Green/Natural Burial
Green/Natural burial is burial of a dead human body in the soil in a manner that allows the body to decompose naturally. Green/Natural Burial is burial as it was practiced by most human cultures for most of human history, until the widespread use of commercial funeral products in the late 19th century.
For millenia, human communities, primarily in the West, buried their dead directly in the ground. A dead body, wrapped in a shroud or winding sheet, was lowered into a grave and covered over with soil. Over time, in some cultures, the body was first placed in a container made of wood. Green/Natural burial, is a return to the practice of burial of the body in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition but allows the body to recycle naturally.
There are now about 150 natural burial grounds in 40 U.S. states. |
In Minnesota?
Yes. There are three cemeteries in the Twin Cities area that offer the option of green/natural burial. See our 2015 Green/Natural Burial Survey for more information.
Yes. There are three cemeteries in the Twin Cities area that offer the option of green/natural burial. See our 2015 Green/Natural Burial Survey for more information.
No Embalming?
Green cemeteries prohibit the burial of bodies which are embalmed with toxic embalming fluids. Formaldehyde-free embalming fluids are now available. The temporary preservation of a corpse can almost always take place without the use of chemicals. Is Green Burial Expensive? The cost of a plot in a green burial ground is usually not any more costly and often less costly than a typical grave in a conventional cemetery. Overall, the costs for a natural funeral are significantly less than a conventional funeral. Many of the conventional expenses, such as embalming, elaborate casket, and burial vault have been eliminated. In fact, instead of a biodegradable casket, the body may be buried directly in the ground. In addition, most green burial grounds allow the participation of family and friends in the opening and closing of the grave - something never allowed in a conventional cemetery. A substantial savings. |
|
Burial of Dr. Clark WangThese photos show the step by step 2011 green burial of Dr. Clark Wang, who's desire for a natural burial after being diagnosed with terminal cancer inspired the owners of Pine Forest Memorial Gardens in North Carolina to work with him in establishing the Garden of Renewal, a certified green cemetery.
A feature length documentary film, A Will for the Woods, follows Clark Wang's battle with lymphoma and his dream of leaving a permanent legacy - a green burial ground. Watch the trailer here. |
In After Death Arrangements, Green is the new Black.
|
|
Resources
Natural "Green" Cemeteries
In Minnesota Mound Cemetery in Brooklyn Center near Minneapolis is a hybrid green cemetery certified by the Green Burial Council (GBC). "Hybrid" means the cemetery allows burial without casket and vault anywhere on their grounds. Prairie Oaks Memorial Eco Gardens in Inver Grove Heights is Minnesota's first exclusively natural burial grounds. Prairie Oaks is a land restoration project which will provide habitat for wildlife and a more diverse ecosystem. Roselawn Cemetery in Roseville is the latest cemetery to offer natural burial as an option. Throughout the U.S. There are currently about 150 natural burial grounds in 40 states. Funeral Consumers Alliance maintains a Green Cemeteries List by state. The majority of them, like Mound and Oak Hill, are hybrid cemeteries. |
Podcast
The Green Burial Movement, a May 2014 podcast moderated by radio host Ann Fisher of WOSU (Ohio), features physician and pioneering green burial movement advocate Dr. Billy Campbell and two other guests. Well worth a listen. (53 minutes) |
Videos
Green Burial a 2007 report from KQED (Northern California) Public Media featuring, among others, Green Burial Council executive director Joe Sehee. (10 minutes) |
|
Saving 1 Million Acres for 2,000 Years is a TEDx Talk featuring Dr. Billy Campbell who with the help of his wife Kimberley, founded Memorial Ecosystems in 1996 and developed the world's first conservation burial ground, Ramsey Creek in South Carolina, in 1998. The Green Burial Council adopted a number of the standards he developed as part of their own Green Burial Standards. |
|
GreenSprings Eco-Cemetery in Newfield NY is 100 acres of rolling hilltop meadows in the Finger Lakes region of New York. One may choose native trees and shrubs for planting on the gravesite, helping restore the land to its natural state. |
|
Buried in a Shroud
A screen shot from the popular HBO series, Six Feet Under. The character Nate Fisher Jr., a funeral director at his family's California funeral home, is given a green burial by friends and family members.