Sustainable living does not have to end with your lifetime. In today’s increasingly eco-conscious world, more and more individuals are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and leave things “greener” for future generations. Eco-friendly estate planning can integrate those values into practical decisions that reduce your environmental impact while caring for loved ones after your death. Below are a few “green” options to consider implementing in your estate plan.
- Environmental Legacies
Directing your assets to environmental causes is a straightforward way to support eco-friendly initiatives. Charitable legacies to conservation trusts, climate research, habitat restoration, and local sustainability initiatives can be structured in your will, or charitable endowments can be set up during your lifetime to provide ongoing support.
- Sustainable Estate Administration
Choosing digitized options for your estate administration, where possible, can both cut paper consumption and streamline the probate process. Working with estate lawyers who prioritize green alternatives such as virtual meetings, digital documents, electronic signatures, and recycled materials for paper files can minimize ecological damage and ensure your estate aligns with your values.
- Purposeful Investing
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing and asset management is a strategy that considers these factors in trustee investment decisions for your estate or trust to generate positive environmental impacts alongside financial returns. Examples include screening out high-pollution sectors and favouring investment in companies with credible carbon targets and transparent reporting.
- Green Burial
A green burial is, in fact, one of the oldest forms of burial, but it has recently seen a resurgence in popularity. At its most basic, the practice involves returning a body directly to the earth to decompose naturally. It is an eco-friendly option that can minimize chemicals and reduce the resources used in order to support land conservation.
There are several hallmarks of a green burial, including:
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- the use of biodegradable shrouds and/or sustainable caskets over typical metal;
- no embalming to avoid the use of toxic chemicals like formaldehyde;
- no grave liners or vaults to help preserve the natural surrounding landscape; and
- simple memorialization, such as marking graves with trees or flat native stones, over large monuments.
The advantages of green burials are not limited to environmental benefits either; they not only minimize the impact on the surrounding ecosystem, but also cost roughly half of a conventional burial.
- Aquamation
While flame-based cremation is another more eco-conscious alternative to the traditional burial since it does not require caskets or embalming, it still results in the release of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
On the other hand, alkaline hydrolysis, or “aquamation,” is a form of cremation that uses heated water and alkali solution to dissolve tissue. While it requires large quantities of water and electricity for several hours, it has been described as the greener cremation option, as it uses significantly less energy than flame-based cremation and reduces carbon dioxide emissions.
Key Takeaway
Thoughtful, eco-conscious planning is a practical way to reflect your environmental values and leave a “green” legacy with lasting impact. By implementing some of these strategies, you and your estate can continue to advance the causes you care about and support people and the planet, even after your death.
For Further Reading
Keeping Track of Your Digital Assets – James Bond Style – February 7, 2023
Guidelines for Your Attorneys for Personal Care: Why They Are So Important – June 7, 2022
The Many and Varied Uses of Letters of Wishes in Your Estate Plan – July 6, 2016
— Aleida Prinzen