The Green Funeral Option: Exploring Environmentally Friendly Burial Practices
Whether burials or cremations, traditional funerals can be troubling from an environmental point of view. From carbon footprints to land use and pollution issues, there are many reasons to choose green funeral options instead. Here’s what you need to know about how you can be laid to rest without harming the Earth.
What Is a Green Funeral?
A green funeral is a burial that prioritizes minimizing environmental impact. Such ceremonies can take place in numerous ways, but they tend to have these key things in common:
- Burial in a natural setting: For example, in a wood, forest or meadow rather than a traditional cemetery
- No embalming: To avoid the use of harmful chemicals
- Materials that break down naturally: Such as coffins that decompose easily, made from wicker, cardboard or bamboo
- Using nature as a marker: Instead of headstones, natural markers such as trees or wildflowers may be used
Interest in environmentally friendly funerals has grown rapidly in recent years. A 2024 survey by the National Funeral Directors Association revealed 68% of respondents are considering green burials, whether for eco-friendly reasons or due to the often reduced costs involved.
Types of Green Funeral Options
There is a range of green choices available for those who do not want their death to impact the Earth negatively. While you can eat locally now to make a sustainable lifestyle change, considering one of these end-of-life options is an excellent idea. Some are more common than others, but each has its own advantages to consider.
Natural Burial Grounds
This is what most people think of when they hear “green funeral”. Being buried in an eco-friendly casket or perhaps just a biodegradable shroud in a beautiful natural setting seems like an idyllic way to rest. This option has many benefits:
- It feels familiar: In many ways, it’s similar to a traditional cemetery burial, with a coffin and the process of internment in the ground.
- It may be cheaper: It avoids embalming and expensive caskets to cut down costs.
- The setting is serene: Usually beautiful and peaceful, natural burial grounds are often organically managed, ensuring the natural beauty will endure into the future.
- There is a connection to the Earth: Natural burial appeals to those who feel a spiritual bond with nature.
Conservation Burial
This is very similar to natural burial, but in this case, the internment itself serves a conservation purpose. It typically takes place on land owned by a recognized land trust entity, and fees are used to restore local ecosystems.
Legal rules will be in place to prevent future development in the area. This option has all the benefits of a natural internment ground but would appeal specifically to someone who wants to make a difference in their death.
Aquamation
Also known as water cremation, aquamation is a process that uses water and chemicals to break down a body over three to four hours. This leaves skeletal remains that are ground into ashes. It reduces a funeral’s emissions by 35%, making it a significantly more environmentally friendly option than cremation by fire.
Aquamation isn’t legal everywhere, but it is becoming more widespread. It appeals to many because:
- Water feels “gentler” than flames: There is an instinctive sense that this is a kinder way to treat remains.
- It results in ashes: Families can keep the ashes in traditional urns, plant them in biodegradable urns or bury them.
Human Composting
This is what it sounds like — a way of reducing human remains into nutrient-rich, fertile soil. The body is covered with organic matter like straw and sawdust and placed into a special chamber. Over a couple of months, total decomposition occurs, following which the remains are dried for several more weeks. Finally, the family can choose to keep the resulting soil, using it to plant something in memory of their loved one.
Human composting is currently legal in only a handful of states in the U.S., so it is the least available of the green funeral options. However, other states are in the process of legalizing it. It is an appealing option because:
- It minimizes space and materials: It doesn’t require a lot of space and doesn’t need a coffin, shroud, or other materials.
- It can be cheaper: Although processes are still in development, it’s often cheaper than cremation.
- Meaningful remains: The resulting soil can be used in many meaningful ways, providing a tangible connection to the departed.
How to Plan Your Green Funeral
Many people use life mapping to attain their goals, but often overlook that planning your death is just as important. Planning a green funeral will give you peace of mind about how your body will be treated. Importantly, it will also mean your loved ones don’t have to worry about what you might have wanted. Here’s how to get started:
- Research local options: Find out what’s legal in your area and choose among the available green funeral options. Research locations for a natural burial and choose the right spot.
- Choose biodegradable materials: Select an appropriate casket, shroud or urn.
- Document your wishes: Write it down and include it in your will or advance directive.
- Consider a green funeral provider: A recognized provider will ensure everything is done correctly.
- Share your plan: Talk to your loved ones and share your wishes to ensure your choices are understood and respected.
Benefits of Choosing a Green Funeral
Green funerals are often highly personalized and can be every bit as spiritual and meaningful as traditional ones. You strive to live lightly on the Earth. By opting for an environmentally friendly funeral, you can ensure that in death, you adhere to the same principles.
