Greenwashing
Green burial is slowly becoming a renewed style of burial within North America. Simply put, green burial is a way of caring for the dead that can reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural resources, protect the health of the funeral providers, and preserve natural habitats. That being said, the option is still foreign to a lot of modern households. Is there any wonder why consumers are looking towards accreditation and certifications to guide their purchasing decision during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives? So who do you trust and what certifications really promise you and your family peace of mind?
Personally I suggest you start locally and then verify the provider through an industry accredited group. Just like the “Good Housekeeping” seal of years gone by, we know locally we can rely on Angie’s list or the BBB to provide fair consumer rating on a local business. With a company such as Flanner and Buchanan and Washington Park Cemetery Association there are years of data to validate reputable performance. Within the death care industry and in particularly in regard to green burial options I would recommend the nonprofit, standard –bearer, known as The Green Burial Council, or the GBC.
Flanner and Buchanan and Washington Park Cemetery Association believe that consumer transparency as it relates to business is a good policy. With the concern mounting over “greenwashing”, a term commonly used to describe misrepresentation within the environmental circle, the GBC encourage the FTC to create an oversight process for consumer. The petition submitted on March 4, 2011 The Green Burial Council formally petitioned the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to assist in evaluating organizations involved in standard-setting and/or programs aiming to connect consumers with burial grounds, funeral homes and product manufacturers.
Nestled on the grounds of Washington Park North Cemetery and Funeral Center, Kessler Woods is an environmentally-sustainable burial option. Here, human remains are allowed to decompose naturally and recycle into new plant life.
Joe Sehee, Executive Director of the Green Burial Council shared that “the green burial movement has opened up choice for consumers in funeral service that only a minority of American knew were options a few years ago. But the growing number of associations and for-profit ‘dot orgs’ entering this arena suggests that a great deal of ‘greenwashing” could be coming our way. We’d like to see the FTC take a hard look at all the organizations, starting with our own.”
The FTC recently updated its “green guides” which are intended to inform both consumers and businesses on how to recognize empty or false claims. The agency is warning the public to be skeptical about a number of issues including the proliferation of eco-certifications programs run by entities that do not establish verifiable standards. So when someone tells you they offer green burial options, check them out.
Flanner and Buchanan Funeral centers in conjunction with Washington Park Cemetery Association will host a Green Burial Seminar October 15th 9 a.m. at 2702 Kessler Blvd., W. Drive. The seminar provides a general over view of green burials options in a relaxed no sales related forum. For information or reservations for this hour long presentation contact Bmilton@buchanangroup.org or call 418-6464.
Author – Barb Milton is the Vice President of Community Relations for Buchanan Group, Inc. Barb’s extensive industry background makes her a preferred guest speaker throughout the country regarding final expense decisions.
Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers
400th Committal At Hamilton Memorial Park
“New” cemetery becoming the new tradition in the Westfield and Noblesville area.
Hamilton Memorial Park opened for business October 1997. The first committal was completed on October 11, 1997 after a 16-year-old Westfield High School student tragically died in a car wreck. Her parents desire was for her to be close by and wanted her at this new cemetery called Hamilton Memorial Park. She was temporarily entombed at Washington Park North Cemetery until October when she was brought to Hamilton for her final resting place.
Our 200th committal was completed on January 18, 2006 and the 400th committal May 12th, 2011. He is a US Air Force retired Major and will be laid to rest next to his wife in the Field of Honor-Veterans Section. It is an honor for us to have a veteran as our 400th committal during the month of May.
I would like to remind everyone, Hamilton will be having their annual Veterans Memorial Service on Memorial Day at 9:00 a.m. The service will be approximately 20-25 minutes and all are invited. Bring your lawn chairs.
Dick McDivitt
Manager, Hamilton Memorial Park
Indianapolis’ Oldest Catholic Cemetery Exchanges Roads for Burial Spaces
The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is proud to announce that ground burial spaces are available once again at Holy Cross St. Joseph Cemetery. After nearly 25 years of being at full ground capacity, the city’s oldest Catholic cemetery has reclaimed roads within the cemetery to add more burial spaces.
“Families with historic ties to the cemetery now have an option to use the cemetery again,” said Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, a long-time advocate for the cemeteries belonging to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. “It’s a rebirth, an opportunity to reestablish a tradition that dates back to the cemetery’s founding in 1862.”
The new burial section is called St. John the Evangelist in honor of the burial section it sits next to. This new area features a “family companion ground burial” system which adds 260 new burial spaces. Each purchaser will be required to buy two spaces. This section was created by reclaiming a cemetery road which intersects with Kelly Street on the northern side of the cemetery.
Also in the works is a new community mausoleum that will sit at the head of the new burial section at the Kelly Street gate. This building will provide an addition 60 above-ground crypt spaces. Final details of this building’s design are still being developed.
“There are some unique features to this new in-ground burial system, said Tim Elson, the Executive Director for the Catholic Cemeteries. It is the driest form of ground burial because a drainage system is built in. So the water that typically destroys a vault over time will be removed, helping to sustain the cemetery.”
“Being able to expand ground burial without acquiring more land is another positive,” said Elson. “We will have less road maintenance in the future plus more burial space, that’s a win-win for the environment.”
St. John Cemetery was established four years after St. John Academy was built in downtown Indianapolis in 1858; Father Auguste Bessonies purchased 18 acres of land two miles south of the city for this new venture. The present rectory of St. John Parrish still stands at 126 W. Georgia Street. The now historic cemetery was first known as the “Irish Graveyard.”
Future sustainability of the site is a priority. “If this program is successful and we have every reason to believe it will be, there are more roads we can look to reclaim,” said Elson.