What do you know about Green Burial?
In the poem “Post Humus,” Patti Tama imagines the scattering of her ashes in the garden and her friends gathering, saying “That Patti, She sure is some tomato!”
Most of us do not like to think of ourselves as compost! But with increasing concerns over the environmental impact of conventional lawn cemeteries, many people are looking to alternatives. The term “green burial” covers a wide range of options with an eye towards being eco-friendly.
What are some of the important issues that green burial mitigates?
Embalming is regularly used to preserve bodies for a “life-like” funeral viewing. This preservation requires the use of carcinogenic formaldehyde in large quantities — over 800,000 gallons buried in U.S. cemeteries each year. Besides the possibility of leakage, there is also exposure for both the manufacturer and embalmer.
Burial vaults and grave liners, besides being enormously expensive, place over 1.6 million tons of concrete under the ground annually in the U.S. These vaults keep soil from compacting and have far more to do with ease of mowing in cemeteries than the needs of the dead.
Increasing numbers of people are turning to cremation as an alternative. While cremations has a lower carbon footprint, it still uses 28 gallons of fuel for the process.
The Green Burial Council, a group based out of Northern California, has been a leader in defining the Green Burial movement. They consider green burial as “ a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.”
So what does this look like? First, you will want to become familiar with your state and local laws. https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/burial-cremation-laws-north-carolina.html#1
One resource local to Orange County is the Green Burial Project based in Hillsborough, NC: https://www.greenburialproject.org/about
Next, you will want to consider your family needs. Are they comfortable with a simpler approach to the funeral tradition? This path might lead you away from formal funeral parlor arrangements towards the consideration of biodegradable shrouds or coffins, temporary body preservation through the use of dry ice, and burial in a cemetery or preserve that does not require impermeable casks and vaults. https://carolinamemorialsanctuary.org/green-burial/why-green-burial/
How we manage our deaths and burials matters not only to our loved ones, but to the earth beneath our feet. Taking the time to thoughtfully consider how to handle our funeral arrangements can be one of the legacies we pass along to those who follow behind.
Whatever your burial arrangements, remember that the team at Hillsborough Wills & Trusts has the expertise to help you Build Your Circle of Security through strong legal documents and good counsel. We are here to help you succeed! Contact us at: https://hillsboroughwills.com/contact
Additional Articles and Information:
https://www.greenburialcouncil.org
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/chapel-hill-news/article10048451.html
https://greenway.typepad.com/green_way/2008/06/she-sure-is-some-tomato.html