How to Plan a Green Funeral and Burial

The state of the planet is changing, and it’s hard for anyone to deny it at this point. That’s why it’s becoming so common for people to try and alter their actions to be more eco-friendly. They may purchase a car that doesn’t run on fossil fuels, change their diet and where they shop, or it could be as simple as reducing their plastic use on a daily basis. You may not realize, however, that you can even make eco-friendly choices at your funeral home near Lake Nona, FL. Traditional burial is not easy on the environment, and there are many issues that cause it to have long-lasting negative effects on the local soil and ecosystem. However, there are a growing number of options becoming available that can reduce these negative effects.

One of the biggest issues with traditional burial is the toxic substances that it allows to enter the soil. A big contributor to this is embalming. It’s very common for people to have their loved ones embalmed prior to their funeral so that a viewing can take place. And it’s important to note that for many families, a viewing is a necessary opportunity for family and friends to say goodbye. Fortunately, there are some more eco-friendly embalming methods available, although they generally don’t last as long. You may have to change your loved one’s arrangements slightly to accommodate these different methods, but you can be glad that those toxins won’t enter the environment. Another source of harmful chemicals is often the caskets themselves. Many caskets are made from wood that has been treated to make it last for a very long time without breaking down. The chemicals used to treat the wood are harmful to the soil and local environment. By choosing a casket or burial shroud that is made from untreated, natural materials, you can greatly improve the environmental footprint of your loved one’s burial.

There are certain cemeteries that are more open to green burial methods than others. If you’re really wanting to go as far as you can to lessen the impact of your loved one’s burial, then you may want to seek out one of these places. They may allow you to forgo the concrete vault that most burial sites have, allowing for the casket and remain to take their natural course of returning to the environment. Some places even allow for natural grave markers, rather than traditional headstones. These could be something like a decorative tree or bush, or even a patch of native perennial wildflowers. If your loved one was passionate about nature and the environment, this might be right for them.

These are just a few ways that you can create a more eco-friendly funeral and burial process. You can choose to do one or some or all of these things. Your funeral home near Lake Nona, FL, can help you come up with ways to make your loved one’s final arrangements “greener”, and they can connect you with other resources that may help, as well. Then, you can take comfort in knowing that your loved one’s final impact on the planet will be positive.