“The Green Burial Guidebook” by Elizabeth Fournier

I’ve been long interested to learn more about green burials, so I was truly excited when I picked up “The Green Burial Guidebook: Everything You Need to Plan an Affordable, Environmentally Friendly Burial.” The author, Elizabeth Fournier (who owns and operates her own funeral home in Oregon) was the perfect guide and educator for the journey.

The book delivers so much more than just practical, comprehensive guidance — it is a delightful read, full of wisdom and insight. Fournier’s writing style is engaging and conversational, and she paints lovely images in the retelling of her experiences with home funerals and green burials.

Before digging into the step-by-step planning guide, Fournier first explores the environmental impacts of our current funeral practices and contrasts them with the impacts of pre-Civil war burial customs. By highlighting the historical shifts that required a change in burial practices, Fournier really puts the unnecessary cost (both financial and environmental) of modern day funerals and burials into perspective.

The Practical Steps to a Green Burial

Fournier includes straightforward steps for nearly every aspect of home funerals and environmentally friendly burials. Every element you can think of is there, from  preserving the body (without embalming) and conducting a home funeral, to digging a grave and lowering the body, and even how to go about a burial-at-sea. She includes a clear legal framework by state as well as a great list of resources at the end.

Fournier is thorough and inclusive. I  appreciated her attention-to-detail in providing environmental harm-reduction options for everyone, regardless of where they might be on the “green spectrum.” You can read her book and learn how to plan for a completely green funeral and burial, while someone else who may prefer a traditional burial can learn how to make small adjustments to create less of an impact.

“The Green Burial Guidebook” is a beautifully written and a helpful resource that includes literally everything one needs know about environmentally friendly end-of-life practices. I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about planning a sustainable final affair.