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Cemeteries as Community Spaces
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Though not a requirement for certification, deep engagement with the local community is something many of our certified cemeteries have in common. Sure, it makes good business sense — spreading awareness through public programming is, after all, savvy marketing. For these, and many of our other providers, it's much more than that. Across the country, burial grounds are nurturing the local community by providing space for learning, connection with nature, and a deeper understanding of what it means to truly live on a piece of Earth.
This newsletter reaches folks living all across the world, so we generally only feature events that are accessible virtually. That being said, we recognize that this is a community that grows by learning from one another. Here are some wonderful examples of events happening at the local level.
Memorial Day Burial Ground Tour at The Forest Conservation Burial Ground of Southern Oregon
Yoga with Goats at Returning Home Farm at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park, PA
Talking About It Won't Kill You: A Community Conversation about End of Life at The Forest Conservation Burial Ground of Southern Oregon
Donation-based Yoga at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, CA
Public Guided Tour at Foxfield Preserve, OH
Hike & Learn at Larkspur Conservation, TN
If you are lucky enough to live nearby, check these events out and subscribe to their newsletters to be updated about future events!
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Photo by Maria St. Clair of the Winter Solstice Celebration at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park
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Green Life, Death and Future
2022 Virtual Conference
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Save the Date! The Green Burial Council's 2022 Virtual Conference, will be held October 20 – 23! Look for more information in future newsletters, on GBC social media and the GBC 2022 Conference webpage.
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Request for Presentation Proposals Deadline Extended The GBC seeks presenters with passionate voices to propose pre-recorded talks, live presentations, and facilitated discussions for our 2022 Conference, to provide deeper levels of expertise for workers and advocates in the green burial movement. Click here for more details and submission instructions.
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Congratulations to the following provider for receiving
Green Burial Council Certification!
Click on the link below to learn more about their services.
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The GBC is proud to announce the certification of Life Forest's shroud for cremated remains. This 100% wool shroud biodegrades to become a natural, rich compost for Life Forest's burial trees, releasing sulfur, nitrogen, and magnesium.
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Green Burial Featured in Fortune's "Path to Zero" Series
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John Niedfeldt-Thomas, Chief Association Executive of GBC International, and Ed Bixby, Board Chair of GBC, Inc., were interviewed by Fortune for this story, and John is part of the companion video. They spoke to the increase in green burial options, and how this demand will continue to drive the market. (The video is available to all; the story requires a subscription to Fortune). Fortune's Path to Zero is "a special series exploring how business can lead the fight against climate change."
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"The Soft Goodbye"
Read this article by Donelle Drees in About Place Journal
In this piece for About Place Journal, Donelle speaks of the softness of green burial, and how she discovered her connection to it over an entire lifetime of exploring cemeteries.
"Slowly and softly through this volunteer work, death emerged in my mind as a wild biological event, an opportunity to claim one’s birthright within the disorderly and fiercely fundamental essence of being a living and breathing organism. It is a wild form of love to envision your cells as soil, to fearlessly surrender your body to microbial absorption, to participate in this ancient sacred service to the earth. It became clear to me. I want a soft goodbye."
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"Natural Burial and legal issues"
Read this article in the Athens Messenger by Wenda Sheard, JD, PhD
Sensible advice from Wenda Sheard of the Southeast Ohio Natural Burial Working Group (and 2021 GBC Conference speaker) on the legal issues (both real and imagined) surrounding green burial:
"Many of us advocating for natural burial encounter what I call 'The Unicorn Effect.' It happens when someone believes that there’s a law prohibiting natural burial or imposing certain requirements on burials or cemeteries or public viewings, and that belief sends us looking for a law that doesn’t exist. Looking for a law that doesn’t exist feels the same as hunting for unicorns. Whenever someone tells you 'there’s a law' or 'there’s a regulation,' make sure to ask for a copy, link, or number of that law or regulation."
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Donate to the Green Burial Council
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Green Burial Council International is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization.
Donations are deductible and our tax ID number is 45-4422635.
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For more details about these events please go to the GBC webpage, What’s Happening.
Foxfield Preserve Virtual Info Session
Foxfield Preserve & The Wilderness Center
May 24, 7:00 - 8:00 pm EST • Online via Zoom
For more information and to register, click here
Green Burial Café
Green Burial Nova Scotia
Last Wednesday of Each Month, 12:00 pm ADT • Online via Zoom
For more information, visit the Green Burial Nova Scotia Facebook page
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Green Burial Council, 2720 Cold Springs Road, Placerville, CA 95667
Copyright © 2022, Green Burial Council, All rights reserved.
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