Let's rise to the massive challenges of climate change and biodiversity

With the increasing number of people wanting natural burials, it's good to know that there are now more than 360 natural burial sites in the UK, allowing someone to be buried in landscapes like woodland, meadows or orchards in a way that preserves the habitat. We feel it's equally important that there are coffins that are not only biodegradable but also give people the choice of how their loved ones are buried. For many it's important that their loved one is buried in way that would be familiar to them in their life, and represent a true reflection of their personalities. We've developed a range that for all intents and purposes looks like the wood/MDF coffin, but is an environmentally friendly alternative using our bio-degradable Pro-Origin board.

We also can personalise coffins so that people can really express their feelings on the coffin, and most importantly we use green inks - they have no nasties in them, no wraps and no glitter. We firmly believe people should be able to reflect their loved ones lives and personalities without harming the environment.

At the National Funeral Exhibition this year, we were lucky enough to have Chris Hines speak on behalf of Lifelia. Formerly, the co-founder of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and the Sustainability Director at the Eden Project, Chris shared his thoughts on the environment and the funeral industry, Chris says:

"As a species we have reached a crucial point where we can either try and carry on as normal or we can rise to the massive challenges of climate change and biodiversity decline. We have, no choice, to make significant changes in the way we do everything in our lives and funerals and the way we end our lives is no exception.

There is an estimated 80k tonnes of CO2 emitted by cremations in the UK every year, coffins are made of MDF - a material which the worst thing you can do with its is to burn it, and millions of plastic handles. I think it is no longer acceptable for the last thing we do for our loved ones is to dispose of them in a cloud of toxic fumes. There have to be better ways.”

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