If you want to aid in our efforts to bring NOR to Michigan, we’ve got good news: there are plenty of ways to help!
First, if you haven’t already, we recommend signing our petition. Petitions like this let our legislators know there is broad support for NOR in our state. You can add your signature, and share the petition with anyone you think might be interested.
https://www.change.org/NOR4Michigan
Another impactful way to help is to reach out to your representatives directly and let them know that you’d like to see NOR legalized in our state. For any new law to pass, a bill must first be sponsored by a legislator, so connecting with them directly is a great way to express your support, and maybe introduce them to NOR. You can call their office, write them an email, send them a letter in the mail, or you may even be able to request a meeting in-person. If you’re not sure who your representative is, you can find them by entering your information here:
Michigan House of Representatives: https://www.house.mi.gov/
Michigan Senate: https://senate.michigan.gov/)
If you’d like to send an email or letter and aren’t sure what to write, we’ve put together this template letter (adapted from The Order of the Good Death). You can use it as-is, or edit it in any way you like:
Dear [Representative’s name]
I am writing to express my support for the creation of a bill that would allow Michigan residents to legally choose natural organic reduction, a safe and sustainable death care option that has recently been legalized in thirteen states. This process would provide Michiganders with a funeral option that offers significant savings in carbon emissions, water, and land usage over conventional burial or cremation.
Cremation requires fossil fuels and emits CO2 into the atmosphere, polluting our air and contributing to climate change. Conventional burials with a casket leach chemicals into the ground from the treated casket wood and embalming chemicals. One metric ton of carbon is prevented from being emitted into the atmosphere for every individual who chooses NOR over conventional burial or cremation.
Burial space across the United States is becoming limited, especially in more urban areas. This leads to the increased cost of death-care options for individuals and their families. As cemeteries begin to fill up and land is less available for burial plots, people are looking for more sustainable death care practices.
Beyond the fourteen states which have already legalized the process, bills are currently working their way through the legislature in many more, including both traditionally red and blue states. It is clear there is broad, bipartisan support for this process, and Michigan, a state that deeply values its natural resources, should be at the forefront of this movement.
The creation of a bill allowing natural organic reduction in Michigan would provide additional options for death care practice that are more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Michiganders deserve the right to choose a death care option that is meaningful for them and their families.
Natural organic reduction is my choice because ___________.
(your name, state, contact information)
Beyond signing our petition or reaching out to your representatives, you can help simply by spreading the word and having meaningful conversations about NOR with your friends and loved ones. Many people are still unaware of the process and may be uncomfortable about it at first, but talking about it and sharing its many benefits, both for the planet and for individuals, can have a big impact.
Finally, if you’d like to be more involved with NOR4Michigan directly, we’d love to hear from you! We’re always looking to connect with like-minded people who might want to lend their skills and insights to our efforts. Feel free to reach out to us via email at info@nor4michigan.org.