When you think about being green, you probably don’t think about stuff like burial and cremation.
It turns out the way we handle death has a huge impact on the environment. Most burials are embalmed, which means lots of chemicals like formaldehyde. Cremation takes tons of energy and releases carbon gases into the air, so it’s not environmentally ideal, either.
But now there’s a recent trend towards natural burial and it’s come to Brampton.
According to the Natural Burial Association, there are only four natural burial sites in all of Canada. Only one of them is in the GTA, and it’s right here in Brampton.
Meadowvale Cemetery is at Mavis Road and Ray Lawson Boulevard. This spot, which is also home to the Canadian Korean War monument, has a natural burial area not far from its gates.
It’s adjacent to a wildlife preserve so there’s nothing to see this early fall as you gaze out over the untamed meadow but trees, wildflowers, tons of birds, and butterflies. For people whose final wishes are to be buried naturally, you couldn’t find a more peaceful or beautiful spot.
How does natural burial work? There are strict guidelines for being interred in a natural burial ground. One is that you can’t have been embalmed (with the exception of biodegradable materials,) and the caskets, shrouds, and urns must be entirely biodegradable. If you want to see the full requirements, you can visit the Natural Burial Association for details.
Natural burial is at the cutting edge of death care. Even though this is a tough subject to think about, this is unique in the GTA and a special place Brampton should be proud of.