End of Life

As Christians, we believe that life and death are held in the loving hands of God, and that our final acts on earth can reflect the values we’ve lived by — faith, hope, love, and care for creation. Just as we seek to live in a way that honours the earth and our neighbours, so too can we choose practices at the end of life that are gentle on the planet and mindful of future generations.

This is not only a practical concern, but a spiritual one. In returning our bodies to the earth, we participate in the great cycle of life that God has woven into creation. To die well is an extension of living well — an opportunity to leave a legacy of stewardship, simplicity, and hope.

This page invites individuals, families and churches to consider end-of-life choices — such as green burials, natural funerals and water creation — as faithful acts of discipleship and care.

Further Reading / Exploration:

Article: 'For Dust Thou Art': The Spiritual Practice of Green Burial - A relationship with God means our bodies and the earth are not separate.

Book: Our Last Best ACT: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love. By Mallory McDuff.

Green funerals are one way for Christian leaders to promote creation care

Church of England to consider greener alternatives to burial - Water cremation and human composting among methods to be discussed by General Synod this week

Creating a more environmentally friendly resting place - Green burials, biodegradable coffins and other innovations can help make a final resting place more environmentally friendly.

A Better Ending: An interview with Sandy Gibson of Better Place Forests whose mission is “helping every person to write a better ending to their story”.

Greener burials uncovered by new Canterbury research

The Spinoff article, 8 Aug 2023: Inside the rise of eco-friendly deaths

RNZ article, 4 June 2025: Eco-friendly deaths - how to have less of a final carbon footprint

Video below: How our dead bodies can be good for the planetEco-friendly deaths - how to have less of a final carbon footprint

Natural Burials in Aotearoa

Right now, the only real green funeral alternative in New Zealand is the natural burial. Natural burials are not a new concept, with variations having been practised by a number of cultures throughout history, including Māori, whose traditions included burying tūpāpaku (bodies) in shallow earth, caves, sand dunes or hollow trees.

Natural burial means:

  • the body is not embalmed to avoid chemicals leaking into the ground

  • the body is either buried in a shroud or sustainable, untreated timber

  • the body is dressed in natural fibres with no non-biodegradable accessories

  • burial depth is shallow to allow for natural tree regeneration

  • instead of a headstone, the plot is marked with a tree or stone, or

  • the plot is filled with uncompacted compost mix for better decomposition

  • plots are over-planted with native tree or shrub

  • the body’s nutrients will be absorbed by the surrounding soil and plants.

Find our more about Natural Burials in Aotearoa New Zealand, how to get a natural burial, details about certified natural cemeteries and certified coffins.

No chemicals, no treated coffin - it’s a more natural way to return to the earth. Watch a video of Jeanette Fitzsimons and Gwenyth from Thames Natural Burial Group tell us why they're opting for a more organic route after death: https://www.renews.co.nz/natural-burials/

New Te Arawa natural burial site opens - The Northcroft/Moke/Waaka whānau from Tuhourangi-Ngāti Wāhiao launched its urupā tataiao (natural burial sites) on ancestral lands in Horohoro. They are encouraging the motu to look into taking loved ones back to their whenua and returning to tikanga of old and away from westernised introduced embalming, coffins and cemeteries owned by councils.

NZ wool being used to make eco-friendly caskets - Low-emissions caskets and urns made from New Zealand wool.

Water Cremation

Archbishop Desmond Tutu requested alkaline hydrolysis, also known as aquamation or water cremation, as an eco-friendly final disposition for his body.

Find out more about water cremation in Aotearoa.

Follow the Facebook page on water cremation in Aotearoa.

Article in The Spinoff, 11 June 2025: The water cremation floodgates are officially open in Aotearoa

Radio interview on RNZ, 6 June 2025: Water cremations approved for first time

Terramation / Human composting (not legal in Aotearoa)

Read more:

‘A literal return to the earth’: is human composting the greenest burial?

Dig this: Composting of human bodies offered as green solution