For most of human history, the dead were not dressed in polished hardwood boxes, padded interiors, and layers of metal and lacquer. They were wrapped. Long before caskets became the norm, across cultures and continents, the shroud was the most universal form of burial. A simple cloth. A final garment. A gesture of care that

Last month, a handful of our Green Burial Society of Canada board members had the opportunity to come together in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. With our board spread across the country,  truly coast to coast, with representation from nearly every province, moments like these are rare, but incredibly meaningful. In October, I travelled from Ontario

I still remember the first green burial I was asked, as a Life-Cycle Celebrant, to support a family with.  Royal Oak Burial Park’s Woodlands was expanding into Phase two of a four-tiered dedicated natural burial area. Arriving early, I took time to surround edges of the grave with cedar, softening the opening into the ground,

Why does green burial feel so right to us? Green Burial is more than a set of funerary principles and practices; it is an ideological movement based on sound ethics. Ethics are the soul of this movement – giving it depth and integrity. Albert Einstein said: "The most important human endeavor is the striving for

Green burial, also known as natural burial, is a practice going back to our roots to a time when we cared for our own dead. It is burying our dead in an environmentally respectful way, omitting damaging chemicals, and using biodegradable materials for the burial. It allows for in in-ground composting/decomposition, in a shallower grave

The ancient act of burying our loved ones is a simple and yet profound ceremony. There are three required acts to a burial, and three intentions that match these. Firstly, we dig the grave; we prepare a nest for our loved one. Then we bring our person to the grave and we tell them how

In a world where every choice we make has environmental implications, my decision to join the Green Burial Society of Canada was an easy decision. Knowing that in a time of loss, families benefit from having different death care options. Opting for a green burial isn't just about a final resting place or permanent placement;