The Environment
We are committed to the wise use of natural resources and behaving in an environmentally responsible manner.
We run our premises in an energy efficient manner. Artificial lighting, heating and cooling of the building is used only when required. Energy efficient heat pump technology is used in the large chapel area. The ‘power save’ options are used on all electronic equipment and computers are turned off at the end of the day.
We are careful to maximise the efficiency of our vehicle fleet and use small cars whenever possible. However our hearses are, of necessity, large vehicles. We take care to plan our work away from the office so that the distances travelled are minimised.
Paper use is minimised through electronic technology and all paper waste is recycled (after shredding any confidential material).
Some people are concerned about the environmental impact of embalming. Modern formaldehyde based embalming fluids are much kinder to the environment than those used in previous years. Historically arsenic has been a serious contaminant associated with cemeteries. Formaldehyde does not persist in the environment and breaks down due to natural processes in the soil. Formaldehyde does not build up in plants and animals.
In recognition of the impact of our activities we give back to the environment through donating native plants for public areas and community facilities. Our own gardens increasingly feature native plants including endangered species from the Wellington region.
Environmentally friendly options
We are happy to talk through some of the options available.
While embalming chemicals are not a serious environmental problem some people still wish to reduce or eliminate them. It is possible to carry out a ‘light’ embalming using ‘low index’ chemicals. We are happy to discuss with you the option of a ‘light’ embalming or no embalming and the implications of these choices.
Caskets are available in a wide range of materials. The cheaper options are made of medium density fibre board with a veneer finish and do contain chemicals, glues and resins. The solid timber caskets avoid the chemical issues but some may question the use of timbers such as rimu and mahogany. We also offer a solid, untreated pine casket from plantation forests.
The next choice is burial or cremation. Burial is environmentally friendly in terms of its immediate impact but does use a lot of land. Some efficiency can be gained by double and even triple depth graves. Burial at sea is not common but is available. There are strict guidelines as to the type of casket, procedures to be followed and the location.
Cremation overcomes the land-use issues but is an energy intensive process. Modern high temperature crematoria overcome many of the air pollution problems of the past. Before a cremation care should be taken to remove any objects that would cause pollution during the combustion process. We can recommend modern and efficiently operated crematoria with environmentally responsible operating procedures.
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