Green Burial

Overview

Green burial — sometimes called natural burial — is a body disposition method designed to minimize environmental impact by allowing the body to decompose naturally and directly nourish the surrounding ecosystem. It is the oldest form of burial in human history, and its modern revival is a direct response to the resource intensity of conventional funeral practices.

Unlike conventional burial, green burial avoids toxic embalming fluids, non-biodegradable caskets, and concrete burial vaults. Bodies are typically wrapped in a biodegradable shroud or placed in an unfinished wood, wicker, or cardboard casket, then buried at a depth that supports natural decomposition and beneficial soil microbial activity.

How It Works

The process begins with minimal or no chemical preparation of the body — many green burial providers use refrigeration or dry ice instead of embalming to preserve the body for a viewing or service. The body is placed in a biodegradable container and buried in a dedicated green cemetery, a hybrid section of a conventional cemetery, or, where permitted, on private conservation land.

Graves are typically shallower than conventional vaulted graves, which keeps the body within the most biologically active layer of soil, accelerating natural decomposition. Grave markers are often simple: a native tree, a flat fieldstone, or GPS coordinates rather than an engraved headstone.

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Green burial eliminates several of conventional burial's largest environmental costs: embalming chemicals (commonly formaldehyde-based), non-biodegradable caskets, and the concrete or metal vaults required by many conventional cemeteries. Because no vault or chemical barrier is used, the body's nutrients return to the soil more directly, and many green cemeteries double as protected conservation land or wildlife habitat.

Compared to cremation, green burial also avoids the fossil-fuel energy and airborne emissions associated with flame-based cremation, though it does require ongoing land use — a tradeoff worth weighing against personal priorities.

Legal Status & Availability

Green burial is legal in all fifty U.S. states and in most countries; no state requires embalming or a burial vault by law for a standard burial. However, individual cemeteries — not state governments — often impose their own vault or casket requirements, so availability depends heavily on which cemetery you choose. Dedicated green cemeteries and hybrid sections have grown substantially in North America, the UK, and parts of Europe and Australia over the past two decades.

Laws governing body disposition vary by country, state/province, and sometimes county. Always verify current regulations with a local funeral authority, cemetery board, or attorney before making decisions.

Considerations

Families considering green burial should ask prospective cemeteries directly about vault requirements, casket restrictions, and grave-marking policies, since these vary by provider rather than by law. Green burial grounds are also less common in some regions than conventional cemeteries, which may mean traveling farther for a burial site. Cost is often — though not always — lower than conventional burial, since it eliminates vault and embalming fees.

Frequently Asked Questions