Saturday afternoon she pitched the idea to Coastside Land Trust board members and an audience of about 30 Coastsiders at the Community United Methodist Church, hoping to stir up support for a new resting place on future Land Trust property.
“I feel it’s the missing link between people and their deceased relatives,” said Hillhouse, who manages ColorfulCoffins.com in El Granada. “I think people are very confused about burials. All they can think to do is hand the whole thing over to the funeral home.”
|
|
Coastside Land Trust Executive Director Jo Chamberlain helped facilitate the presentation, complete with a demonstration of casket painting, after receiving phone calls from interested Coastside residents.
The benefits of such a cemetery, Chamberlain said, include “conserving land and providing a service and benefit to the community.”
There are currently about 15 natural burial preserves in the United States today, according to information from the Centre for Natural Burial. Only one exists in California – in Marin County. Hillhouse says more are needed.
“California needs to be leading the way on environmentalism on all fronts,” she says.
At one point during the meeting, Chamberlain tallied support for the idea of a green burial ground on the Coastside. “It was unanimous,” she said. “Now, the question will be taken for consideration: Should we pursue or accept if there’s an offer for a property that would be for a green burial ground?”
Chamberlain said the board would deliberate on the subject in the coming months. In the meantime, she’ll continue collecting input from residents.
w