In recent years, many people going through the grieving process have wanted to ensure that their loved one's farewell reflects their values, such as respect for the environment. They have done so, by choosing products that are environmentally friendly.
So, what does it really mean for a wooden urn to be environmentally friendly? This article explains it in simple terms, providing some relevant background information that explains this type of responsible practice.
Background on Environmental Damage
It is well known that soil degradation, loss of forest cover, rain-related disasters, global warming, and, in short, everything that is happening today in every part of the world we inhabit, is related to the way natural resources are used and exploited.
To understand the importance of manufacturing environmentally friendly products, it is important to mention that in recent years, the world has experienced climatic events that have left deep scars, both in terms of material and human damage, and undoubtedly damage to ecosystems, to mention a few: the devastating heat wave in Europe in 2022–2023, the floods that covered a third of Pakistan in 2022, the historic fires in Canada and Greece in 2023, Hurricane Ian in the United States, the prolonged drought in the Horn of Africa, the extreme rains that caused thousands of deaths in Libya, and the massive coral bleaching affecting most of the planet's reefs.
Organizations such as the WWA, the World Meteorological Organization, and the IPCC, to which reference is made, agree on one important thing: these events are not isolated incidents. Global warming is making them more intense, more frequent, and more damaging.
Behind every figure and every event are entire communities, families, and ecosystems trying to recover; some people believe that responsible consumption is a huge contribution to recover the damage to the environment, what or where to buy it is a personal decision.
Contribution to Environmental Protection
We as members of a community have a responsibility to influence governments in power in countries around the world, as members of international organizations that focus their work on the issue of global warming, or participating in groups freely associated with the goal of helping to raise awareness and reduce this damage.
There are thousands and millions of people working together to mitigate the ravages of global warming. The positive contribution to reducing damage to the ecosystem does not necessarily have to be on a large or massive scale; it could be undertaken individually within close-knit communities, or by small businesses engaged in small-scale light manufacturing, such as agribusiness, carpentry, textiles, leather goods, or blacksmithing.
Even though these economic sectors do not represent the majority in Latin America, if they adopt best practices in their production processes, they can be considered agents of change.
Discussions about environmentally friendly production have been shown in many studies to be a controversial topic, because any product made through the exploitation of a natural resource leaves a footprint or impact on that resource; therefore, what is required to make sustainable use of a natural resource and be environmentally friendly is a commitment to mitigate or offset that impact.
Generally speaking, this can be summarized as implementing best practices in production processes and verifying the traceability of the raw materials used, as the most relevant actions.
This entire introduction is very important for describing the significance of developing, creating, or producing wooden urns that are environmentally friendly and respectful of the environment a very broad topic.
However, the objective of this article is to explain it briefly, taking a look at all the steps involved in their production.
Why is a wooden urn said to be environmentally friendly?
Therefore, stating that a wooden urn is environmentally friendly implies:
- The wood used must originate from forest plantations or sustainably managed forests. The wood supplier must have documents that support traceability and must be certified and/or legally established.
- The materials used to finish the product, i.e., the urn, are originated from natural materials, such as beeswax, tung oil, and linseed oil, to name a few. These are products that, when an urn is buried, are more easily reintegrated into nature.
- The recycled materials such as cardboard in the packaging and wrapping materials, minimize the use of plastic wrapping, use organic textiles, cotton cords or ties, and evaluate all available options in order to have packaging that is environmentally responsible.
- The production processes used to manufacture a wooden urn, and the work team that is directly or indirectly involved in the production process, has to be trained and qualified in environmentally friendly production processes such as saving electricity and drinking water, proper waste management, knowing how to handle smaller wood scraps to donate them as raw material for other production chains, and the proper use of protective equipment, finally a healthy team contributes to mitigating damage to the environment.
- The use of solar panels so that the consumption of conventional electricity used to operate machinery and equipment is offset by solar energy.
- If you decide to bury the urn, it will degrade after several years, and reintegrate into nature, because of the wood and natural finish used.
- In the shipping logistics process, it is important that the supplier takes steps to mitigate the environmental impact in relation to fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and that its practices in this area are widely known and visible.
Conclusion
What are simple ways to help the environment?
This article closes by stating that there are many and varied actions and measures to consider, some of which are being implemented by large social groups, companies, or communities, right down to the individual level, and that all these actions add up and contribute to change.
And what could be, as an individual, a simple way to help the environment? Making a conscious decision about what we consume, by carefully choosing eco-friendly products, from companies that demonstrate how they contribute and implement best practices.
At Crafted Urns, we work with sustainable wood, sourced legally and selected from responsibly managed plantations. Care lives and every detail of our Urns Collections, from the handcrafted process, to the materials we use for our packaging.
And as part of our commitment to sustainability and meaningful craftsmanship, we are proud members of The Generation Forest, a cooperative that restores degraded land in Panama by planting permanent, biodiverse forests. Their work captures carbon, supports local communities, and protects future generations, values that resonate deeply with the purpose behind our handcrafted urns.