Natural Burial: Build an Eco-friendly Coffin and Plan a Green Funeral

Image Gallery You don’t have to break the bank in order to plan a thoughtful funeral. You may want to consider building or commissioning a simple, handmade coffin. STEVE MAXWELL

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Does the phrase “homemade coffin” conjure up Faulkner-esque images of weirdo country bumpkins and creepy pine boxes in the backyard? Does it make you squirm?

What about, “So sorry your mom died. We’ll need a deposit of $5,000 for the casket, please.”

If the latter doesn’t settle well with you, then perhaps it’s time to adjust your thinking on the former.

Americans routinely spend thousands of dollars on funerals, and many caskets now cost $10,000 or more. And like most products on the market today, it may be hard to learn information such as  how the product was made, where its materials were sourced, if any environmentally damaging materials went into it, or what kind of labor conditions its manufacturers faced. Especially given that you may have little time to make a decision, amidst difficult circumstances.

Building a coffin — or even hiring someone else to do it for you — is far less expensive than purchasing a ready-made model, and will provide you with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-reliance. Another significant benefit is that building a casket allows you to construct something beautiful that honors the deceased in a way no pre-fab model can.

If DIY is not your thing and you don’t choose to build or commission a handmade coffin, there are other ways to consider sustainability in difficult end-of-life decisions. If you opt for wood, one option is to look for caskets made from sustainably sourced lumber. Check for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo. Look for suppliers with FSC’s product search tool. You may also want to visit the websites below, which offer biodegradable caskets.

Do-It-Yourself Coffins

Here are a few coffin-building and funeral-planning resources from our Archive. Check them out for detailed casket building plans and a glimpse at the many design and materials options available to you. You’ll also find some inspiration on thoughtful ways to honor people when they pass.

• Homemade Caskets: You Can Make a Coffin
  
• Country Lore: A Casket to Live For
  
• The Last Thing You Want to Do
  
• How to Arrange a Simple Burial
  
• How We Personalized Our Father’s Funeral
  
• Greener Ways to the Great Beyond

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