It's not easy being green, or is it?

Jonas Zahn

This column originally appeared in the February, 2012 issue of Funeral Home and Cemetery News by Nomis Publications, Inc.

No doubt there is growing concern among American consumers for the health and preservation of the environment and its precious natural resources.  "What is a carbon footprint?" was one of the top ten green topic searches on Google in 2011.  Responding to consumer interest, industry leaders in automobile manufacturing and alternative energy are finding new ways to "green" their business.  Today's consumer is overwhelmed with campaigns for green products and services from home furnishings, to clothing and apparel, to groceries and even freight services.

The death care industry is no exception.  Being green in the death care industry tends to focus primarily on the choice of a cemetery and the selection of a casket or alternative burial container.  But is there more our industry should consider when working with families who care about environmental impact?  If consumer behavior across the pond is any indication, I would say the answer is yes.

In general, the United Kingdom has led the United States by 10 to 15 years with consumer trends in environmental conservation and sustainable practices.  The trend on green burial is no exception.  With some of the first sites opening more than two decades ago, today there are more than 200 green cemeteries--also referred to as natural burial sites or conservation cemeteries--in the United Kingdom.  By comparison there are around 40 green cemeteries in the United States, but more have opened each year since the first was established in Ramsey Creek, South Carolina in 1998.  Perhaps even more noteworthy are the hundreds of traditional cemeteries offering green alternatives to environmentally conscious families in response to interest in green burial.

As with green burial, the UK also leads the US in the adoption of cremation as an alternative to burial.  In the decades since 1960, the uptake of cremation in the UK grew from roughly 30% to just over 70% today.  This compares to US adoption growing from less than 25% in 1960 to a 40% today--about half the rate of UK today.  The National Funeral Directors Association forecasts a cremation rate nearing 60% by 2025.  Interestingly, the Green Burial Council has found that 80% of those who consider a green burial were originally planning a cremation.  Could green burial as an alternative to cremation slow this trend as the aging Baby Boomer generation considers the environmental impact of cremation as it compares to green burial?  Are Boomers and GenXers steering a new trend in death care by considering environmental impact alongside religion, family, and budget in their end-of-life choices?  

There is so much we can do in the death care industry to "green our business" whether we are responding to consumer demand or just want to reduce our carbon footprint.  Either way, being green is good business.  Being green need not be difficult or cost prohibitive.  In fact, some changes can improve employee morale and save money--and that certainly is good business.

In this recurring column I will offer resources to help you answer questions about green practices and separate fact from fiction when it comes to green claims in our industry.  I’ll also keep you up to date on relevant legislation, answer your questions, and share your best practices.  If you have questions, suggestions of good topics for this column, or your own success stories to share, please send them to jonas.zahn@northwoodscasket.com. 

Biography

Jonas A. Zahn is the president and founder of Northwoods Casket Co., a manufacturer of environmentally friendly caskets made in Wisconsin.  He has been involved in casket-making since building a casket for his Grandfather in 2004 and now distributes sustainable caskets to funeral homes throughout the United States.  Recently invited by the Green Burial Council, Jonas serves as an advisor to the committee on defining the standards for green burial containers. Jonas has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Jonas can be reached by email at jonas.zahn@NorthwoodsCasket.com.  Visit Northwoods Casket online at www.NorthwoodsCasket.com.

Down to Earth: BD man offers ‘green choice’ for burial

Northwoods Casket made the front page of the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen today (November 14, 2011).  I spent an hour with Assistant Editor, Ken Thomas, last week for a nice chat at Blackwaters Coffee House.  Here is the article contributed by Ken Thomas.  

Jonas Zahn is shown with a Northwoods Casket.

When it comes to the end of life, many are getting back to basics.

Part of the latest groundswell in funeral planning is replacing the fancy steel and bronze confection that served as a casket with a simple pine box. A Beaver Dam manufacturer has taken that box one step further, and is making it “green” in every sense of the word. Northwoods Casket Company not only uses materials that would be classified as waste, but promises to plant 100 trees for every casket built.

Read the rest of this article at Beaver Dam Daily Citizen.

Urban Forestry: Healthy Trees for Healthy Communities

Planting Trees is Good for People
On Friday, October 7th, I attended a meeting in Wonewoc, Wisconsin to discuss urban forestry.  The motley crew of varied backgrounds that assembled for this discussion included a village administrator, an undertaker, a forester, and a casket maker (that's me).  After short introductions the ensuing conversation reinforced that each participant shares a core value:  that planting trees is good for people.

At the Northwoods Casket Company we value trees for the environmental, communal, economic, and social benefits they provide.  This is why we've made a commitment to plant 100 trees for every casket we build.  This commitment is written into our business plan, and it is permanent--this is not a temporary gimmick for publicity.

Urban Forestry for Healthy Trees
The Northwoods Casket Co has partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to aid in tree-planting initiatives throughout the state like the Urban Forestry Initiative.  Next spring the Northwoods Casket Company will pay $1000 each for three communities to plant trees during their arbor day celebrations.  These communities will coordinate with the DNR Urban Forestry program to identify the best trees to plant as well as where, how, and when to plant them so they can provide the maximum benefit to the community.  For some communities, like Wonewoc, this will be a jumpstart to becoming a Tree City USA.

Healthy Community
A good partnership is one where all parties benefit; and so is the case in this partnership between village administrator, undertaker, forester, and casket maker.  The village administrator receives a $1000 tree-planting grant and forestry education.  The undertaker organizes local volunteers and generates goodwill for his business.  The forester reaches a new community with education to plant trees the right way and in the right places.  And the casket maker generates goodwill for the Northwoods Casket Company.  Everyone benefits.

The Motley Crew
The village administrator: Lee C. Kucher, Village of Wonewoc, Wisconsin
The undertaker: Steve Mitchell, Thompson Funeral Service, Wonewoc, WI
The forester:  Don Kissinger, Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator, WI-DNR
The casket maker: Jonas A. Zahn, President, Northwoods Casket Company, Beaver Dam, WI