Natural Deathcare: Caring for the Body, Caring for the Earth

As we've come to realize the importance of environmental impact in every area of our lives, we also need to consider that what we do with our body after death also impacts the earth. This workshop includes an overview of the issues and alternatives of after-death care as well as options that can benefit our environment, communities, and families. Participants will learn about their legal rights to family-directed and home-based natural death care, practical aspects of body care post-death, green and conservation burial cemeteries, and additional DIY options such as building a casket and planning commemorative rituals. These choices offer simpler, more humane, and even joyful ways to draw closer within our communities while we grieve and honor those who have died.

Together, we will explore green and natural options, both currently available and proposed, for after-death care of the body and final disposition. We will cover natural deathcare methods for body preparation and preservation, basics of green burial, conservation burial, biodegradable caskets, pods, and shrouds, newer methods such as the Infinity Burial Suit, alkaline hydrolysis, natural organic reduction and other emerging alternatives. Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the range of possibilities available and a clearer vision for how to create a funeral that aligns with their values and priorities.