If you are looking for an eco friendly way to bury your loved one, you may want to consider a green burial at a natural cemetery. Learn about what makes a green burial, what methods and materials are involved, and the benefits of using a perpetual care cemetery for your loved one’s burial.
What Makes a Burial Green?
Also known as natural burials, green burials are made to reduce environmental impact and create a more dignified and natural way for our departed loved ones to return to the earth. Traditional burials tend to use nonrenewable resources to create even natural materials like concrete in their production. Also, chemicals used in traditional embalming are not always good for the environment, either.
A green burial ensures your loved one will return to the earth as nature intended while not taking more from the earth than necessary to do it. There are also now eco friendly natural alternative embalming fluids that use essential oils. The other upside to green burials is that they are far more affordable than traditional modern burials, which are typically very expensive. Cremations can also be considered green burials, using the correct materials.
What Methods and Materials are Used in a Green Burial?
A green burial is one that uses biodegradable, nontoxic, and renewable materials in the burial process. The Green Burial Council (GBC) has a list of certified products for materials and substances suitable for a green burial. These include eco friendly caskets, shrouds, and urns that are made from readily biodegradable and nontoxic materials. The materials they are made from also must not be harvested in a way that destroys natural habitats.
Burial products you find in a natural cemetery are made by Green Burial Council approved manufacturers. Any part of the casket, shroud or urn, including any adornments, the liner, and the shell must be made from the following types of sources:
- All-Natural
- Animal-based
- Plant-derived
- Recycled plant-derived
- Unfired earthen materials
What are the Benefits of Using a Perpetual Care Cemetery for Burial?
A perpetual care cemetery uses eco friendly, sustainable land care methods and does not involve great amounts of manufactured materials, like concrete and metals. If you are looking for a green burial site in Georgia, consider Milton Fields, the only green burial perpetual care cemetery in the state. Milton Fields respects the end of life with a simple, natural approach that honors the environment.