How to Make Your Funeral Eco-friendly
One thing that needs to change is how funerals are conducted around the world. The Green Burial Council, a non-profit organization, has assembled some truly stunning facts that highlight the need for an eco-friendly funeral.
For instance, their study found that 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid enter the soil as a result, and 20 million feet of hardwood are buried. Much of this lumber actually come from rainforests.
Luckily, there are quite a few steps you can take to ensure your own funeral, and your loved ones, are environmentally friendly.
Avoid Embalming Fluid, it’s Dangerous
Embalming fluid is used around the world, although to a lesser extent in some areas due to religious traditions, but it is a very dangerous substance. And not just to the environment but to humanity as well.
For starters, embalming fluid eventually makes its way into the soil. Sooner or later, it will hit the water table of the country. This chemical can contaminate the drinking water and water used for agriculture.
And it’s no small amount either. A report found that at least 827,000 gallons makes it way to the water table each year.
Remember this is a toxic substance that is even dangerous to produce. And sadly, many of the facilities that produce it are quite old. They release emissions and lack filters to prevent some substances from reaching the air.
Use Untreated Local Wood
One of the biggest problems is the caskets themselves. If you’ve ever taken a closer look at modern caskets, you should notice that they can get quite luxurious. And this is why the average price in the US is 2,000 dollars.
These caskets typically have multiple finishes that are dangerous to the environment. And similar to embalming fluid, make their way into the soil and eventually water table.
Of course, the wood used to construct them is also a major issue.
As I said, some of these caskets can get very flashy and some even use Mahogany lumber. This wood can sometimes come from the Amazon rainforest and be exported across the world.
Instead, it may not be very luxurious, but using untreated local woods is much better for the planet. Not to mention usually more cost effective.
What About Cremation?
You may be wondering if cremation is a more eco-friendly funeral option, and the answer may surprise you.
On one hand, you are no longer burying harmful materials into the ground. But on the other, you may be releasing them into the air. And it’s also releasing other substances the world is trying to get away from, like carbon.
In just the United States, cremation releases 174 billion pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
For those unfamiliar with this process, the flames use fossil fuel to achieve temperatures of 1900 Fahrenheit for two hours. On top of just regular emissions, this also releases mercury, nitrogen oxide, and other harmful chemicals.
Choose A Green Cemetery
You may have never heard of them, but they do exist. In fact, there are over 300 green cemeteries with in the United States and Canada.
These services are cheaper than traditional burials, do not use chemicals on the body, use biodegradable caskets, and other environmentally friendly options. In most cases, the services will be able to provide everything you need to have an eco-friendly funeral.
Robert has been following and writing about environmental stories for years at GreenGeeks. He believes that highlighting environmentally friendly practices can help promote change in every household.