Trish Penner, a physician and former hospital chaplain, founded the Green Cemetery Project Winnipeg five years ago with the goal of bringing the first green cemetery to Manitoba. A green cemetery is a land that maintains its natural ecosystem, where bodies are buried without embalming, placed in biodegradable materials, and without headstones. Penner believes that there needs to be more conversations about death and ways to make it a more positive and environmentally friendly process. She envisions a green cemetery as a beautiful place where people can picnic or spend time with their families, while knowing that their loved ones are buried there.
Richard Rosin, the president of the Green Burial Society of Canada and a funeral director, has also seen the rise in popularity of green cemeteries in recent years. He highlights the environmental impact of traditional burial practices, such as embalming, which leaches chemicals into the ground. Cremation, another common practice, also raises concerns due to its use of fossil fuels and electricity. Rosin believes that green burial options offer a more environmentally conscious alternative, despite the challenges of changing long-standing practices in the funeral industry.
Winnipeg currently offers hybrid green burial options at three cemeteries in the city, including Brookside, Transcona, and St. Vital. However, Penner and Rosin hope to establish a cemetery that exclusively offers green burial options. The main challenge lies in finding the right piece of land, taking into consideration factors like budget constraints, the approval of rural municipalities, and potential issues related to water and flooding. Penner is dedicated to finding the perfect location where people can be laid to rest directly back into the earth, in line with the principles of green burial practices.
The Green Cemetery Project Winnipeg aims to promote conversations about death, encourage sustainable burial practices, and provide a more positive and environmentally friendly approach to death care. Penner believes that being more proactive and death-positive can help people navigate the vulnerability that comes with confronting mortality. Rosin underscores the importance of considering the environmental impact of traditional burial and cremation practices, advocating for green burial options as a more sustainable choice for end-of-life care. Both Penner and Rosin are committed to finding a suitable piece of land for a green cemetery in Manitoba, with the hope of offering a peaceful and natural resting place for those who choose this alternative.
In conclusion, the Green Cemetery Project Winnipeg is spearheading efforts to establish the first green cemetery in Manitoba, promoting eco-friendly burial practices and sparking conversations about death care in the community. Penner and Rosin are working towards creating a serene and sustainable final resting place where individuals can be buried in harmony with nature. By challenging traditional burial norms and advocating for green burial options, they hope to provide a meaningful and environmentally conscious alternative for those seeking a more natural approach to death care. Despite the challenges and considerations involved in establishing a green cemetery, both Penner and Rosin remain dedicated to their vision of transforming the way people think about and approach death in a more sustainable and compassionate manner.
