Eco-Friendly Memorial Ideas and Biodegradable Urns

If your loved one cared about the environment in life, you can feel confident they would want this passion and concern to be carried on in their honour. In the wake of a death, you might not be thinking about the environmental impact of your memorial plans and what you’re going to do with the remains, but it’s worth considering – particularly if you know this was important to your loved one.

In this guide, we’re exploring the environmental impact of death. In particular, we’ll look at the potentially damaging memorial ideas that could have a negative impact on the environment. We’ll also explore some ideas that would be kinder to the environment, and could even offer some benefits.

The environmental concerns around urns and memorials

Following a death and cremation, it’s common to scatter the ashes in a beauty spot or somewhere meaningful to your loved one. Without a grave site, it’s nice to have a place to visit to feel connected to your loved one.

The issue with scattering ashes is that it can be damaging to the environment if done incorrectly. Ashes are very acidic and can impact the Ph level of soil and water, leading to plants and marine life dying.

To avoid this, it’s essential to truly scatter the ashes. This means spreading them over a distance rather than dropping them all in one place. If scattering the ashes in water, it should be moving water such as a stream or the ocean, rather than a lake or other still body of water. Even rock pools should be avoided as this could impact the Ph of the water.

Burying the urn could also be a concern, particularly if the urn is made from materials that could contaminate the ground.

There are other concerns around common memorial ideas. For example, it’s common to release sky lanterns as a memorial to your loved one, but these can impact farm animals and could even cause forest fires and house fires. Helium balloons can also cause pollution and could cause damage hundreds of miles from where they are released.

Eco-friendly memorial ideas

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to remember a loved one, there are plenty of options available. Consider the following as a way to reduce your impact on the environment.

Cremation over burial

First things first, you should be aware that cremation is the more environmentally friendly choice over burial. Figures vary, but burial is thought to be around 10% worse for the environment due to the implications for land use and management.

Consider a living memorial

Planting a tree as a memorial for your loved one is one of the best ways to honour their memory in a way that will benefit future generations. Planting a large number of trees would be even better.

Look into carbon-neutral funerals

An increasing number of funeral homes are offering carbon neutral funerals that support mourners by offering to offset the carbon emissions associated with cremation. Aquamation could offer a carbon-neutral alternative, but this is not widely available yet.

Explore marine memorials

There are a few marine memorials in the world that will place your loved one’s remains in a waterproof urn that is placed in an artificial reef. This is creating the space for new reef growth that also raises money for research and development into marine life protection.

Skip the printed materials

You can share details of the funeral and memorial online, as this will help to reduce the amount of printed materials. An online memorial can also easily direct people towards a fundraising cause, and allow them to share their own photographs and memories.

Should you choose a biodegradable urn?

There is a growing trend for biodegradable urns that will minimise the environmental impact when buried. These might be made from biodegradable materials that won’t leave a trace in their environment, or they might contain the roots of a tree that will begin to grow from the ashes of your loved one.

Water urns are also an option. These are designed to float on the surface of the water for a moment allowing you to say goodbye. They will then sink to the bottom and begin to slowly break down, releasing the ashes. The slow release minimises the risk of harm to marine life.

However, the issues with concentrated ashes remain the same, so burying them in a biodegradable container will simply release the ashes into the earth in a concentrated spot. This could be potentially damaging, so scattering the ashes is often a better choice.

Scattering the ashes over a larger area and in multiple spots is the best way to minimise the environmental impact. If you would like to mark the location with a memorial, consider a bench made from reclaimed wood rather than virgin wood. You could also have a plaque made from reclaimed stone.

Final thoughts on the environmental impact of memorials

This might be an overwhelming time, and you might not be thinking about the environmental impact of your choices. If this is something that you know would be of concern to your loved one, speak to your funeral director about how you can minimise your impact.

By choosing cremation over burial, you’re already doing more for the environment. The next step would be to either keep the ashes secure in your home or in a memorial ground, or scatter them responsibly.

During the memorial service, think about the environmental impact of your activities and avoid things like sky lanterns or releasing balloons. You can also create a digital memorial site that reduces the number of printed materials required.

Finally, you can do something that is good for the environment in honour of your loved one. Planting a single tree will give you a tranquil place to visit and feel connected to your loved one. Planting multiple trees will be great for the environment and will leave a lasting legacy that will benefit future generations. In short, every small step you take to help the environment will be a step in the right direction, and the perfect tribute to your loved one.