As mothers, we focus a lot on birth, but we rarely talk about death. We don’t share death stories the way we share our birth stories over a cup of coffee. We certainly don’t talk about whether we want a traditional burial or a green burial while playing!
I recently shared that over the past year I have been able to witness and support the births and deaths of loved ones, and I am in awe of the beauty of both. I left with a strong feeling that although one day we no longer live in our bodies, our true selves will always remain.
However, death is something we should be prepared for, whether it’s for our loved ones or for ourselves. As our family ages, we may have to accommodate the last wishes of a parent or other family member. We can (and should) share our end-of-life wishes with our family by planning for our own death. I’m excited about these greener options since I use products and processes that have lower toxic loads and are better for the environment and future generations.
What is a traditional funeral?
Traditional burial involves several steps. First, the body is embalmed with formaldehyde to help preserve it and slow down decomposition. It is then placed in a wooden or metal coffin. A funeral is a ceremony held in a place of worship or funeral home to commemorate the deceased. Typically, a graveside ceremony is held in a cemetery and the body is buried in a metal or concrete vault or plastic lining in the cemetery plot. Finally, the grave is engraved with a tombstone.
Why is traditional burial harmful?
In traditional burial, most of the materials used are non-biodegradable. From coffins with metal handles to tombstones to concrete vaults, these things are safe from damage at any point in our children’s future.
this Journal of the National Cancer Institute A survey was conducted on the health status of employees in the funeral industry. They found that workers’ exposure to embalming fluids was toxic to their health. Those exposed to formaldehyde were more likely to develop leukemia and brain cancer the longer they worked in the industry.
Additionally, in the 2022 report illness, crisis and loss, They found that these antiseptic chemicals also seep into the ground and cause pollution. Leaching poses the greatest threat to marine life and possibly our drinking water. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act lists formaldehyde as a highly toxic substance.
Traditional cemeteries also landscape the cemetery, which involves chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, they use large amounts of water to keep the ground green.
What is a green burial?
Green burials are growing in popularity as people seek to reflect the choices they have made to live less toxic, more natural lives. The Green Burial Council, a nonprofit organization for the funeral industry, defines green burial as burial practices that reduce environmental impact and strive to conserve natural resources. Better for the environment by reducing the toxic load of traditional burials. Green burials use non-toxic and biodegradable materials.
Benefits of natural burial include:
- won’t be that expensive – A traditional funeral can cost between $7,000 and $12,000, including a funeral or memorial service. Green burials require fewer materials (caskets, embalmers, etc.) and are often cheaper.
- biodegradable products – Typical burial products are made from natural resources and are not biodegradable. With a natural burial, there is no need for a coffin made of exotic trees or metal. They also don’t use concrete graves or plastic liners, which can take hundreds of years to decompose.
- Less toxic chemicals – Traditional burial chemicals are toxic to the environment and the workers who complete the work. Additionally, traditional cemeteries often use pesticides and fertilizers to maintain their sites, which increases pollution.
- Help promote land conservation – Traditional cemeteries fail to protect land and natural habitats. Natural burials typically occur in areas that have been carefully restored and maintained to protect the natural area in which the burial occurs.
Green burial options
There are a variety of green burial options available depending on your location and your or your loved one’s wishes. The costs of these options vary. While each burial method has its pros and cons, these are all more natural methods of burial than the traditional burial methods we are accustomed to.
cremation
The first and most widely known option is cremation. It has been used since ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, and may have even started earlier, around 3000 BC.
For cremation, you still need a combustible container in which the body can be placed while it is heated to between 1,800 and 2,000 degrees. After cremation, the family will receive approximately 4-6 pounds of ashes.
You may scatter these ashes in a memorial forest where you may purchase a tree to serve as your loved one’s final resting place. Another option is to scatter the ashes in their favorite spot, even your backyard (be sure to check local laws and regulations first!). Or you could store the ashes in an urn at home or even do something creative with them, like turn the ashes into jewelry! The entire process costs approximately $1,000 to $3,000 (not including any memorial services).
This option is available in all states and is easy to access. One disadvantage of this option is that emissions from the process can be delayed. While the amount of carbon dioxide is not high (about the amount of a long trip), there are other emissions, including mercury. The emissions from cremation are still lower than the impact of traditional burial.
hydration
One of the newer natural burial options is water burial or water cremation. The process begins with the intention of processing the animal carcasses into fertilizer. It became an option for humans in the United States in 2005 and is currently available in about 22 states.
Like cremation, hydration processes the body into a powder that resembles ashes. Unlike cremation, it uses water and potassium hydroxide to break down the body. The body is heated to about 320 degrees, and at the end, you receive the remaining “ashes.” The average cost of hydration is $2,000 – $3,000.
This process is a great option because it uses less electricity and emits fewer emissions. This makes it a good choice for anyone looking for a less toxic burial option. The downside is that it’s not yet available in all states.
Human composting
This is one of the cleanest green burial options. Currently, it is only available in seven U.S. states (Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York, and Nevada). However, this new option is growing in popularity and is slowly becoming legal in other states.
Just like it sounds, the bodies are broken down into compost. Similar to the process of making compost for the garden, this option is suitable for those who want a more natural burial. The body is placed in a container with natural materials that help it decompose (straw, wood, alfalfa) until microorganisms break down the body.
This process may take 30-60 days. Once completed, families will have a portion of soil that they can use to sow seeds or plant crops (just don’t use it in vegetable gardens). Compost costs approximately $2,500 to $5,000.
One disadvantage of this option is that it is the least available. But as other states adopt human composting, it will become more widespread.
green cemetery
Another new option for burial is the green cemetery. Not every state has a green cemetery. These are traditional cemeteries, using concrete vaults and traditional antiseptic but biodegradable containers.
In these resting places, there are no embalming or concrete vaults, and the body is buried in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. These cemeteries often offer a more natural setting, with native plants and even wildflowers. They allow nature to exist as it would in the wild, rather than traditional landscapes using chemical fertilizers or pesticides. They sometimes look and feel more like a nature reserve.
These natural burial sites often involve land conservation and sustainability. Some are run by nonprofits who want to bring more natural practices to the funeral industry. The Green Burial Council provides certification to green burial practitioners, including green cemeteries, funeral homes and product providers. Their website provides a list of certified natural burial sites that meet their standards.
One drawback to this option is that there aren’t many green cemeteries yet. Hopefully, this will change as the demand for more natural burial options continues to grow.
What is a green burial?
A traditional funeral takes place in a place of worship or a funeral home, with the body usually placed in a coffin. Green burials usually occur without a casket (in the case of hydration or human composting, and sometimes in the case of cremation). Traditional funerals also usually include a large number of plastic flowers and tombstones placed in the cemetery. Green burials have no flowers or headstones (if any) in the cemetery. A green burial has a much smaller funeral footprint than a traditional funeral.
A green funeral can even include more creative options, such as a family service or a gathering of family and friends to share a meal. Alternatively, if you choose cremation, a green burial may involve a gathering at a special location where you wish your ashes to be scattered.
When green burial may not be feasible
One question you may be hesitant about with a green burial is whether you want to view the body at the funeral or memorial service. While traditional burials provide embalming to protect the body, green burials do not. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t watch. The law does not require embalming of a body, but many funeral homes do not allow visitations without embalming.
However, if the funeral home allows it or you choose to visit at home, you can preserve the body with dry ice or refrigeration for 2-3 days. If viewing is an important part of your end-of-life wishes, it’s a good idea to check your local regulations.
Another common question about green burials is what happens if the body has to be transported across state lines? If your loved one dies in another state, you can usually have them transported back to your home state for burial. Some states require you to embalm a body before crossing state lines. If you need to embalm a body, you may not be able to bury it in a green cemetery or do human composting. You can still cremate or rehydrate the body.
Why planning for death is important
You may be wondering why this is important. This is not an easy thing to think about and talk about, especially when we think about our own mortality. But planning for the future is important, and that includes planning for death.
If you strive to live in a non-toxic, natural way and also want to protect the environment for our children’s future, you can bring these preferences into your death plan. This allows you to leave a more natural legacy of life and death.
Planning for death is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones because you can stop guessing what you want to happen during an emotionally charged moment. This makes it easy for them to follow your last wishes without having to guess what you want. It also shows how important a drug-free life (and death) is to you and your family.
Another important thing you can do is have these conversations with your family and loved ones to understand their end-of-life wishes. Then you don’t have to guess what’s important to them. Sharing these alternatives with them may help them realize that there are healthier options besides traditional burial methods.
Have you planned for your own death or the death of a loved one? What natural burial options are you most interested in?