After dinner, Past President Iain introduced the guest speaker…
Richard is the founder of Richard Rosin Funeral Director Ltd., a full-service funeral company specialising in Green Burials, Home Funerals and educational events. He has been in the funeral industry for nearly 40 years.
Keenly aware of environmental concerns, his board activities with the Green Burial Society of Canada aim to encourage and provide resources to cemeteries, funeral directors and families to make better choices in their environmental legacies. He's also a signatory to Winnipeg-based BizforClimate.
Winnipeg's Friendliest Undertaker(tm) is active in the community, including past board membership with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Grace Lutheran Church and Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra to name a few. In addition, he and his team support the United Way and have participated in their annual Plane Pull fundraising events.
When relaxing, you can find Richard enjoying their trailer at the Oasis with their four dogs (in order of equal cuteness) - Addi, Lola, Joey and Archie.
Richard gave a most interesting talk about his career in the funeral industry where he apprenticed under Neil Bardal, a person synonymous with the funeral industry in Manitoba. Neil passed away in 2010.
Richard introduced us to the Green Burial movement which is a worldwide movement and its history which began in 1993 in Carlyle, Scotland.
Richard who has 40 years in the funeral industry performs services all over Manitoba. He is the chair of the Green Burial Society of Canada and will perform the service at a location of the family’s choosing. This could be a place of worship, a community hall, Golf Club, and even in the home of the deceased.
He explained the 5 core principles of the green burial which in reality is how burials were conducted many years before the organised funeral industry.
It involves:-
- No Embalming
- Direct Earth Burial (grave not as deep)
- Ecological Restoration/Conservation
- Communal Memorials
- Optimised Land Use
Biodegradable caskets are made of various materials, with many local businesses offering products to their communities. Wrapping the person in a shroud is traditional and straightforward. While some shrouds are designed with carrying handles, a carrying tray like those made by The Village Casket Maker in Winnipeg is a safe and practical way to bring the person from the vehicle to the grave.
Along with biodegradable caskets or trays, the burial uses as few items as possible to reduce the ecological impact on the earth. The place of burial is an area protected from future development and may resemble a peaceful pasture. Grave stones as memorials are not used. The preferred way is to use a communal marker such as natural stone or fallen tree for example. All these means reduce the carbon footprint of a site.
In Canada, there are Green Burial sites. Willow's Rest Green Burial Area can be found within Fairview Cemetery in the City of Niagara Falls. It is one of thirteen cemeteries in Canada given certification by the Green Burial Society of Canada.
And in Nova Scotia, we find Sunrise Park Interfaith Cemetery. Like Willow's Rest, it is located within an existing cemetery and is considered a hybrid location.
Britain has well over 300 green burial sites, many between 5 to 15 acres. South Downs was formerly a communications and navigation school of the Royal Navy from 1941 to 1993. It was turned over to The Earthworks Trust in 1995 to develop an independent education center for sustainable living and a burial ground. It is unique in that it hosts a number of ecological learning experiences truly creating a space that focuses on our environmental footprint from beginning to end.
The graves are prepared simply with no artificial greens or lowering devices commonplace in Canada and the US.
As they do not allow markers on the graves, some people have found a creative way to mark their person’s site with woven willow branches.
History and Numbers
The green burial movement began in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom because of concerns of carbon emissions due to a 98% cremation rate and rapid urbanisation of many natural areas. In Canada, B.C. became the first province with a Green Burial Cemetery. You will also find cemeteries located in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
The numbers (2021):
- 1993 - the first green burial cemetery opens in Carlyle, Scotland
- 270+ - The number of active green burial grounds now operating in the United Kingdom
- 1998 - the first US green burial cemetery opens in South Carolina
- 350 - the number of active green burial grounds now operating in the USA
- 2008 - the first active green burial cemetery opens in Canada, on Vancouver Island
- 13 - the number of GBSC-certified green burial cemeteries now operating in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
The Goals
The goals of the Green Burial Society of Canada are to bring awareness to Canadians that includes individuals, other environmental organisations, businesses and municipalities to environmentally based death care practices. Advocate the adoption of environmentally responsible and ecologically sustainable interment and funeral services in communities across the country. Establish standards and best practices to the cemetery and funeral industry. Like today, create education opportunities which also includes working with the national funeral college to provide curriculum resources to their students.
How can you help: Consider or Reconsider your Green Legacy. Volunteer to support the Canadian organisations. Help spread the word. Invite us to make a presentation
Media Links
CBC What On Earth - November 25, 2023 https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/bury-me-naked/id1520725103?i=1000636490180
CBC Manitoba January 29, 2024 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/green-burials-manitoba-1.7098454
Global News Manitoba – April 24, 2024 https://globalnews.ca/news/10445240/green-cemetery-project-winnipeg-aims-to-make-death- more-environmentally-friendly-in-manitoba/
Winnipeg Free Press – April 29, 2024 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/2024/04/29/dust-to-dust
After Speaker...
Thank you, Richard, for visiting our club and helping us understand a very interesting subject and one that has introduced us to a different perspective on the funeral industry.