As more and more people opt for green burial, coffins made of willow, bamboo and even seagrass have hit the funeral market. Unlike massive, heavily encrusted metal caskets designed to impress, the new willow caskets are less expensive, biodegradable and far kinder to the planet. A UK casket maker estimates that the new lightweight green coffins currently comprise 10 to 15% of total sales compared to only 1% of sales ten years ago. With a far stronger presence in England, the willow coffin trend in the US is still fairly new.
The US is also behind the UK when it comes to Eco-friendly burial grounds. One of these sites, Hinton Park in Dorset, where over 6000 people are buried, is described by The Economist as a pretty spot for picnics. “Patches of bluebells spread out under trees; streams and pathways wind through the woodland.”
The only wilderness cemetary in this country appears to be the White Eagle Memorial Preserve in Washington State. Wild animals roam 20 acres of oak and ponderosa forest and meadow set within 1100 protected acres near Rock Creek Canyon.
Further down the coast, the Fernwood Burial Ground, near Golden Gate National Recreation area in Mill Valley, California, contains 32 scenic acres free of both tombstones and caskets. According to Minnesota Public Radio, there are still no official numbers for the amount of green cemeteries (often attached to existing traditional cemeteries) in the US. But they estimate there were only two a decade ago and now the number is closer to 60.
Morticians are of course not thrilled with the trend, especially as it relates to consumers selecting wicker caskets over pricey metal monsters. In the past these metallic whales were astronomically marked up as much as 700% and wrapped into the cost of the funeral. Now caskets are priced separately. But consumers are warned that some funeral directors (ever resourceful) cover any income lost on cheaper caskets sales by raising prices on their other funeral services.
Some states with the strongest funeral lobbies — Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Virginia — don’t allow anyone except a mortician to sell a casket or coffin.
However if you purchase a wicker casket outside a funeral home, federal law protects you. Though a miffed mortician might sneer at the “poor quality” of your outside choice, “Mr. Miffed” may not charge a “handling fee.”
And in the end you may not only get a better monetary deal on that wicker coffin, but also a handmade coffin with higher quality workmanship.
Related Reading:
- Will Your Green Funeral Include Water Cremation?
- Why Do New Yorkers Live Longer?
- Could a Cheap Plane Seat Save Your Life?
I’ve been looking for willow or sea grass caskets to purchase ahead of time. I don’t want to use a funeral home at all, and believe they do not sell these. England and Australia and China seem to be the only sources that I can find but believe that the cost would be significantly less expensive if sold in the USA. Do you know Where I could find these for individual purchase in this country?