As traditional burial spaces become scarce, and ecologists make us more aware of our surroundings, the green burial movement has grown rapidly.
Once seen as a hippy option, support if growing for the use of calm, woodland surroundings as burial places. They often have the advantage of peace and natural beauty, whilst allowing grieving relatives the chance to walk and enjoy their surroundings.
Many green burial grounds restrict the materials they will allow to be placed in the ground, so that only coffins that will naturally decompose are permitted. This has led to a revolution in the design of caskets, which are now found in materials such as wool and cardboard, along with a revival in the use of a traditional shroud.
Research is also showing us that there are more eco-friendly ways to dispose of bodies than cremation, which demands high combustion temperatures and releases toxins into the atmosphere.