Green burials and other environmentally friendly options

Quick answer: Green burials minimize environmental impact by avoiding embalming, concrete vaults, and metal caskets. Common types include standard green burial, tree pod burials (where the body nourishes a planted tree), and natural burials (just a shroud, no casket). Green burials are legal in all 50 U.S. states with limited restrictions

What is the most environmentally friendly burial option?

As more people strive to live sustainably, many also seek environmentally-friendly burial options to ensure their final resting place has minimal impact on the planet. Whether you’re planning ahead or making arrangements for a loved one, exploring green burial options can align with your values of reducing waste and protecting the environment.

Why choose eco-friendly burial?

Traditional burials can have a significant environmental impact, involving embalming chemicals, concrete vaults, and metal or wooden caskets. Cremation, while avoiding some of these issues, still involves fuel consumption and, if the ashes are buried, a burial vault and casket.

Green burials offer a more eco-conscious alternative by focusing on minimizing environmental impact. They use non-toxic preparation methods, biodegradable materials, and avoid concrete vaults, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of metal or exotic hardwood caskets, green burials use materials like pine, cardboard, or even cloth shrouds. They also typically forego embalming, preventing harmful chemicals from contaminating the soil.

Considering a Green Burial?

Find a Memorial Planning location with eco-friendly burial options near you.

Types of eco-friendly burials

Green burials come in several forms:

• Standard green burial: The body is not embalmed and is placed in a biodegradable casket or shroud. It is then buried in a grave without a concrete vault.
• Tree burials: Also known as tree pod burials, this involves placing the body in a biodegradable container and planting a tree above it. The decomposing body nourishes the tree, integrating the deceased into the environment. Some services offer biodegradable urns with tree seeds for cremated remains.
• Natural burials: This method skips the casket altogether, with the body wrapped in a simple cloth and buried directly in the ground. This option is less common but highly eco-friendly.

Many families confuse green burials with natural burials. While the two terms overlap, they’re not identical. See our companion guide on the difference between natural and green burials for a side-by-side comparison.

Where can you have an eco-friendly burial?

In the U.S., green burials are generally permitted, with only a few states and the District of Columbia having restrictions, particularly for home burials on private property. For green burials, check local zoning laws or cemetery policies. While many cemeteries offer green burial options, not all provide tree burials, so home burial might be a better option for those seeking this method.

Learn more about green burials

No burial method is completely carbon-neutral, but green burials are significantly more eco-friendly compared to traditional options. Whether opting for a biodegradable casket or a tree burial, green approaches offer a meaningful way to honor a loved one’s memory while protecting the environment. To explore green burial options further, contact a cemetery or burial services provider that specializes in eco-friendly practices.

Memorial Planning offers green burial options at select cemeteries. To find out what’s available near you and explore pricing, find a location or call 844-808-3310.

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