Green Burials
Is Green Burial For You?
If green burial is not possible for you, don’t worry! There are some things you can note in your funeral planning that will still be beneficial to the environment! If you want to go green, but are still on the fence, please consider these simple things you can do to make a difference and potentially make an impact on our environment:
- Carpool to the funeral home, gravesite, luncheon, etc.
- Donate in memory of the deceased to a charity rather than sending flowers.
- Choose a biodegradable urn (if cremation is opted for)
- Choose an eco-friendly casket
- Consider a living memorial in memory of the one who has died by planting a native tree or shrub
- If opting for a headstone, consider one made from local stone, rather than using markers made of imported stone
- Choose to use local foods and beverages from local farms and small businesses for luncheons
- Use recycled paper for memorial cards
- Leave condolences online rather than sending cards
- Tell others about the option to choose eco-friendly funeral products and services
Picture by Funeral Direct
Still not sold on green burials? According to the Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve in Newfield, New York, “the annual ecological impact of a traditional ground interment in a United States cemetery includes, among other things, the burial of:
- 30-plus million board feet of hardwoods (much tropical; caskets)
- 1,636,000 tons of reinforced concrete (vaults)
- 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid
- 90,272 tons of steel (caskets)