If you’ve spent a lifetime sorting your recyclables, riding a bike rather than driving, and adopting a variety of other greener lifestyle choices, it makes sense that you want those values to follow you through to the end of your life.
Weighing up the environmental impact of a funeral against your priorities and values is important. A responsible funeral plan provider will be able to offer some advice on your options if necessary.
There are many ways you can return to the earth, each with its benefits and drawbacks. To help you decide, this post will highlight the reasons why cremation is good for the planet.
1. No Damaging Caskets Have to be Used
The materials used in burial caskets are not directly damaging to the environment but the use of wood, plastic, metals, fabrics, paints, and varnishes does have a negative impact. These all create different environmental hazards in their production, transportation, and use.
With a cremation, there is no need for such damaging vessels for the body. A variety of more eco-friendly options are available. Choose wood, bamboo or a casket made from a basket. Or alternatives like Capsula Mundi which turns a loved one into a tree.
2. Forget the Grave Vault
Grave vaults, made from cement, are sometimes used instead of or alongside the casket. Such places, built underground, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions by using fossil fuel-powered machinery and concrete.
Cremated remains take up very little space, can be stored or buried in a biodegradable urn, and will not harm the environment.
3. No Embalming Fluids are Used
A body can be embalmed before the cremation process, for those that want a viewing. If a person is being buried in the traditional sense, many people will choose embalming.
Embalming helps preserve the body and enables a family to hold a viewing. The main chemical used in this preservation process is formalin (formaldehyde mixed in water). It is a highly toxic carcinogen and has been linked to a variety of health problems, which means nothing for the deceased but a lot for the living. It also has long-term toxicity which means when an embalmed body is put into the ground the formalin can leach into the surrounding ground and contaminate the soil for generations. Jews don’t embalm: read about the practice here.
4. Eco-Friendly Cremation Containers
A large part of the carbon footprint from cremation can be attributed to the products used during the cremation, such as the cremation container and the urn.
Texas families from the Big D often look for low-cost Dallas cremation services that prioritize environmentally conscious options alongside affordability. This consideration allows them to balance budget concerns with a desire to reduce environmental impact during an already difficult time.
The default container for cremation is often made from wood but more eco-friendly options are available. For example, it could be made from cardboard or recycled materials that burn clean. Other options which bring a higher level of dignity with a low carbon footprint include bamboo. This type of container burns cleaner because there are no bonding chemicals or plastics used.
5. Human Remains are Reduced to Ash
When a body is cremated it is reduced to a very small amount of ash and that’s it.
6. Cremation Leaves No Trace
Burial takes up scarce and valuable land, while cremation leaves little trace. Burials generally have a 10% higher environmental impact compared with cremation. It is more labor and resource-intensive. However, a large percentage of the emissions come from the maintenance of the gravesite and cemetery lawns over the years.
7. No Need for a Burial
A conventional burial uses many resources and takes up too much space. Cremation is thought to be better for the environment because loved ones can take the person’s remains and scatter them somewhere memorable.
8. Eco-Friendly, Biodegradable Urns
After a body has been cremated, the ashes are sometimes presented to the family in urns made from marble or metal. These are designed to be kept at home or placed in a columbarium.
An increasing number of families are choosing to scatter the ashes which means such a permanent container is not required. An alternative to a permanent urn can be made from recycled plastic or cardboard. We love urns made from pottery.
9. Aquamation vs. Cremation
A new alternative to traditional cremation is a process that uses alkaline hydrolysis. The process is also known as aquamation, bio cremation, or water resolution.
The body is placed in a special chamber where it is subjected to water, heat, pressure, and potassium hydroxide. Within a few hours, the body is reduced to a white “ash” and up to 30% more ashes are retained. These ashes can then be buried or scattered.
This process uses less energy, produces less carbon dioxide, and does not emit harmful emissions such as mercury.
10. The Cremation Industry is Starting to Reduce Its Carbon Emissions
The process of cremation does release harmful gases such as dioxin and mercury. Also, the energy needed for one single cremation is equivalent to the power an average person uses in one month.
However, technological innovations, such as mercury filtering equipment, are helping the cremation industry to reduce its carbon emissions and become a more sustainable funeral solution.
Tips on Planning a More Eco-Friendly Funeral
If you want a more sustainable funeral, you might also consider the following options:
- Dress the body in biodegradable garments such as wool or cotton
- Plant a tree in memory of your loved one
- Rather than newspaper print advertisements publish the funeral notice online
- If you want a burial, consider a natural burial or a green burial
- Print memorial cards made from recycled paper
- For the wake or memorial, order locally sourced food
- In lieu of flowers ask for donations to your favorite green charity or nature preservation organiztion
