Eco-funerals growing in popularity
With climate change and green issues being pushed to the forefront of our everyday lives, some people are opting to continue their dedication to the environment even after death.
More than 200 natural burial sites have now been set up in Britain and are becoming more popular each year.
Consumer research shows that today, around 64 per cent of Brits like the idea of a green funeral, where they will be buried in a woodland or meadow - with the former proving the most popular.
Other environmentally-friendly measures which are now available include being buried in a cardboard or wicker 'eco-coffin' rather than the more traditional wooden ones, with 63 per cent of people saying they like the idea of being buried in this way.
Mike Jarvis, director the Natural Death Centre which supports eco-funerals, said that in his experience, those who want to have an environmental funeral are more likely to plan ahead.
"It's very striking that those people who are living ethical lifestyles with regards to the environment are looking at funeral provision more than the average member of the public", he said.
He added that eco-friendly burials are "certainly cheaper" than other options and that it tended to be members of the baby boomer generation who are currently opting for them.
"They were the first big generational group who took eco-friendly issues seriously…the baby boomers are also at an age where they are burying their parents and sometimes their partners," Mr Jarvis said.
Whichever type of funeral you choose, planning it carefully is a must, indeed research from Mintel shows that although 70 per cent of adults believe people should plan their own funerals to remove the burden from their loved ones, fewer than one in ten over 55-year-olds have actually done this.
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