POV

Licensed Funeral Director

While I applaude the increased level of family participation in the events surrounding a loved one's death, documentaries and films such as this tend to only express one side of opinion and views the death care community as greedy, pretentious and uncaring. Some of the most thoughtful and loving people you can imagine are involved in caring for the deceased and the families that mourn their loss or celebrate their transition. These people give much of themself and are certainly not in this profession for worldly reward. They hold a passion for helping in a way that few understand and have the training and tools necessary to comply with the variety of wishes and needs of a grieving family. While there is definitely a growing number who participate in the green movement, there are many more who value and rely on the expertise of funeral directors who have been licensed and trained to provide them the services they desire and need, to help them through the most difficult part of living - giving up the ones we love and the transition from this life to the next. We as a profession do not add to a culture of denial of death, but facilitate a lasting meaning of the precious life that was lived, and what lessons we take with us in ours.

by James Hill
August 5, 2009, 4:33 PM

In many part of the world burial is done very simply. Nothing expensive. If you have the means why not. But if you are not this is definately a viable option. People have been burying their dead themselves since the beginning of time.

by ayda
August 6, 2009, 6:32 PM

full circle

This is an idea which has come full circle. My husband and I have discussed this sort of thing for years, with our children, and we are all in agreement as to our final wishes. None of us have ever liked the idea of the modern funeral home industry -- and it IS an industry. So many of our friends and relatives, and their survivors, have been preyed upon by the funeral home industry, and "bought into" the "typical American way" of doing things -- which of course is not "typical," merely cliche'd.

Here's a big thank you, to PBS and to everyone associated with the making of this film. It's wonderful to see "old ways" finding new acceptance in our society.

emily's opinionfest at Facebook

by Emily
August 24, 2009, 1:39 PM

In Rebuttal

I just watched this film on Netflix, and I don't feel like the funeral director above is giving an accurate assessment. His labeling of the participants as part of the green movement is on the surface accurate, but only if you look at their funerals. There is no evidence given, except for possibly the lady dying of breast cancer, that they were active participants in a green lifestyle. Also, they did interview an embalmer and went to the industry trade show, so it is not like thy neglected the other side, nor do they advocate this in all cases. In fact, his wording seems to express that he did not even watch this documentary. He merely lumps it into a group, gives no specifics, and mislabels the intents of the movement as green.

by Stacy
September 27, 2009, 11:02 AM

COncerning rebuttal and Director

I have to agree that the funeral directors comments seemed like a slick pamphlet response to a timid question proffered by a greiving widow. My mom just passed and I was with my father for the entire process. Dad had no money and told the director he would pay a quarter of the costs that day and the rest in a month. We were told that unless we paid upfront mom would be kept on ice till we had the money. Our neighbor had to put it on her credit card. When I saw this film a year and a half ago I was appalled at the money and time that goes into the death industry. I have recently been researching alternatives for a college paper and have found out that the "Green Movement" is not the first to tackle the industry. I suggest you all read "The Undertakers' Racket" by Jessica Mitford. She was pointing out the fallacies and money driven attitudes in 1963. Not to mention the fact that embalming is not safe for the embalmers or the publics health, this American way of burial is grotesque and long overdo to end.

by Kim Black from Seattle, Washington
October 25, 2009, 11:53 AM

Re: Licensed Funeral Director

I'm an old man, but thank you for pointing out to me how naive I can be (on the rare occasion), as your post showed that astro-turfing can be employed on any subject under the sun.

That said, the lowest cost I know of is cremation with no services in a funeral home. Yet that price increases annually. I speak from some experience.

by Ken Rice from Waynesboro, PA
October 31, 2009, 5:35 PM

Hoping For A Green Burial

Living in Indiana, I reside in one of those states who have caved into the funeral industry lobby to make green burials inconvenient to pursue. This video accurately portrays what I am hoping to have as a burial rite when I die. My plans are in the works to circumvent as much of the modern funeral industry as the law will allow. Please investigate ALL of your funeral options for the area where you live well in advance, so that your wishes may be implemented. The internet provides a wealth of information under the search topics of "Green Burials" or "Home Burials" and "Natural Burials." Sources for more reading on these topics will referenced by the various sites resulting from an internet search. As the law stands in my home state of Indiana, I may have to settle for what is called a 'hybid burial' which submits to a grave-liner (ie. a bottomless vault) to contain my homemade pine coffin. Green burials make so much sense from environmental, economical, emotional and even religious standpoints that it needs to become a known choice for everyone.

by Philip Ahrendt from Michigan City, INdiana
October 31, 2009, 5:42 PM