What is green burial?
Green burial allows the Earth to do what she does best - recycle!
In a green cemetery, bodies are buried without the concrete vaults required in regular cemeteries.
Bodies are buried in fully biodegradable caskets (no metal or plastic parts) or just wrapped in a shroud.
Bodies are left intact. Embalming is not allowed.
Because the body is in full contact with the soil, over time it decomposes naturally and feeds the surrounding trees and plants.
Green burial creates habitat for wildlife and provides open space for everyone.
Most green burial grounds are maintained in a natural state as wildflower meadows or woodlands or a mixture of both.
The flowers, trees, and plants that grow in a green cemetery provide food and shelter for birds, bees, butterflies and other forms of life.
The open space that is maintained by the green cemetery often has walking paths where anyone can come to connect with nature and spend time in quiet reflection.
Green burial is the most sustainable method for disposing of your body.
Modern burial puts tons of resources in the ground every year including, concrete and steel, hardwoods, and embalming chemicals.
Modern cemeteries are maintained by burning fossil fuels through the continuous use of lawn mowers and weed whackers.
Cremation requires significant amounts of natural gas to burn a body at extremely high temperatures and sends chemicals and heavy metal pollutants into the atmosphere for all of us to breathe.
Green burial allows families to be more involved if they so desire.
Lowering the casket with ropes or back filling the grave with shovels are just two ways in which families may choose to participate in the burial of their loved one. Rather than leaving that work up to strangers, many see these tasks as “final acts of service” for the one who has died. Green burial makes participation possible and there are many healing benefits for those who choose to do so.