Green Burials

Is Green Burial Right for You?

Funerals have become as individualized as those they are meant to memorialize and yet most people never take the time to talk about it. It is your funeral. Whether you choose a traditional burial, cremation or green burial it is important to know the facts. Understanding the ideals and whether they are right for you is fundamental to begin the conversation. Get the facts and ultimately do what is right for YOU.  

What is a Green Burial?

The Green Burial Society of Canada (definition)

“Green Burial is a statement of personal values for those who seek to minimize their impact on the local and global environment. For people who are mindful of the cyclical nature of life, green burial is a spiritually fulfilling alternative to conventional burial or cremation. It is an environmentally sensitive practice; the body is returned to the earth to decompose naturally and contribute to new life.” – Green Burial Society of Canada   http://www.greenburialcanada.ca

The Five Principles of Green Burial

The Green Burial Society of Canada has set out the following essential criteria that must be present in order to qualify for an interment in a “Green Burial” cemetery:

1. No Embalming – decomposition is nature’s way of recycling a body. The human remains are refrigerated and bathed using environmentally sensitive soaps.

2. Direct Earth Burial- un-embalmed remains of a decedent are placed/wrapped in a shroud and placed into a casket or alternative form of container that is fully biodegradable.

3. Ecological Restoration & Conservation- once the burial has been completed and the grave has been given time to settle the ground-cover will be planted using locally indigenous materials.

4. Communal Memorialization – there will be no individual memorials or grave markers. Instead a communal memorialization will be designed using naturally sourced materials.

5. Optimize Land Use- there will be minimal infrastructure, temporary roads will be removed, and lot plans will maximize interment capacity.

What do I need to know about Green Burials in Lethbridge?

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions  

Q: In Lethbridge, where will the Green Burial Cemetery be located?

A: The new development for the Green Burials will be in the Royal View Memorial Cemetery, 5920 13th Street North, Lethbridge. It will offer 1360 plots.

Q: Can I choose which spot I am buried in?

A: No. You can pre-purchase a green burial plot to ensure you have a place in the green burial site; but each green burial will happen in succession, meaning the burials will go in sequential order of need.

Q: How will I know where my loved one is buried?

A: You can request from the City of Lethbridge the GPS location of your loved one’s burial site. The essence of the Green Burial is to preserve the natural grasses of the area; so, visitation of individual graves is discouraged. Instead you are encouraged to place your remembrance on the communal memorial wall.

Q: How much does a plot cost?

A: It is similar pricing to a full casket plot currently offered throughout the city. $1900.00