The Green Burial Process

Understandably, most people don’t know how burials contribute to carbon emissions and other environmental issues. A green burial, also known as a conservation burial, follows certain standards established by the Green Burial Council to minimize the environmental impact of burial materials and processes.

green cemetery

Caskets and Urns

One of the pillars of a green burial process is ensuring the materials used to make burial items are biodegradable and nontoxic. It’s also important that the manufacture and collection of these materials are done in a way that doesn’t harm habitats. To this end, the Green Burial Council certifies items such as shrouds, urns and caskets produced by companies that verifiably follow these practices.

Embalming

The preservation of bodies using embalming can be traced back thousands of years. However, modern day methods often use chemicals containing formaldehyde, which has been shown to cause cancer with regular contact. For the safety of funeral home staff, green burials use natural embalming materials such as essential oils, which are both nontoxic and biodegradable.

Cemetery

At its core, green burials are about leaving the world in an environmentally kinder way. For those who choose to be laid to rest by burial rather than cremation, this may mean finding green cemetery locations that are Green Burial Council certified. This ensures that cemetery operators agree to:
  • Be held accountable for their methods and materials
  • Be subject to third party oversight
  • Adhere to a degree of transparency in their businesses
Certification also ensures that the ecological promises made by current owners cannot be broken by future operators.

Funeral Arrangements for a Green Burial

Saying goodbye to a loved one for the final time is the most daunting task we are asked to do. If you need to arrange a natural burial in Michigan, please contact Wujek-Calcaterra & Son, Inc., by phone at (586) 588-9291 or online. We are honored to serve you and your family during this difficult time.
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