From the dawn of humankind, funerals and burials have served as a way to honor loved ones that have passed away, and a means for those still living to experience closure and to express their feelings and thoughts about that person. Although it may seem as though green funerals or earth-friendly funeral practices are something recently introduced, they have, in fact, been practiced as long as humans have existed.
In simple terms, a green burial is one in which the body is not prepared by embalming and is interned in a biodegradable casket or even just wrapped in cloth. Green Burial Cost is less expensive than traditional practices, in part because the person is laid in their final resting place with little environmental impact, due to less costly caskets and the absence of concrete vaults or liners.
In the United States alone, enough concrete and metal are used in traditional burials, to recreate the Golden Gate Bridge. The chemical formaldehyde is commonly used as an embalming agent in the U.S. and Canada, with over one million gallons used annually in the United States alone. It is a misconception that a body cannot be buried without being embalmed. Embalming is done solely to preserve the human body long enough for the wake period, or “viewing” period often a part of funeral practices.
More people are choosing green burials and funerals than ever before for a variety of reasons. The traditional methods involving preparing the body by embalming, metal caskets, and liners or concrete vaults, are services offered by funeral homes such as Cascade Memorial as well as the non-traditional green funerals and burials. The traditional methods are not a part of a green burial. Instead of a metal casket lined with pillows and silk, one is interned in a nondescript wooden casket or perhaps made of wicker, jute, or even cardboard.
The idea is not to be cheap, but to leave as little impact on the earth and be as natural as possible, and these materials being biodegradable, do just that. The person is often wrapped a silk or cotton blanket or shroud, and the casket may be adorned with a limewash biodegradable ink. Green Burial Cost is less than traditional practices providing an economical alternative that is also environmentally friendly. You can also follow them on Twitter for more updates.
