In 1789 US statesman Benjamin Franklin famously said “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Fast forward to the 21st Century and it is fair to say we can now add Climate Change to that list of absolute certainties. The planet faces a challenging future as a consequence of human activity and industrialisation. Those presently enjoying comfortable lives face the prospect of dying and leaving a world where future generations will struggle to live with the same quality of life so readily available to us today.

As a result, many of us are choosing to live more sustainable lifestyles, reducing our environmental impacts and doing what we can within our means to leave lighter footprints upon the earth. While the options for more eco-conscious living are extensive - dietary choices, renewable energy homes, buying ethically - the same cannot be said of our choices to have an eco-conscious death.

In the UK currently, the only funerary options available are burial and cremation. Each carry different environmental impacts, which is why eterrna so firmly believe death care in the UK urgently needs to change.

Cremation

Having a person cremated is a carbon intensive process, producing an estimated 160-190Kg of CO2 per cremation. Given that 80% of UK funerals are cremations, this is a considerable environmental burden. Most crematoriums use natural gas as the means of generating the heat required to reduce a body to ash. While there are steps to convert to electric-powered cremations using renewable energy, this is still not the case for the majority of dispositions. As well as releasing the equivalent CO2 of a return flight from London to Paris, cremation is also a significant source of added mercury in our atmosphere, caused by the burning of metal dental fillings.

Burial

Being buried is still a popular funeral choice, but putting a body in the earth has a number of negative impacts on the environment. Firstly, any body that is embalmed with formaldehyde will be releasing toxic chemicals into the ecosystem. This risks pollution to waterways and soil, and as such the land where burial takes place is strictly controlled. This space is limited, but is nonetheless using up valuable land that could otherwise be put to different more beneficial uses.

In addition to the chemical risk, burials use some form of casket to contain the body. Although eco-friendly caskets are available including innovations such as hemp or mushroom coffins, many are made of precious hardwoods, with veneers and lacquers plus metallic handles and interior decoration that can contain microplastics. Cars are often used to carry a coffin and the family to the burial ground. Graves needs to be dug - a process which in itself release some CO2 into the atmosphere through soil disturbance. A granite headstone requires mining and heavy industrial processes to make, as well as shipping from the far east, and can contribute around 31kg of CO2 to a burials carbon footprint (Source: Financial Times).

Finally, once the body is in the ground, the cemetery or burial ground will require upkeep often involving machinery, herbicides and pesticides to keep everywhere looking neat and tidy.

As you can see, our current options exact a heavy toll on the earth. Green burials are gaining popularity and are certainly better for the environment overall, but they still require large areas of land to be designated as burial grounds, and this space is limited and expensive.

The eterrna way

At eterrna, we believe people deserve greater choice to be ethical consumers when they are making decisions about the end of their lives. Terramation is tried and tested for its environmental credibility. There are no toxic substances to be leached into the land and waterways. The process is slow and gentle, and uses nature’s own efficiency to ensure nothing is wasted. It is permaculture in action. Power is still required to run premises, however in the design of a terramation facility, heat from the process can be captured and circulated to reduce the need for additional energy inputs. With the addition of renewable energy, human composting can reduce the energy needed by 87% compared to burial or cremation. (Source: https://recompose.life/our-model/#environmental-impact).

Terramation is 100% natural, with no pollutants, no chemical interventions, and no harmful emissions. Our bodies become soil that is entirely beneficial to the landscape. It really is a way to leave a green legacy for the planet.