Green / Natural Burial - Composting the Dead

Embalming is a way to temporarily preserve a corpse and make it suitable for public display at a funeral. Embalming fluid is pumped intothe body through an artery, which rehydrates the tissues.

Whether a body is embalmed or not, and regardless of the type of burial and materials used for a coffin and/or vault, the body will eventually decompose.

Embalming in the United States didn't become widespread until Abraham Lincoln requested it during the Civil War. Because it took several weeks for dead union soldiers to be removed from battlefields and transported by train to the north, their bodies were badly decomposed by the time they reached their families. Dead soldiers were then embalmed in field hospitals.

Embalming is not required by law in any state in the U.S., but a funeral home is a private business and can require embalming if there is a delay making arrangements or waiting for family members to arrive, although refrigeration or dry ice can keep the body from decomposing. Not all funeral homes have refrigerated morgue facilities, but most hospitals do.

Embalming may be required if a body is to be shipped to another location for burial.

Photo by cbb4104 on Flickr.

A FUNERAL PROVIDER
You are not legally required to use a funeral home to plan and conduct a funeral.

EMBALMING
Many funeral homes require embalming if you're planning a viewing or visitation. But embalming generally is not necessary or legally required if the body is buried or cremated shortly after death. A funeral provider may not provide embalming services without permission, and may not falsely state that embalming is required by law.

CASKETS
Traditionally, caskets have been sold only by funeral homes. You can buy a casket from a "third-party" dealer and have it shipped directly to the funeral home. They must agree to use a casket you bought elsewhere, and can't charge you a fee for using it.

No casket, regardless of its qualities or cost, will preserve a body forever.

Metal caskets frequently are described as "gasketed," "protective" or "sealer" caskets. These terms mean that the casket has a rubber gasket or some other feature that is designed to delay the penetration of water into the casket and prevent rust. The Funeral Rule forbids claims that these features help preserve the remains indefinitely, because they don't.

BURIAL VAULTS OR GRAVE LINERS
The purpose of burial vaults or grave liners is to prevent the ground from caving in as the casket deteriorates over time. A grave liner is made of reinforced concrete and only cover the top and sides of the casket. A burial vault is more substantial and more expensive than a grave liner. It surrounds the casket in concrete or another material and may be sold with a warranty of protective strength.

State laws do not require a vault or liner, and funeral providers may not tell you otherwise. Many cemeteries require some type of outer burial container to prevent the grave from sinking in the future. Neither grave liners nor burial vaults are designed to prevent the eventual decomposition of human remains.

The Entire Funeral Rule Document.

Photo by BenDibble on Flickr.

Cremation uses intense heat to reduce a corpse to ashes and bone fragments. The cremation process can take two to four hours. The bone fragments are pulverized to about the size of aquarium gravel. Depending on the temperature and the fuel that was used, the remains are a light grey to white color.

When death happens away from home, the cost of shipping cremated remains is much less expensive than the cost for shipping a body.

Is Cremation Safe for the Environment?

Cremation does impact the environment since it burns fossil fuels. Older crematoriums use a lot more energy compared to newer ones. Although cremation releases hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, dioxin, sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide, modern cremation units have air-scrubbing capabilities to help reduce the amount of these pollutants released into the air.

Cremation doesn't require a casket for the body, but most crematoriums require the body be inside a combustible container. Using an unlined container without chipboard and plastics will help reduce air pollution.  

How to Shop for a Simple Cremation

All funeral homes in the U.S. are required to list a price for an "Immediate Cremation," which is a cremation without any additional services such as a viewing at the funeral home. You can plan a memorial service at a later date and at any location with or without the funeral director.

There can be a big difference in price among funeral homes on the cost of a direct cremation, so shop around. All funeral homes are required to quote prices over the telephone.

When you call, ask for the price of a "direct cremation with a minimum alternative container" and ask if it includes the crematory fee. Also ask if there are any additional charges such as obtaining permits, filing the death certificate, or transporting the body.

Under federal regulations, all mortuaries must offer an inexpensive alternative container. Customers are also allowed to furnish their own suitable container. Ask if there are any special requirements if you plan to make one.

If a visitation or a funeral service is held before cremation, the charges will be higher.

There's no state law in the U.S. that says a body must be embalmed before it is cremated. However, some states require that a body be buried, cremated, embalmed, or refrigerated within a certain amount of time. If you want to have a memorial service where the body will be viewed before cremation and it can't be refrigerated, you may have to pay for embalming if the service can't be held right away.

What Happens to the Remains?

Cremated remains are sterile and there is no health hazard.

Bury the remains in a cemetery or on private property. If you bury the remains on your property, remember that eventually the land will probably be sold and might be used for other purposes.

Scatter remains over an area that was significant to the deceased. If you scatter the remains in a public place like a park or beach, you may want to wait until you're alone with no spectators just in case someone objects. It is perfectly legal to do so, though, and you don't need any special permission.

Keep the remains in an urn or other container. You can buy an urn or use something else that was personal to the deceased's life.

Photo by originalpozer on Flickr.

Years ago, visitations and wakes were held in the home. Now home funerals are gaining in popularity, not only because they can save the family money, but also because a funeral at home often provides comfort and closure to the family in comfortable and familiar surroundings.

You must make plans for a home funeral prior to death and might need to notify local authorities in order to educate them before it happens.

If you'd like to read about home funerals, click on any or all of the links below.

Caring for your own Dead.

Home Funeral Directory.

Alternative Funeral Services.

Embracing the End-of-Life Experience.

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Photo by roger_mommaerts on Flickr.

Green (or natural) burial means the body is not embalmed or or cremated. Shallow graves are dug by hand. The body is placed in a biodegradable coffin or shroud and buried so it can decompose and become part of the earth.
 
What is a Green Cemetery?

Green cemeteries are not watered, mowed, or fertilized, and trimmed, fertilized, and no pesticides or herbicides are used. A green cemetery conserves native habitats and resources.

Graves are usually marked with a a boulder, field stones flush to the ground. a living object such as a tree or wildflowers, or a GPS tag. No artificial flowers, balloons or personal objects are left.

Choosing a Burial Ground - Conventional (Hybrid) or Natural

There are some natural burial grounds located throughout the U.S., but there are also hybrid cemeteries that offer both traditional burials and green ones.  

Choosing a Funeral Director

Find an Existing Natural Preserve in the U.S.

Proposed Natural Burial Preserves in the U.S.

With the interest in green funerals rising, more states will consider allowing natural burial. If you can't find a nearby green cemetery or preserve, some traditional cemeteries are setting aside space for natural burials.

List of Natural Burial Grounds in the U.K..

You can still be green, even in a conventional cemetery:

Refuse embalming. It is not required by law for funerals, and no cemetery should require it for burial.

Select a wood casket, a cardboard box, or a shroud for burial. There are no laws requiring particular types of caskets. If the funeral director or cemetery owner objects, stand firm. The law is on your side.

Don't use a concrete vault. If the cemetery won't allow a burial without a vault, pick a concrete grave box that has an open bottom to let the body come in contact with the earth. Or, invert a concrete grave liner and use the lid for something else. Vaults are only used to keep the ground from shifting.

Photo of Natural Burial Park, Cedar Creek, Texas. Photo © 2011 Larry D. Moore on Wikipedia .

Biodegradable coffins, or green caskets are made from a variety of materials.

Biodegradable coffins will not harm the environment and are less expensive than a traditional coffin. The entire coffin is natural, including the hardware and lining.

Biodegradable coffins can be made from:

~ Fair-trade-certified bamboo
~ Willow
~ Banana Leaf
~ Jute
~ Pine
~ Sea grass
~ Formaldehyde-free plywood
~ Cane
~ Pineapple Leaf
~ Wool
~ Cotton
~ Recycled Paper
~ Cardboard
~ Bamboo

A coffin is not required for a green burial and many people choose to use a shroud. You can make a shroud yourself out of biodegradable material, or purchase one already made.

Shrouds or casket linings should be made from unbleached cotton, fruit or vegetable fibers, flax, bamboo, hand woven silk, or other materials that are biodegradable.

For more information:

GREEN BURIAL SHROUDS.

BIODEGRADABLE COFFINS - U.K..

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN COFFIN .

HOW TO MAKE A QUICK COFFIN.

THE OLD PINE BOX.

MOTHER EARTH NEWS - HANDMADE CASKETS.



About the photo: Joyce Mitchell, a home funeral advocate in Utah, says, "I built this casket originally so I could see if it is really as easy as they say. It is!" She keeps two on hand in case of a sudden need for a home funeral. Original photo by Joyce Mitchell, posted by Undertaken With Love on Flickr.