On Earth Day We asked… Can Estate Planning be Eco-Friendly?

My husband and I try to instill in our children a love for nature. This photo is of our middle daughter, Amelia, as we hiked through Johnson Park in Racine last fall. Living in such a beautiful part of the world, it’s easy to spend hours outside with loved ones. We take the kids hiking and camping whenever we have a spare moment.

Not only do we get to experience nature, but we also unplug and experience each other without interruption.

Attorney Mason and her daughter, Amelia hiking in Racine County Wisconsin

As we consider Earth Day, we are proud that our love for nature is being passed on to our children. I am also proud to extend this ethos beyond our families weekend adventures. It has become a fundamental part of my firm’s estate planning practice.

Have you considered a green burial?

We routinely ask our clients if they have considered a green burial. A “green burial” is an Eco-friendly approach to burial. Traditional burial method fills your body with a formaldehyde solution and encases your body in a casket. Caskets are often not bio degradable.

During a green burial, your body is not embalmed. You are buried in a container that is 100 percent bio degradable. Sometimes no casket at all. The body is wrapped in a cloth. Did you know you can also choose to be buried with a tree sapling? This metaphorically and actually allows your body to become the tree.

What else can be done on Earth Day?

We also found ways to cut waste by offering a “paper-lite” estate plan. With the help of newer tech and our fantastic millennial staff, we have a secure portal. The secure portal allows us to share drafts and obtain client feedback without using paper. Our clients can also securely access their estate plan from literally anywhere in the world (as long as there is internet access).

In Wisconsin, the final Estate Plan needs to be signed to comply with state law. But digitizing large portions of the estate planning process can significantly reduce the use of paper and our impact on the earth. While at the same time improving the process.

We know these efforts are not huge changes. But each small change we make adds up.