GREEN FUNERAL PRACTICES

Overview

We concentrated on two main areas of interest; Caskets and Preparation of the Deceased. It is important to note that often choosing an environmentally responsible service or product means paying more. We have made significant efforts to ensure choosing the environmentally responsible options will not increase the funeral costs to the families we serve.

Caskets

Conventional caskets are finished with a number of petrochemical products such as lacquer, varnish, urethanes and varathanes. All of these products convey at least some level of harmful emissions when interred or cremated.

Our line of environmentally friendly caskets is a demonstration of careful research for the benefit of our client families. We have wood caskets constructed with all natural components like wooden dowels instead of screws or nails, and adhesives made without containing any animal fats or biproducts.

The interior of our environmentally friendly caskets is made from cotton and cellulose materials, eliminating petrochemical based materials contained in conventional caskets such as rayon, nylon, acetates, plastics and polymers.

We believe in the value of environmentally friendly caskets so much, that we allow families to purchase caskets from us even if they offer to use the services and facilities of another funeral home. There is no charge for local delivery, however there is a mileage fee for deliver outside of the Puget Sound region.

Preparation of the Deceased

There are many misconceptions relating to embalming and what the procedure entails. Essentially, the embalming process displaces blood from the body with a preservative fluid. Most embalming fluids contain formaldehyde.Since embalming is not required to facilitate burial, entombment or cremation, you can choose to have our expert staff prepare your loved one without the embalming procedure selected.  Instead, we can bathe and wash your deceased, set their features by closing their eyes and mouth to natural lines of closure and dress your loved one in clothing that you feel is appropriate.

This allows you to see your loved one in a calm and peaceful setting without the need for the use of the main chemical present in embalming, formaldehyde.

Cremation vs. Burial

Many people choose cremation over burial because they think cremation is better for the environment. While it is true that cremation does not take up any space, it is also true that cremation creates air pollution. Some of the pollutants found to come from the smokestacks of crematorium include heavy metals, hydrogen chloride, dioxins and furans.

There is also an enormous amount of fossil fuels used to accelerate and sustain the fire which can reach temperatures of 1500 degrees to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.  A standard cremation spews in the air about 880 lbs. of carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas blamed for global warming - along with other pollutants like dioxins and mercury vapor if the deceased had silver tooth fillings.  Additionally, each cremation consumes as much energy, in the form of gas and electricity, as a 500 mile car trip.