A Live Green, Live Smart™ Briefing
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Most people don’t think about how we bury our dead or the way cemeteries are maintained – it’s not cheerful, after all.  But for ecological reasons as well as aesthetics, some people are speaking up about the impact modern burial and mortuary practices have on the environment.  

Cemeteries are filling up, land is becoming scarcer, and as societies become richer even ordinary people’s bodies are embalmed, placed in weather-proof caskets and put into vaults that occupy acres of land that could be, well, used for other purposes.  In response to this problem, eco-burial and “green” cemeteries are being developed both to conserve land and to approach death as a more natural part of life.

There are two types of green cemeteries certified by the Green Burial Council that provides guidelines for safe and respectful operation of these memorial parks. Conservation-based cemeteries operate only on land that is protected by a government agency or a non-profit conservation organization holding a conservation easement.  Natural burial grounds may be a dedicated area in commercial, public, or privately operated cemeteries that also offer conventional interment.  Both types of green cemeteries are essentially the same with regard to preparation of the body, burial materials, and land maintenance – access and administration would differ from one to another.

Green burial practices eliminate the use of embalming, which, besides slowing the body’s decomposition, can introduce hazardous chemical compounds into the soil.  Without embalming, bodies must be refrigerated or buried very shortly after death occurs and coroners must certify that contagious disease is not a hazard for handlers.  But if health and safety measures are adhered to, embalming isn’t an issue.

Instead of elaborate caskets, practitioners of green burial make use of simple biodegradable coffins made of sustainable wood, or wrap the deceased in a shroud. Conventional caskets are generally made from chipboard bonded with a formaldehyde –based bonding material, and then covered with veneer; the handles are usually made of plastic painted to look like brass or silver, or other metal.  With high-end caskets, wood from endangered trees is often used, as is highly processed metal and fabric decoration.  

Green cemeteries prefer that ashes from cremation be buried rather than scattered – ashes can change the ecology of the site where they are scattered (and keep in mind that cremation uses a lot of energy and causes airborne emissions).  Modest wood or clay vessels are the preferred container.

Vaults, usually sold as protecting bodies from the elements and insects, and required by some burial grounds to avoid the settling of graveside earth, are prohibited in Green Burial Council cemeteries, and the cemetery grounds themselves remain as undisturbed as possible; cemetery grounds are not treated with pesticides, herbicides or irrigation.  Grave markers are non-intrusive and are usually made of indigenous stone, or even trees, shrubs, or wild flowers.  Those worried about the effect such discreet gravesites might have on generations of genealogists locating them can rest assured that each grave is mapped digitally, GIS-style, so your whereabouts (at least, in this world) will continue to be a matter of public record.

While “green” cemeteries have come to be fairly common in Britain, it wasn’t until 1996 that the practice was brought to the United States.  Billy Campbell, a doctor in a small South Carolina town, was the first to implement the use of green burial procedures and cemeteries.  Campbell says in an AARP article, “What we are doing is basically land conservation.  By setting aside a woods for natural burials, we preserve it from development.  At the same time, I think we put death in its rightful place, as part of the cycle of life.  Our burials honor the idea of dust to dust.”  Whether one likes eco-burial because it reflects ones aesthetic or spiritual values, or because it suits their values about preserving land and natural settings, the trend is likely to influence the way even those opting for more conventional practices think about modern funeral practices.

So next time you’re shopping for a final resting place, perhaps you’ll consider digging a bit deeper into green options. If the idea seems a bit creepy (or crawly) be assured you are yet in the majority.  But as land becomes scarcer, green burial practices are likely to grow in popularity.  In the future, our grandchildren may very well be picnicking among their dead ancestors on nationally conserved grounds.