“Why Green Burial in Camden, Maine?” Because there are others like me. Young and old! 

In 2022, I moved to Camden from Massachusetts. Moving required transferring all my estate planning to Maine. I still have one document to complete: “Burial Instructions.”

The choices presented didn’t resonate with me.  In March 2024, I learned of and joined Midcoast Maine Green Burial, which formed in July 2023.   

“Green Burial, the act of burying a human body in a natural fiber shroud or simple, compostable pine box without embalming fluids or other harmful chemicals, is an option legal in all 50 states.” [June 18, 2024, The Free Press, “Go Green in Death” by Freyja Grey]  

On October 21, MMGB founder Jean Matlack presented environmental and spiritual reasons for green burial to the Camden Select Board at the Town Meeting.  She also submitted petitions supporting this option.  

Katie Riposta, of the Riposta Funeral Home in Belfast, states: “Over the last two decades, we have seen a shift in the emotional and physical needs of the families that we serve for final disposition across the State of Maine, but more importantly, the Midcoast Maine area. The requests from consumers for green and eco-friendly methods of disposition have increased substantially. The possibility of establishing a municipal green cemetery in the Midcoast region would serve the needs of many surrounding towns and fill a need within our community for this purpose.  It is my professional opinion that a cemetery of this sort would fulfill the end-of-life wishes of many community members while also providing a new source of revenue for the town.”  

If Green Burial resonates with you, please reach out to me to sign our petition.  Please speak with your Select Board member.  You will find more information and a list of future presentations on our website, midcoastmainegreenburial.org.

Katherine Batson lives in Camden