Simple Ways To Preplan Your Funeral To Be Greener

When you make the decision to preplan your funeral, a big advantage to doing so is that you can ensure that every element of the service is in alignment with your values. If you're someone who has made sure to be environmentally responsible throughout your life, it makes sense to ensure that your funeral service follows by "green" principles. You should talk to the funeral home director about the green elements of cremation, as there are many to consider. Beyond cremation, here are some other ways to make sure that your funeral is environmentally friendly.

Don't Have Bulletins Printed

Service bulletins are common at many funerals, as they provide details about the service and allow people in attendance to follow along with the proceedings. If you don't like the idea of generating waste paper, ask for there to be no bulletins printed. Instead, provide the information that would otherwise be included in these handouts on a white board or digital display board in the funeral home room in which your service will be held. You might even wish to have a note on the board explaining the lack of bulletins so people understand.

Ask For People To Carpool

A funeral home like Foster-Warne Funeral Home can help you know how to publicize your obituary ahead of time so that people know about your passing and can plan to attend your funeral service. In this valuable piece of writing, consider asking people to carpool to your service. Instead of having individual families drive across town to the funeral home, thus emitting a significant volume of fossil fuels, you can specifically ask people to travel together. You can even have a loved one take charge of creating an online hub — on social media, for example — that people can use to connect with other attendees and make plans to travel together.

Request Donations To An Environmental Group

Many people include information in their obituary about how to make donations to a relevant cause or charity. For example, animal lovers might ask that people make donations to a local animal shelter, while someone who suffers from cancer will ask for donations to a local cancer center. Given the importance of the environment to you, use your obituary to request that anyone wishing to make a donation in your name should do so to an environmental charity. Take some time to consider the various charities, either local or national, that work diligently to care for the environment, and then select a worthwhile candidate.