Green Offerings

Chapel of the Highlands is recognized as a leader in offering environmentally-friendly and ecologically-sensitive choices:

  • Funeral & cremation choices available in different “shades of green” meaning we can show you the various levels on how you can contribute environmentally…
  • “Green certified caskets” which are sourced from a local company. These caskets are constructed using willow, banana leaf or bamboo which are known to be environmentally friendly materials…
  • “Unfinished wooden caskets” that help soften our eco-footprints…
  • “Green funeral options” giving families a choice on various ways to lessen the impact on the environment…
  • “Formaldehyde free” fluids, for times when embalming is needed, is a positive step we’ve chosen to help reduce our reliance on specific chemicals found elsewhere in our daily lives…
  • “Green burial options” with locations available that are designed to be natural and environmentally forgiving…
  • “Green certified cremation urns” which are sourced from a local company. Like the above caskets, these urns are constructed using willow, banana leaf or bamboo which are known to be environmental friendly materials…
  • “We patronize local companies” because the fewer miles used in transportation saves fuel and lessens the impact on the environment…

For more information on how to select environmentally friendly funeral and cremation related choices please call us at (650) 588-5116 and we will guide you with your green options.

NOTE: Green basket type caskets and urns are limited in supply and are continously evolving. Examples pictured are similar to available offerings, but each basketweave casket or natural urn is unique in design and none will be exactly alike.

Please read the following article by Paul Larson published in the San Francisco Examiner and the San Mateo Daily Journal…

INTERESTING ITEM: Updates to California law have sparked interest and questions about “Aquamation”. This alternative to cremation, recently emerging in Canada, Australia, numerous U.S. states and other parts of the world, is relativly new in California and referred to here as “Alkaline Hydrolysis”.  This water based process of breaking down human remains is locally still rare compared to cremation.  But, “Alkaline Hydrolysis” or “Aquamation” is growing as an environmentally healthier option to cremation…

  • More information to come…