Interview a Funeral Director about Green Burial Options
Assignment Overview
In this lesson, you will use the material presented in this lesson to prepare a set of questions and then interview a funeral director. Based on your interview, you will write a short article (300 words) on green burial options in your community. You will need to get permission from your teacher and also a parent or guardian to conduct the interview, either by phone or in person. It is a good idea to record the interview so that you will have your interviewee's exact words when you write your article. If you interview by phone, it will be important to inform your interviewee that you are taping the conversation, because he or she will need to agree to taping.

You may have to call several funeral homes (look online or in a phonebook for listings) to find one that provides green burial options. If you cannot find a business that uses green burial options, that is your story, because it means there are no options yet available in your community.

If you do not tape the conversation, be sure to take notes as you interview. Be prepared with a list of questions before you begin the interview.

Here are some umbrella questions you can start with:

How would you define green burial?
What types of green burial services do you provide?
How many people (what percentage) are using green burial options?
Are you a family business, or is the funeral home part of one of the larger funeral corporations?
Does the company have a policy about handling green burials?
Do you tell consumers that law does not require embalming?
Will you agree to provide a service if a client does not want to embalm the remains?
Which providers do you work with to provide green burials?
If you cannot find someone who does green burials, you might begin with these umbrella questions:

How would you define green burial?
Do you intend to provide green burials in the future?
Do you think green burials will become a trend?
What are the obstacles to providing green burials?
Do you tell consumers that law does not require embalming?
Will you agree to provide a service if a client does not want to embalm the remains?
Assignment Directions:
Step One

Use the lesson as well as any other additional resources of your choice for background information.

Step Two

Call several funeral homes if necessary to find one that provides some green burial services.

Step Three

Set up an interview, either by phone or in person, at a mutually convenient time.

Step Four

Use your resources as well as the umbrella questions at the top to formulate a set of questions.

Step Five

Conduct the interview.

Step Six

Use your notes to write a summary article that explains green burial options in your community.

Step Seven

Edit your draft.

Step Eight

Carefully type your article if you have not done so already. Be sure to proofread your final draft for spelling errors and other grammatical errors that you may have missed.