embalmed body is wrapped in a shroud made of natural, biodegradable fibers and then buried directly in the grave. Alternatively, the shrouded remains can be placed into a casket or alternative form of container, where the casket or similar container is also made of sustainable and fully biodegradable materials. In an ideal circumstance the shrouds and/or casket will be locally sourced, as close as possible to the deceased’s place of death and green burial. For green burial, no outside grave liner or protective vault is used. The body in a shroud or casket is buried directly in the ground.
Ecological Restoration & Conservation
- Once a green burial has taken place, the surface of the grave is allowed to settle before being restored with locally indigenous species of grasses, flowering groundcovers, shrubs, and trees. Preferably grave restoration is achieved by using a plant palette and plan that has been designed to integrate the area seamlessly into the surrounding landscape and ecosystem. Key components of green burial are protecting and preserving burial grounds. Covenants, protective easements, and other enforceable guarantees made by the green burial cemetery operator will ensure that the site will never be repurposed and that the ecosystem that evolves there will be protected.
Simple Memorialization
- For green burial, memorialization should be simple and visually appropriate to the site. Communal memorialization: simple, basic inscriptions on naturally sourced materials are preferred. Alternatively, small, hand crafted, individual monuments may also be used, but these should be made of natural, preferably locally sourced materials. Ultimately it is the green burial site as whole that becomes a living memorial to the persons interred there.
Optimized Land Use
- A well planned green burial cemetery (or cemetery section) will optimize the land it occupies. Design elements will include minimal infrastructure such as temporary roads that can be removed and converted into interment lots, operationally pragmatic grave dimensions, and section lot plans that maximize interment capacity. The re-use of graves is a highly sustainable practice that optimizes land use in a green burial (or any) cemetery. Common in many places, grave re-use is currently available only at a few cemeteries in Canada. Where full body interment is not practical or possible, space within a green burial area may be designated for the interment of cremated remains.

Green burials will not and do not negatively impact funeral homes or the services they provide. Funerals services are an essential part of our grieving process; funeral homes will continue to provide support for the loss of our loved ones. Natural burial might not be for everyone, but for those who want the option, it could enhance their final days and the days and years for their surviving loved ones.

Here are a few sites that might help answer other concerns and questions:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/green-death-care-practices-water-cremation-

natural-organic-reduction_n_6116c41fe4b0a2603b7db97a