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Tree Funeral - Green Funeral

Remember - Think Green or the earth will be a has been.

For those who are keen to reduce their carbon foot print on the world  - a tree funeral is the answer.

It is important to source a low impact ecological coffin made out of native timber and to have a native tree planted in place of a more traditional stone headstone.

This may compensate a little for ones life of cars, aeroplane journeys and lifestyle choices.

Wood Burning Stoves

By far the greenest and most sustainable way to heat ones home is to burn logs.  Ideally they will be sourced from a local supplier and have been stored under cover for as long as to years.  This will prevent chimney fires and ensure one gets maximum heat out of the log.

Hard wood logs are slower burning than softwood logs and better for open fires

Here is a poem about logs and their burning qualities!

WOOD HEAT

Beech wood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnuts only good, they say
If for long its laid away.
But ash wood new or ash wood old
Is fit for a queen with a crown of gold.
Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last.
Is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould -
Even the very flames are cold;
But ash wood green and ash wood brown
Is fit for a queen with a golden crown.
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Oaken logs if dry and old
Keep away the winter cold. 
But ash wood wet and ash wood dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.
       
Oak logs will warm you well,
If they're warm and dry.
Larch logs of pine wood smell
But sparks will fly.
Beech logs for Christmas time;
Yew logs heat well.
Scotch logs its a crime
For anyone to sell.
Birch logs will burn too fast,
Chestnut scarce at all.
Hawthorn logs are good to last,
If cut in the fall.
Holly logs will burn like wax,
You should burn them green.
Elm logs like smouldering flax;
No flames to be seen.
Pear logs and apple logs,
They will scent your room.
Cherry logs across the dogs
Smell like flowers in bloom.
But ash logs all smooth and gray,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come you way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

 
                        From Tree farm by John Estabrook

Building with Wood

It is becoming more and more common for people to build in wood.  Ideally one wants to use locally sourced oak or sweet chesnut for the main frame and then to use other more decorative woods on the inside.  Oak is excellent for weather boarding and shingles if one wants to build the whole house out of wood.