Green Burial Basics: Planning for Death While Living Your Values.

Emmanuel is delighted to welcome Jennifer Downs, Ann Phillips, and Betsy Sexton from the Green Burial Association of Maryland (GBAM) for our December Forum. Green Burial is a growing national movement that supports environmentally sound ways of returning the body to the Earth in a natural, simple, and dignified way. The Green Burial Association of Maryland promotes these burial practices in the State of Maryland through public education, funeral industry outreach, legislative advocacy, and support for creating conservation burial grounds. GBAM Board members will present the benefits of Green Burial, the environmental impact of conventional burials and cremation, options for natural/green burial, and the Green Burial movement in Maryland and the broader U.S. trends.

 Jennifer Downs (President) is a Licensed Acupuncturist and RN in practice since 1980. In her many years of service in the healing arts she has come to appreciate the importance of how we prepare for death, our own and our friends and loved ones. The green burial movement inspired her to get involved as it provides practical ways to preserve the earth and open more green space for the living. Jennifer is a founding member of GBAM.

 Ann Phillips (Board member, past Treasurer) holds a master’s in social work from University of Maryland. She was drawn to the concept of natural burials having worked in hospice, dealing with end-of-life issues, and the choices involved in disposition of the body. Ann is a founding member of GBAM and served as Treasurer for five years.

Betsy Sexton (Secretary elect) was a social worker in Connecticut before moving to Baltimore in the 1980s. Most recently she was an ESOL (English language) instructor, teaching immigrants in Baltimore County. She has served in leadership positions at the League of Women Voters of Baltimore County and the Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle, and NeighborSpace, a nonprofit that develops pocket parks in neighborhoods that do not have community green spaces. She enthusiastically promotes green burial as a simple and earth-friendly practice and is a founding member of the organization.