Have You Considered a Green / Natural Burial?

Embalming is a way to temporarily preserve a corpse and make it suitable for public display at a funeral.

Embalming fluid is pumped into the 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. So dead soldiers were then embalmed in field hospitals.

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

What is a Green Cemetery?

Green cemeteries are not watered, mowed, or  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.

There are some natural burial grounds located throughout the United Sates, and with the interest in green funerals rising, more states are approving natural burials.

Biodegradable coffins or green caskets 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, click on the links below: 

 Green Burial Shrouds

 Biodegradable Coffins - U.K. 

The Old Pine Box 

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.

Cremation uses intense heat to reduce a corpse to ashes and bone fragments. The cremation process can take two to four hours. 

Years ago, visitations and wakes were held in peoples' homes. Home funerals are becoming a popular choice again as more people want their loved ones to die at home.

Home funerals save money for families and gives them more control over decisions.  Often, the family may feel pressure to make decisions in a hurry, and often over-spend.  And holding a visitation in a funeral home can be impersonal and stressful.

If you're interested in a home funeral, you must make plans prior to death and will probably need to educate local authorities on your rights. 

=========================================

Each state has different rules regarding home funerals.

You are not required to purchase a coffin from a funeral home.  If you choose to have a natural or green burial, you can even make your own, or use a shroud.

No state law requires routine embalming for every death. (see the funeral rule)  

If a person dies at a hospital or nursing home, you must make arrangements PRIOR to death or the body will be taken to a morgue and then a funeral provider.

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

National Home Funeral Alliance. 

Embracing the End-of-Life Experience

The Natural End Map guides you to natural funeral service providers, end-of-life assistants, cemeteries, and others that offer natural funeral and burial services in the United States.