Terms like “green funerals,” “natural burials,” and “eco-friendly funerals” reflect a growing trend in the evolving funeral culture. As environmental awareness grows, people seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Individuals are increasingly searching for green burial services and environmentally friendly alternatives to replace traditional funerals. So, what’s the deal with green funerals?
Related: Green Funerals
What is a green funeral?
The principle of green funerals is to say goodbye to loved ones with minimal environmental impact. Key differences between natural burials and conventional funerals include the absence of embalming fluids.
Also, direct earth burials avoid using grave liners or protective vaults constructed of concrete, metal, or sometimes plastic. Instead, burial shrouds made of natural biodegradable fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, and wool wrap the deceased. Natural burial casket options include willow, bamboo, cardboard, rattan, and banana leaf, all sustainable and fully biodegradable materials.
Green burial locations typically occur in woodlands and meadows, offering a unique, peaceful environment that encourages wildlife and native plants. After the eco-friendly ceremony, the green burial site can settle and return to its natural state, minimizing the impact on the land.
Comparing resources, traditional versus green funerals
Green funerals reduce carbon footprints using fewer natural resources and fossil fuels. They are also free of chemicals.
The funeral industry in the United States uses significant quantities of embalming fluid. Between 2014 and 2019, it used 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid in burials. Of that amount, 827,060 were formaldehyde, methanol, and benzene. Embalming is a commonly used practice in the funeral industry, and many people mistakenly believe it is a legal requirement.
However, The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule does not require embalming. “Some states require embalming or refrigeration if the body is not buried or cremated within a certain time; some states don’t require it at all. In most cases, refrigeration is an acceptable alternative.” (Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice, July 2012)
Metal and wood caskets are the favorite choice in the United States, with mahogany, walnut, and cherry hardwoods being popular. The death care industry consumes 20 million board feet of hardwoods, including rainforest woods.
In contrast, a green funeral home will permit only sustainable woods, like willow, which grow faster and replenish more quickly. Other resources used in traditional burials, which green funerals do not allow, include:
- 1.6 million tons of concrete
- 17,000 tons of copper and bronze
- 64,500 tons of steel
Eco-friendly alternatives to embalming
Funeral homes may have policies requiring embalming for open-casket viewings. Embalming slows down the natural decay of a body, helping to give the deceased a peaceful look and leaving loved ones a positive, lasting impression.
However, formaldehyde, the primary chemical used in embalming fluid, is highly toxic to the environment and people, especially funeral professionals. Studies show “high levels of formaldehyde, such as industrial workers and embalmers, have found that formaldehyde causes myeloid leukemia and rare cancers, including cancers of the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, and nasopharynx.” (National Cancer Institute, August 6, 2024)
Religious considerations for green funerals
Funeral customs vary regarding embalming. Some religions, such as Orthodox Jewish, Muslim, and Bahá’í, consider embalming as a desecration of the body and prohibit the practice. Others, like Hinduism and Buddhism, do not require embalming for cremation.
These religions have a requirement to bury the body within 24 hours. However, immediate burial is not always available. Fortunately, green funeral homes are providing eco-friendly alternatives to embalming:
- Refrigeration and dry ice are effective methods of inhibiting the decaying process. They are acceptable, safe, and eco-friendly.
- Enigma Eco-Embalming uses non-toxic, plant-based oils that are environmentally friendly. The Green Burial Council certifies and approves the embalming fluid.
- Direct cremation bypasses the viewing stage of the body, eliminating the need for embalming.
Home burials
Home burials offer a greener alternative to traditional funerals. Most states permit them, with a few exceptions, such as Washington and California. Certain states stipulate regulations, such as using a licensed funeral director or adhering to the rules of the burial site location, such as distance from water and neighboring properties. It’s essential to check both state and local laws.
Backyard burials honor family traditions, create a more intimate affair, and cost less than a traditional funeral. Natural burials are also a green funeral option. They remove any need for embalming and allow using biodegradable containers or shrouds.
It is legal for a family to transport the remains of a loved one, offering an eco-friendly choice, particularly if the death occurred in another state, and the alternative option would be air transportation. However, Alabama, Alaska, and New Jersey require embalming if crossing a state line.
Is cremation a greener alternative than traditional burials?
In some respects, cremation is a greener choice than traditional burials. The most popular cremation casket is a rigid cardboard container as opposed to the hardwood vessels frequently used for conventional burials. Concrete or metal are also not used for grave liners and burial vaults. The lack of a burial plot reduces extensive land wastage.
Cremation is overtaking demand for traditional burials in the United States, with factors like cost and environmental concerns leading the change.
However, cremation is not as green as many assume. It requires a lot of energy. Furnaces must reach temperatures as high as 1,400–1,800 °F (760–980 °C), which requires an average of 285 kilowatt hours of gas and 15kWh of electricity per cremation. This equates to approximately the same domestic energy demands as a single person for a month.
Crematoriums use fossil fuels and produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury emissions, and other pollutants.
There are ways to lessen the negative impact of cremation. For example:
- Use a biodegradable container, such as cardboard.
- Choose a greener crematory using energy-efficient furnaces, electric cremators, green hydrogen, and filters to prevent particulates from entering the atmosphere.
- Remove unnecessary items from the casket, including keepsakes, as they prolong the burning time.
- Consider direct cremation, which offers a no-frills service. The lack of embalming, smaller staff numbers, no travel by mourners, and the removal of flowers, hearses, and ministers add up to minimize its carbon footprint.
Aquamation, a form of cremation
Aquamation, also known as water cremation, is a greener alternative to the conventional method. Rather than using flame and heat to break down the body, aquamation uses water and alkaline hydrolysis. A combination of heat, at 302°F (150°C), pressure, and chemicals causes the body to decompose, leaving bone fragments. The remains are pulverized into a fine powder and returned to the family.
Water cremation is a cleaner alternative to traditional cremation, requiring less energy without producing poisonous gases.
What’s the deal with green funerals?
Interest in green funerals is rising. In a recent survey by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2024 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report, 68% would consider a green funeral “because of their potential environmental benefits, cost savings or for some other reason, up from 55.7% in 2021.” (NFDA, September 24, 2024)
Green funeral alternatives continue to evolve as deathcare providers respond to consumer demands. Green burial and other environmentally friendly choices include sea burials, memorial reefs, mushroom suits, and human composting.
