Green Burials and Environmental Legacy: A Practical Guide to Going Green in Death
Written by: Erin Merelli | Death Doula | Educator | Ceremonialist | Public Speaker
"I want my death to give back to the earth." This is something I hear more and more often in my death doula practice. As our awareness of environmental issues grows, many of us are seeking ways to ensure our final act is one of giving back to the planet that sustained us. But what exactly does it mean to have a green burial, and how can we make it happen?
Understanding Green Burial
At its core, green burial is about returning to the earth as naturally as possible. It's both ancient wisdom and modern innovation – a return to death care practices that sustained humanity for thousands of years, now adapted for contemporary environmental consciousness.
What Makes a Burial "Green"?
No embalming or use of toxic chemicals
Biodegradable caskets or shrouds
No concrete vault or liner
Natural or conservation burial grounds
Minimal environmental impact
The Environmental Impact of Conventional Funerals
Traditional funeral practices have a significant environmental footprint. Each year in North America, conventional burials put into the ground:
Millions of gallons of embalming fluid
Thousands of tons of steel and concrete
Hard woods equivalent to about 4 million acres of forest
Toxic materials that can leach into soil and groundwater
Cremation, while often considered more ecological, still has environmental impacts through fossil fuel use and mercury emissions. But there are greener options available.
Green Burial Options
Natural Burial Grounds
These specialized cemeteries maintain natural landscapes and prohibit toxic chemicals. Bodies are buried in biodegradable containers or shrouds, allowing natural decomposition. Your final resting place becomes part of a preserved natural space.
Conservation Burial
Taking green burial a step further, conservation burial grounds are part of larger environmental preservation efforts. Your burial helps protect and restore natural habitats.
Home Funerals with Green Principles
In many states, families can care for their own dead at home, using natural cooling methods and non-toxic preservation techniques. This intimate approach often brings profound healing while minimizing environmental impact.
Green Burial Options
Water cremation - using the element of water, rather than fire, to cremate. This gentle process emits no emissions and alchemises the body in a form that can feed your gardens, lawns and trees.
Natural organic reduction - aka human composting - idyllically replicates nature's decomposition, slowly turning the body into nutrient rich soil compost that can feed the earth and drastically offset carbon emissions.
Green burial - Simple pine boxes or woven willow caskets and natural fiber shrouds instead of hardwood or metal caskets that will take decades to decompose.
Planning Your Green Legacy
Steps to Consider:
Research local green burial options
Understand your state's legal requirements
Document your wishes clearly
Discuss plans with family members
Consider pre-planning arrangements
Research costs and payment options
Questions to Ask Providers:
What makes your practices "green"?
How do you verify environmental standards?
What options are available for containers?
How is the land protected long-term?
What are the exact costs involved?
The Healing Aspects of Green Burial
Beyond environmental benefits, green burial often provides profound emotional healing for families. There's something deeply comforting about knowing our loved ones are returning to the earth naturally, becoming part of the cycle of life.
Therapeutic Benefits:
Direct participation in death care
Connection with natural cycles - knowing your loved one truly lives on in nature
Tangible environmental action
Meaningful legacy creation
Sustainable memorialization
Common Concerns Addressed
"Isn't it expensive?"
Green burial often costs less than conventional funerals, primarily because it eliminates many expensive traditional elements like embalming and elaborate caskets. Still, it is a game of supply and demand, and right now providers of these services remain limited, making the costs higher than conventional cremation but often less than industrial burial.
"Is it legal?"
Yes, green burial is legal in all 50 states, though specific regulations vary by location.
"What about visiting the grave?"
Many green cemeteries use GPS coordinates and natural markers, allowing families to visit while maintaining the natural landscape.
"Will animals disturb the grave?"
Natural burial grounds are designed to work with, not against, nature. The burial depth and soil composition protect the grave while allowing natural processes to occur.
Creating a Green Death Care Plan
Essential Elements:
Written documentation of wishes
Chosen burial location
Container or shroud selection
Transportation plans
Family participation preferences
Memorial ideas aligned with values
The Future of Green Death Care
The green burial movement is growing rapidly, with new options emerging regularly. From coral reef memorials to forest conservation projects, the possibilities for creating an environmental legacy through death are expanding.
Emerging Trends:
Mycelium decomposition
Marine conservation burials
Living memorial forests
Carbon-neutral cremation alternatives
Taking Action Now
Whether you're planning for yourself or supporting someone else, here are steps you can take today:
Start conversations about death care wishes
Research local green burial options
Visit potential burial grounds
Connect with green death care providers
Document your preferences
Share your plans with loved ones
A Personal Invitation
Ready to explore green burial options or need help planning an environmentally conscious funeral? Let's talk about creating a meaningful, sustainable death care plan that honors both your values and the earth.
