Do we really need eco-death???

It's environmentalism is bad enough in life, do we need it in death?

Call it the green goodbye.

In an age where more and more people are choosing to go green in their daily lives, there is a growing movement to go green -- in death.

For thousands of years, the idea of "ashes to ashes" was the norm, with people invited to find solace in the fact we are all connected to the same cycle of birth, decay and rebirth.

Then something changed.

The American Civil War gave rise to the use of embalming fluid to preserve the bodies of slain soldiers until they were transported home for burial.

The addition of concrete burial vaults and solid wood coffins also became a mainstay in death care, while at the same time moving people away from the natural processes of death.

But now there is a growing movement to return to a greener return to the earth, something Joe Sehee of the Green Burial Council says is indicative of a more environmentally conscious society.

"Green death care may sound like just another trend in the eco-chic movement, but it's actually the way most of humanity has cared for its dead for thousands of years," he told ctvbc.ca.

"Things live, they die, they decay and they are reborn. This happens all around us. And with green death care we can take ownership of this in a more environmentally conscious way."

Now five years old, the council has a duel mandate: to lower the harmful emissions associated with death care, and also to use burial as a way of stewarding and restoring green spaces.

"It means burial products that are non-toxic and biodegradable," Sehee said.

"It means not using harmful products, and no metal caskets, no concrete vaults. It's back to 'ashes to ashes.'"

The council's has established North American standards across the death care industry so providers can easily be found by consumers wanting to go green.

Smith's Funeral Homes in Burlington, Ontario, is the first Canadian provider to be certified green by the council.

Smith's offers consumers "full-green death care" options, like 100 per cent recycled paper for acknowledgement cards and only using non-toxic, plant-based embalming fluids.

The business even has plans in place to replace cars and hearses in the funeral fleet with hybrids.

"We had about 15 per cent of families this summer choosing a green service option so it's becoming more and more popular for people wanting a minimal carbon footprint," coordinator Jen Rayworth said in a telephone interview.

Rayworth says many people are opting for a green caskets -- biodegradable vessels with no metals, plastics or harsh chemical finishes.