The Centre for Natural Burial

The Environmentally Friendly Way to Be Buried
By Blair Mathis, AC

Many people are more aware of environmental dangers and the need for ‘green’ preservation than any other time. Some feel it is their duty, while others follow that need as a way of life.

But what about after death? For those who dedicate their lives to preserving the natural world, the thought of being buried in a very unnatural metal box is abhorrent. Furthermore, having toxic chemicals pushed through their veins is a disgrace to nature.

As environmental concerns increase, funeral homes are working to facilitate ‘green’ burials. Green burials are completely environment friendly, so that one can leave the earth as natural as it was when they entered it.

Ramsey Creek was the first place to offer green burials, where 1200 plots were available on 32 acres of land; however, this was only available in South Carolina–obviously not a solution for the majority of the population.

A few years later, Memorial Ecosystems sought to open a nation-wide green burial service, so all those who wish could have an environmentally safe burial. A green burial is very simple; it consists of a biodegradable casket and environmentally safe embalming fluid. Another option is to be buried without a casket, and without embalming fluid.

Billy Campbell, the operator of Ramsey Creek, says “We put death in its rightful place, as part of the cycle of life. Our burials honor the idea of dust to dust.”

Green burials are becoming very common. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but other advantages of the ‘green’ burial are drawing in people who would otherwise opt for a traditional. The cost of a traditional burial is between $6000 and $7000 dollars. The average cost for a green burial is approx. $2500 dollars, more than a fifty percent drop in cost.

But what if you wish to be cremated? Is it possible to aid the environment and still be cremated? The answer is yes. For those who wish to be cremated, the ashes can be mixed with concrete to create a memorial reef. These memorial reefs will be placed in the ocean to take strain off natural reefs, which can become strained from overuse. Depending on the size, a memorial reef can cost as little as $900.

The interest in green burials, while rising, is still diminutive when compared to the number of traditional burials held each year. It seems odd, when so many worry about the cost of their funeral, about the burden of choosing a casket and headstone. Perhaps the issue isn’t that only ‘treehuggers’ are opting for these burials, but instead that green burials are not widely known amongst the population.

For some, a huge casket encased in a concrete building is absolutely necessary; I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that. Personally, I think it’d be awesome to have my ashes made into a memorial reef.