Green burials – what are they and what are their advantages?

Lately, there has been a movement to educate consumers of alternative burials. One such movement asks consumers to consider a “green burial.” A green burial is aptly named because it aims to provide ecological soundness.

A conventional burial in the United States typically involves embalming, a casket made of hardwood or steel, and a concrete grave liner or vault. A green burial in contrast, usually entails a biodegradable wrapper and no embalming. The grave is typically marked by a flat memorial stone or other grave marker such as a tree or other planting. Computer mapping such as a GPS is often used to locate the grave. Advocates of a green burial argue that this technique conserves resources, protects groundwater and returns bodily nutrients back to the land. The cost of green burials is significantly lower than conventional burials. One estimate puts the cost of green burial at under $3,000.00 whereas the average funeral nationwide costs approximately $6,500.00.

The proper document to provide your burial instructions, which may include a conventional burial, cremation or green burial, is the Health Care Proxy. An experienced estate planning and elder law attorney can prepare this document accordingly so that your burial instructions are carried out properly.



By: Todd C. Ratner, Esq.

Comments

[shroudwoman]

Asone of the first Green burial product providers (www.greenburialproducts.com) I feel it is important that consumers are aware of the environmental impact of the traditional burial on the environment-

Every year 22,500 cemeteries in the United States bury:
827,060 gallons (3,130,762 liters) of embalming fluid
90,272 tons (81,893 metric tons) of steel in caskets
1,636,000 tons (1,484,154 metric tons) of reinforced concrete in vaults
More than 30 million board feet (70,792 meters3­­) of hardwoods (some tropical woods) for caskets
today.
The effects of cremation,long held as the more "sustanable"choice with the 4 hour burning at over 2000 degrees and the toxic emissions such as mercury released into the atmosphere must alsobe newly examined with more concious minds.

Although cost has often been the #1 decision maker in consumer habits in the 20th century, in the 21st Century it has become imperative that the waste of our precious human resources and our overall health as a planet have got to become part of the consumer conciousness in choosing products of all varieties including our final choice.
Thank you.