History of Green Burial
Since the early days of the GBSC, green burial has become established in Canada and around the world. Leading the way (by population) is the UK, with 300 green burial cemeteries now active across England, Wales, and Scotland. There is also growing number of natural burial areas in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and signs that natural burial and the concepts behind it are gaining traction around the world.
In the USA, there are now about 350 green burial cemeteries. Canada’s first urban green burial site opened in Victoria, B.C. in 2008. Since then, a growing number of communities have successfully established a green burial area in existing cemeteries, some have established standalone green burial areas, and others have committed to the goal of making green burial available in their communities as soon as possible.
The GBSC launched its Cemetery Certification program in September 2018. To date, twelve cemeteries have applied for and successfully achieved GBSC certification. Although not all green burial areas across Canada are GBSC-certified, those that have become certified have committed to complying with the GBSC’s Green Burial Criteria and our Statement of Ethical Practice. Through this process, the GBSC certification helps consumers when seeking information about natural burial, and again when they are ready to choose a green burial cemetery.
“Our culture tends to want to sanitize death, I can understand that desire for “less vivid”
But for us the “vividness”, the visceral nature of the whole process, was one of the gifts of the ceremony at your beautiful cemetery A gift that continues to sustain us
Such a connection to nature
Including the lifting, the carrying, the lowering of the body into the ground,
Provided a sense of naturalness
Of rightness
But for us the “vividness”, the visceral nature of the whole process, was one of the gifts of the ceremony at your beautiful cemetery A gift that continues to sustain us
Such a connection to nature
Including the lifting, the carrying, the lowering of the body into the ground,
Provided a sense of naturalness
Of rightness
That proved to be a support, a balm, to everyone there (not just those of a spiritual bent!).”
– Christine M.
