Green Burials & Eco-Friendly Options: A Complete Guide
I’ve spent years listening to families talk about what matters most at the end of life: love, legacy, and leaving things better than we found them. Lately, more and more people ask me about green burials and eco-friendly funeral options. They want simplicity. They want authenticity. And they want to care for the earth the way they cared for each other.
This guide is my hands-on, compassionate overview of green burial, eco-friendly funeral planning, and everything in between—written in plain language, with the heart of a funeral director who believes in choices that reflect your values.
What Is a Green Burial?
In simple terms, a green burial (also called natural burial) returns the body to the earth as naturally as possible. That typically means:
No embalming with formaldehyde-based fluids (or choosing refrigeration/dry ice instead)
A biodegradable casket, simple shroud, or sustainably sourced coffin (no metal hardware/varnishes that hinder decomposition)
Burial at a depth that supports natural decomposition and native soil ecology
A cemetery or burial ground that commits to environmental stewardship (mowing policies, native plantings, minimal concrete, less irrigation and chemicals)
Green burials favor simplicity, sustainability, and connection. They can be beautiful, intimate experiences—hand-carried caskets, poetry beneath trees, wildflowers instead of imported arrangements, or a simple graveside ritual at sunrise.
1) Values & Legacy
For many, a green burial is a final act of care for the planet. It aligns end-of-life choices with everyday values: reduce, reuse, respect.
2) Simplicity & Meaning
Green funerals often feel less “produced” and more personal—quiet, grounded, and participatory. Families carry, lower, and even shovel the first earth themselves.
3) Cost Transparency
While costs vary by region and cemetery, skipping vaults, heavy metal caskets, and elaborate add-ons can mean a more cost-conscious approach. (Talk to your funeral director; we’ll walk you through line items so you understand what’s required vs. optional.)
The Three Types of Green Burial Grounds
Not every cemetery is set up for fully natural practices, but many now offer some level of eco-friendly interment. In general, you’ll see three models:
Hybrid Cemeteries
Conventional cemeteries that allow vault-free burials and biodegradable caskets/shrouds in designated sections. This can be a great option if your family has existing plots or you want to stay close to home.Natural Burial Grounds
Cemeteries specifically designed for green burial. They typically prohibit embalming with formaldehyde, concrete vaults, or metal caskets. Markers are often flat stones or natural markers, and landscaping prioritizes native species.Conservation Burial Grounds
The most environmentally focused model—green burial within land managed for long-term ecological restoration or conservation. Burial fees may support habitat protection.
Tip: Ask your funeral director which nearby cemeteries support green practices and what their specific rules are for vaults, markers, plantings, and grounds maintenance.
Eco-Friendly Choices (Even If You Don’t Choose a Green Cemetery)
You can still make earth-conscious decisions with any funeral plan:
Body care: skip formaldehyde-based embalming; choose refrigeration or dry ice.
Casket/shroud: choose a biodegradable casket (willow, seagrass, bamboo, pine) or a simple cotton/wool shroud with a lowering board.
Urns: if cremation is chosen, select biodegradable urns (paper, salt, sand, unfired clay, wood).
Flowers: use local, in-season flowers or potted plants you can rehome, or create living tributes with seeds or saplings.
Stationery: digital programs/QR codes for obituaries and photo galleries; recycled paper if printing.
Memorial keepsakes: choose items that can be used and loved (journals, recipes, quilts from clothing) rather than plastic mementos.
Transportation: consolidate vehicles, carpool, or consider venues close together to reduce travel.
Green Body Care: Embalming Alternatives
Traditional embalming uses chemical preservatives, often formaldehyde. Green funeral practices focus on gentler methods:
Refrigeration (most common)
Dry ice (monitored by professionals)
Limited-view or prompt services that don’t require long preservation windows
Essential-oil washing or eco-conscious topical care (where permitted)
These choices respect both the body and the environment while allowing meaningful, open-casket viewings in many cases.
Biodegradable Caskets, Shrouds & Urns
Families are often surprised by how many beautiful, simple options exist:
Woven caskets: willow, seagrass, bamboo—lightweight, hand-crafted, and strong
Simple wood caskets: pine or poplar with natural finishes and minimal hardware
Shroud burials: cotton, linen, or wool shrouds (often with a board for carrying/lowering)
Urns: recycled paper, salt urns (dissolve in water), sand or earth urns (break down in soil), wood or bamboo urns
Personal note: When families help place the shroud or touch the woven casket, the moment often shifts from fear to connection. The tactile simplicity can be healing.
Eco-Friendly Cremation & Disposition Options (Availability Varies)
Alkaline Hydrolysis (Water Cremation): Sometimes called “aquamation” or “water cremation,” this process uses water, alkali, and gentle heat/flow to reduce remains, using significantly less energy than flame cremation. Legal status and availability vary by state.
Flame Cremation (with Greener Choices): If flame cremation is chosen, you can still opt for lower-impact decisions—minimal casket/alternative container, local memorials (less travel), and biodegradable urns.
Natural/Sea Scattering: Follow local regulations; consider reef-safe options or biodegradable urns designed for water.
Tree/Soil Projects: Some families blend cremated remains with soil amendments designed for memorial plantings (note: ashes alone are alkaline and salty—special processes or amendments help).
Always check local laws and cemetery/municipal policies; your funeral director can guide what’s allowed.
Green Funeral Services: Rituals That Feel Like You
Green funerals are not about “less.” They’re about meaningful, intentional choices:
Home vigils (where permitted): keeping a loved one at home for a period of honoring, with support from your funeral director and, if desired, a home-funeral guide
Outdoor ceremonies: gardens, chapels with open windows, or graveside services among native plants
Participatory rituals: family-led readings, music, hand-written letters placed with the body, shared spadefuls of earth
Local, seasonal florals: wreaths of herbs, wildflowers gathered with permission, or potted plants you’ll keep
I’ve watched families’ faces soften when they’re invited to do something—carry, place, sing, shovel, or simply sit in silence beneath trees. Participation is healing.
Costs & Budgeting for a Green Burial
A common question: Is a green burial cheaper? It can be, but not always. Cost depends on:
Cemetery type and plot fees (conservation cemeteries may include land stewardship)
Casket/shroud selection (woven or shroud options can be cost-friendly)
Vault requirements (true green burials typically skip vaults)
Services chosen (transportation, ceremonies, staff time, permits)
The best way to budget is to sit with your funeral director for a transparent walkthrough of goods and services. Ask what’s required by law or cemetery rule, and what’s optional. Many families pre-arrange green burials to lock in today’s prices and to remove decision stress later.
How to Choose a Green Cemetery (A Quick Checklist)
Ask about vaults: Are vaults required? If not, what supports are used (boards, shoring, etc.)?
Embalming policy: Do they allow only non-formaldehyde or refrigeration only?
Casket/shroud rules: Are woven caskets and shrouds permitted? Any size/weight specifics?
Markers: Natural stones, native plant markers, or GPS coordinates—what’s allowed?
Grounds care: Native plantings, mowing schedules, pesticides/herbicides—how are they managed?
Long-term stewardship: Especially for conservation cemeteries—who manages the land and how is it funded?
Talking With Your Family About Green Burial
I often encourage families to start with values:
“I want my funeral to be simple and natural.”
“I’d like a biodegradable casket and a graveside ceremony.”
“Please use local flowers and play the music we love.”
“Plant a tree in my honor instead of elaborate arrangements.”
“I want the kids and grandkids to feel welcome to help.”
Put your wishes in writing, share them with your next of kin, and consider pre-arranging to formalize details and budget. Clarity is the greatest gift.
Real Moments: Why Green Can Feel So Human
A few scenes that stay with me:
A granddaughter tucking wildflowers into a woven willow casket, whispering a childhood story only she and her grandmother knew.
A family taking turns with a shovel, each spadeful of earth a promise—we’ll carry your legacy and love forward.
A quiet graveside where the only music was the wind through native grasses, and the only flowers were the ones that already belonged to that land.
Green funerals invite us to move at the speed of love and let the earth hold what we can’t.
Step-by-Step: Planning a Green Burial
Start the conversation (values, budget, preferred cemetery type)
Meet your funeral director (ask about local green options and logistics)
Select disposition & cemetery (hybrid, natural, or conservation burial)
Choose body care (refrigeration/dry ice; no formaldehyde embalming)
Pick casket/shroud (biodegradable)
Design the service (readings, music, participatory elements, local florals)
Confirm permits & paperwork (your funeral home will guide you)
Communicate plans to family & clergy/celebrant
Consider pre-arranging to document and fund your wishes
Aftercare & legacy (memorial plantings, donations, grief support)
Common Myths About Green Burial
“Green burials aren’t legal.”
Green burials are legal in many places; what varies are cemetery policies and local regulations. Your funeral director will help you navigate what’s allowed in your area.
“You can’t have a viewing without embalming.”
Many families choose private viewings with refrigeration and gentle body care. Timing and room temperature matter, but it’s absolutely possible.
“Green means unmarked or unattended.”
Not at all. You can have a meaningful ceremony, a natural marker, and ongoing visits—just with materials and landscaping that support the environment.
“It won’t ‘feel like a funeral.’”
Green funerals often feel more personal—less scripted, more hands-on, and deeply rooted in story, music, and presence.
Grief, Healing, and the Earth
Grief is love searching for a new shape. Green funerals give that love a place to live—in the soil, the trees, the wind. I’ve watched families relax when they see the simplicity: no polished machinery, no heavy vaults, just hands, earth, and memory. There’s a tenderness to it that doesn’t require perfection to be beautiful.
If your heart is pulling you toward a natural burial or eco-friendly funeral, trust that instinct. My role is to help you translate values into a plan that’s legal, feasible, and meaningful—with absolute respect for both your loved one and the land that receives them.
Grief, Healing, and the Earth
Grief is love searching for a new shape. Green funerals give that love a place to live—in the soil, the trees, the wind. I’ve watched families relax when they see the simplicity: no polished machinery, no heavy vaults, just hands, earth, and memory. There’s a tenderness to it that doesn’t require perfection to be beautiful.
If your heart is pulling you toward a natural burial or eco-friendly funeral, trust that instinct. My role is to help you translate values into a plan that’s legal, feasible, and meaningful—with absolute respect for both your loved one and the land that receives them.
Quick FAQ: Green & Eco-Friendly Funerals
Q: What’s the difference between green burial and natural burial?
A: The terms are often used interchangeably. Both aim for minimal environmental impact, usually without vaults or formaldehyde embalming.
Q: Can we still have a traditional service?
A: Yes. You can have a chapel service, visitation, and graveside—simply adapted to green practices (biodegradable casket, local florals, etc.).
Q: Are green burials less expensive?
A: Sometimes, but not always. It depends on cemetery fees, location, and choices. Your funeral director will provide a clear estimate.
Q: Is water cremation available everywhere?
A: No. Availability varies by state and provider. Ask your funeral home about alkaline hydrolysis options in your area.
Q: How do we find a cemetery that supports green burial?
A: Start with your local funeral director. Ask about hybrid, natural, and conservation cemeteries nearby and their specific rules.
Final Thoughts
A green burial is more than a trend—it’s a promise. It says we can honor life with simplicity, protect the places we love, and weave grief into the living world in a way that feels honest and kind.
If this path speaks to you, I’m here to help—gently, transparently, and step by step. We’ll design a goodbye that feels like your family, supports the earth, and carries your love forward.
