If green burial is the option you select, the caskets, shrouds and urns you will choose from will be made only from non-toxic, biodegradable materials, minimizing the impact they will have on the earth’s soils, … This will allow you to use any eco-friendly, biodegradable burial container such as a shroud or a soft wood casket. Many people have begun viewing their final wishes through a green lens, taking the opportunity to help protect the environment when they pass away. And with each option, there are plenty of things to consider. Do you want to be buried in a set location that your visitors know? It is simply placed in a biodegradable container and interred in a gravesite to decompose fully and return to nature. Embalming fluid contains chemicals like formaldehyde that may damage the ground because it can pollute the soil as the body degrades. Mausoleum Options. The markers may be a natural rock or a plaque, although they are not typically set using concrete. Our charge for an immediate burial (without ceremony) includes: Basic services of funeral director, staff and overhead, transfer of deceased into our care, use of facility & staff for dressing, cosmetology, casketing, transportation to cemetery. We understand that many of our families choose to consider ecological values when making their end-of-life arrangements. If you’ve decided that green burial is for you, what options do you have? Cemeteries are naturals! Green burials may include nontoxic, biodegradable casket or a burial shroud. But this is not necessarily the rule. Environmental stewardship doesn’t need to stop at the end of life. These arrangements were the norm in the US until the 1930s. We encourage other suppliers of natural services to support this project. If you have very specific wishes, consult with a few locations to make sure your final requests will be honored. In Arizona, there exist two notable burial grounds that offer a “natural burial” option where you can be buried traditionally, or without embalming fluid but in a biodegradable shroud and casket usually without the use of digging machines. Additional issues like toxins in the varnish on the casket and invasive concrete vaults that prevent natural reclamation are also seen as impediments to sustainability. Likewise, cremated remains are what result after the biodegradable materials have burned away, resulting in little to no environmental benefits. Eternal Reefs is a company that uses cremated ashes to create an artificial reef ball that is added to a living coral reef, which helps restore marine habitats by attracting fish and other organisms. But you must be familiar with both federal regulations and your individual state laws for where a person can be naturally buried. Celebrate a loved one’s life in the same distinctive way they lived it. Alternative Funeral Options. Every natural burial ground is different, as are their owners, and as are you, the bereaved. Jan 9, 2017 - Stay green beyond the grave by planning a natural burial, or choosing a biodegradable coffin or urn. If this appeals to you, be sure to check your state laws. Natural burial, or green burial, is a burial with minimal impact on the environment. Most burials before the mid-19th century were conducted this way, and many traditions still call for it. Do you want to have a traditional burial, but have it performed by a green funeral home/cemetery? Green burial is designed to have a minimal environmental impact and conserve natural resources. There is increasing interest in natural burial grounds, which are natural environments where the deceased may be buried in sustainable coffins or shrouds and with a marker such as a native tree or simply a location identified on a map. The biodegradable burial pod that turns your body into a tree. While cremation is a straightforward option, a green burial encapsulates a wider range of decisions, from how to where. Tree Burial, Natural Burial and Green Cemetery Options. A person can be directly interred in the earth, in a shroud, or in a vault without a casket. Cemeteries are opening up allocated natural burial sections, funeral homes are offering eco-friendly products, and disposition methods are becoming greener. While natural burials may be more environmentally friendly than other burial options, they are not completely without risk. The characteristics of a green funeral will vary, but most share several similarities aimed at reducing the environmental impact of end-of-life arrangements. While cremation is a straightforward option, a green burial encapsulates a wider range of decisions, from how to where. Use this information when discussing your wishes. In the UK, over 250 woodland burial sites around the country now offer people a wide selection of opportunities for a more natural end, where you can be buried without embalming, in a biodegradable casket, or even "turn into a tree" in many of the most popular places - it's catching on here in the US, too. Every cemetery has its own policies. Learn more about your premium options and other services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual graves are identified with a marker flush with the ground at the head of the body. Hybrid cemeteries are existing traditional cemeteries that have adopted a section specifically for green burial. Larkspur Conservation features trails, picnic tables, a meadow — and, soon, "natural" burial plots. A blended funeral combines elements of more conventional practices with green burial options. What is a Simple, Green or Natural Burial? 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