Green Burial Options For A Sustainable End Of Life Send-Off
I love a good cemetery. I understand that sounds macabre, but hear me out. Whenever Tim and I are travelling, we stop at cemeteries. We read the gravestones, remember lives once lived, and imagine what life may have been like for them based on the era they existed. We grieve the dates that are too close together and above all, our reflective experience reminds us that our lives are short. One day, our lives will be represented by a single dash between two dates. Life is finite. Life is short. And if we forget this fact, it’s easy to waste that dash.
When I die, I want to be buried in a mushroom spore onesie and planted under a tree.
This is in lieu of being composted in a willing family member’s backyard - this sounds like the most cost effective and soil nourishing option to me, but I don’t think it’s legal and I wouldn’t want to throw anyone under the bus.
But seriously, have you thought about what will happen when you no longer need your body? I’m quick to compost my hair and fingernails, but I’d really like for my whole body to be responsibly disposed of one day too. Sustainable funeral options are not mainstream and natural burials seem to be advised against.
It’s estimated that the average funeral generates around 1.7 tonnes of Co2e so after all my efforts trying to live sustainably, I’d love to know that the disposal of the vessel that housed me was dealt with in the most sustainable way possible. I’ve done the macabre research for you to find the best green burial and cremation options. I hope you don’t have to use this blog post soon, but this type of forethought could be incorporated into your will for the future so you can rest in peace.
Important note: In exploring sustainable burial and cremation options, it's important to recognise the rich diversity of cultural traditions and practices worldwide. While this discussion may focus on certain environmentally friendly choices, we must acknowledge that each individual's end-of-life preferences are deeply personal and may vary widely based on cultural, religious, and spiritual beliefs. This blog post aims to provide a starting point for those seeking eco-conscious alternatives while respecting the unique customs and traditions that inform diverse approaches to honouring the departed.
Natural burial
What happens with the body during a natural burial?
By far the most appealing green burial option is a natural burial. In a natural burial, the goal is for the body to be prepared and buried in a way that does not slow down decomposition and has as little environmental impact as possible. According to the Green Burial Council, vault burials (where a metal or concrete container is placed in the ground before the casket is lowered into it) emit approximately 115kgs of carbon, whereas green burials sequester approximately 11 kgs of carbon.
For a natural burial, the body is most commonly buried in a sustainably made coffin or shroud and placed in the ground without being embalmed. Embalming involves the body being pumped of a preservative liquid, usually formaldehyde. The jaw and eye-caps are often stitched together when embalmed too. The purpose of embalming is to preserve the body so that it is more pleasant to look at during an open casket. Unless the funeral is drastically delayed or the body needs to be transported far, embalming is totally optional, yet it has become the default option for many.
Embalming is not ideal for the environment as the chemicals pumped into the body cause risk of the local groundwater sources and land being contaminated. Luckily, natural embalming exists. Keeping in mind the process of embalming is to preserve the body, natural embalmers wash the body thoroughly, take directions from the family around shaving the face or applying natural makeup, and do not stitch or apply any toxic chemicals. Ice is sometimes used to cool the body down and essential oils and plants are used to control bacteria. A body does not need to be chemically embalmed to enable the living to spend time with it and companies like Poppy’s in the UK prove that this is possible. There are several certified natural burial cemeteries in New Zealand where this is common practice, you can find them here.
What is the body contained in for an eco-friendly burial?
A natural burial means all elements that are put into the earth break down easily and are made from organic matter. Sustainable coffins for a natural burial are made with untreated materials like wicker, wood, felted wool, and cardboard. If a coffin isn’t for you, a shroud (here are some beautiful shrouds made in Aotearoa New Zealand) paired with a shroud bearer is an option. A shroud is a piece of material, generally made from cotton or wool, that is wrapped around the body. A shroud bearer is a strong piece of plywood that doesn’t enclose the body but has handles and acts as a platform for the body to be able to be carried.
Although they’re not commonly available (or financially accessible, yet), a mushroom burial suit is another way to wrap a body. A mushroom suit is a burial suit made of mushroom spores. The mycelium and other microorganisms in the suit help speed up the process of your body decomposing and also process any chemicals in the body that may be damaging to the surrounding environment.
In lieu of a mushroom suit, which is hard to come by, a simple part of an eco-friendly burial is making sure the body is clothed in natural materials. Synthetic clothing, like polyester and nylon, will not break down. Over hundreds of years it will break up into microplastics that contaminate the earth surrounding the burial. Avoid these and choose natural fibres like cotton, linen, and wool to dress your loved one before they’re buried.
Can I be planted under a tree in a natural burial?
Imagine if all cemeteries were forests. Cemeteries take up a lot of land space and can be unpleasant spaces to visit. I’d like to think more people would visit where their loved one’s bodies rest if a cemetery was a forest with plaques stating the person’s name beside their tree. You don’t have to imagine this as you walk through the dedicated natural burial area at Waikumete Cemetery in Auckland. It’s an Aotearoa New Zealand first though we now have several natural burial sites around the country. The team at Waikumete Cemetery helps the family make decisions to ensure the body and all that it is dressed and buried in will naturally degrade. The type of trees are decided by the Waikumete Cemetery team as the succession plan of the forest requires some structure, but the family are involved in the planting of the tree. To my knowledge, there are no plaques with the deceased’s names in Waikumete Cemetery, but when the natural burial happens, the GPS coordinates are recorded in the cemetery system.
Cremation
Is cremation sustainable?
Cremation is another viable option to dispose of your body, however it can be done in a variety of ways that have different impacts on the environment. Firstly, the body should not be embalmed before being cremated. As we already know, embalming involves pumping chemical preservatives into the body. When these toxic substances are released into the atmosphere during the process of cremation, they can be harmful to the environment. For example, formaldehyde, the most common chemical used during embalming, is a carcinogen that can have incredibly detrimental effects on human health and ecosystems. Heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are often released from embalmed bodies too. I feel for crematorium workers and nearby communities who are unwillingly exposed!
If that hasn’t deterred you from embalming before cremation, consider the end product. If the ashes of that person are scattered after cremation, there is also a risk that the harmful chemicals will still be present and therefore negatively impact the ecosystem where those ashes are scattered or buried.
Even if the body is not embalmed before cremation, there is still a concern for the energy intensity of the cremation process. Cremation requires incredibly high temperatures for several hours. If this isn’t done at off-peak hours (overnight or during the middle of the day), it’s likely that non-renewable energy sources will be used to burn the body. If your heart is set on cremation over a burial for whatever reason, avoid embalming and find a crematorium who are conscious of their energy usage and have legitimate sustainable values.
Is a burial better than cremation?
There’s no simple answer to this question. The answer depends on what you are measuring (carbon emissions, land usage, energy usage) and what type of burial and cremation you’re comparing. For both options, avoid embalming. When it comes to a natural burial, choose a sustainably made coffin or shroud made from materials that will easily break down and see if you can find a cemetery that will let you plan a tree over top. If you’re set on being cremated, seek out a crematorium who strategically uses less energy in their processes and consider water cremation if it’s legal in your country.
What is water cremation?
Another form of cremation that is touted to be the most sustainable type of cremating remains is water cremation. Water cremation generates half the carbon footprint of flame cremation. In the process of water cremation, the deceased body is immersed in an alkaline solution (potassium hydroxide and water) which dissolves it. This can take between three to four hours. This type of cremation emits less greenhouse gases, is more energy efficient, and minimises air pollution compared to traditional cremation. Water cremation is not legalised in Aotearoa New Zealand yet, but Water Cremation Aotearoa New Zealand are working on it.
One day, every single one of us will have a body we no longer need. Instead of leaving it up to chance or random relatives to decide what happens, think about how you’ll go out and how that decision will affect the environment. Unfortunately in Aotearoa New Zealand we have scarce choices; cremation or burial. But hopefully one day this will change and in the meantime, we can do our best to make those choices better ones.
Sustainable Death Q&A:
Is it sustainable to donate my body parts?
Absolutely! Donating your body parts can help with medical research and innovation. Depending on the situation, your body parts may help someone in need too.
Do I have to be buried in a casket?
No, you can be buried in a shroud or a mushroom spore suit!
How do I have a green burial NZ?
An alternative eco-friendly casket company has put together a helpful list of natural burial sites and sustainable funeral directors across the country. You can read this here but also don’t be afraid to ask your local funeral directors for green burial options. In asking, you may encourage them to change their systems for the better, so other locals can benefit from local green burial options too.
Are green burials more expensive?
They don’t need to be. The cost of an eco-friendly burial depends on the funeral director, location, and type of burial you choose. Sometimes natural burials can be even cheaper because your coffin is simple and embalming doesn’t happen.
What about sustainable funeral options?
Like all gatherings of people, funerals can be super wasteful. Everyone reading this will have access to different sustainable suppliers, but I will walk you through my Nana’s funeral that was planned with the planet in mind so you know what elements to consider.
Food: The afternoon nibbles were catered by a local food vendor who compost all their waste at a local banana plantation and use a lot of organic and plant based ingredients.
Service wear: I brought my set of reusable napkins (I simply wash these after every event). The cups were reusables borrowed from the church where the funeral was held. This meant there was no rubbish.
Waste: Clearly labelled compost bins were put beside the food stations in case anyone had left overs they weren’t eating.
Coffin favours: Guests were invited to place a shell on the coffin before the hearse drove away. The shells were ones Nana had collected on the beach over many years. The funeral pamphlets were printed at a local printer who use FSC certified paper and vegetable inks. The quantities were carefully counted so that there wasn’t excess.
Lower emissions: The service was streamed online so that an extra 100 people could attend without the carbon emissions involved in flying and driving to the church.
When you are considering sustainable funeral options, think about reusing rather than wasting, and support local and sustainable vendors.
