Greening your Will

I don’t mean printing it on recycled paper.

Greening your Will

And I don’t mean printing it on recycled paper.

Commercial products are often discussed as being green from “cradle to grave,” meaning they are produced, used, and disposed of in a green or sustainable way.  But what about us?

We can’t control how we’re “produced,” but we can control how greenly or sustainably we lead our lives.  We can also control how green the end of our lives will be; literally ensuring we are green in our grave.

You can also request specific funeral and burial arrangements.  For example, you can arrange for a biodegradable coffin; buy a plot at a green cemetery of your choosing; donate your body to medical science; request certain chemicals not be used to embalm your body; request cremation with your ashes to be scattered; or request that you not have a permanent monument (i.e. headstone). 

The estate you leave behind to your beneficiaries in your Will can also be green.  Just as when you invest you can choose to invest in green corporations, you can set up a trust in your Will that invests your assets in green corporations for designated beneficiaries.   If you have a large estate, or no beneficiaries you plan to pass your estate to, you can donate your estate to an environmental non-profit group.

There are many things to consider when drafting your Will; I would suggest that your environmental legacy should be one of those considerations, just as you may make the environment a consideration in your everyday life. 

And yes, you should print your Will on recycled paper too.