The Environmental Case for Choosing a Green Burial

The Environmental Case for Choosing a Green Burial

As environmental concerns continue to shape how we live, they are beginning to influence how we die. Green burial—also known as natural burial—is an increasingly researched and adopted method of final disposition that seeks to minimize ecological impact while restoring natural ecosystems. Beyond its spiritual and personal resonance, green burial is a scientifically supported response to the growing environmental costs of conventional death care.

The Ecological Cost of Conventional Burial

Each year in the United States, the funeral industry consumes staggering amounts of non-renewable resources and contaminates the soil and water table through routine practices:

• 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid are buried annually, including formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that is already banned in many parts of Europe.

• Approximately 20 million board feet of hardwood, much of it exotic and harvested unsustainably from endangered forests, is used to make caskets.

• The U.S. buries 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete and 64,500 tons of steel annually in the form of vaults and casket hardware.

• Cremation, often assumed to be the greener option, releases 534.6 pounds of CO₂ per body—the equivalent of a 600-mile car trip.

(Source: Green Burial Council; National Funeral Directors Association)

Green Burial as a Regenerative Solution

Green burial eliminates these impacts by removing unnecessary industrial interventions. Bodies are neither embalmed nor encased in non-biodegradable materials. Instead, the deceased is laid to rest in a simple, biodegradable container or shroud, allowing for natural decomposition and reintegration into the soil.

This process supports soil health by returning organic matter and encouraging microbial and fungal activity. It also avoids chemical contamination and requires no fossil fuels or heavy manufacturing. Furthermore, green cemeteries are typically multi-use conservation spaces, allowing for walking trails, wildlife habitat, and native plant restoration.

Soil Health and Topsoil Regeneration

One of the lesser-known environmental crises is topsoil loss. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, the planet has lost over one-third of its topsoil, and we continue to lose it at a rate of 24 billion tons per year. Green burial contributes to reversing this trend by restoring the microbiome of degraded land, building soil carbon, and increasing the resilience of native ecosystems.

Land Conservation and Carbon Sequestration

When burial grounds are managed as conservation land, as they are at Sacred Grove, each burial can become a long-term asset to carbon sequestration and habitat protection. Instead of maintaining manicured lawns with high water and chemical input, green cemeteries are designed as living systems, often incorporating tree burials, wildflower meadows, and forest restoration.

At Sacred Grove, we have repurposed a former golf course—a site of intensive chemical use and habitat fragmentation—into a protected ecological sanctuary. This model demonstrates how green burial can serve as both an alternative to wasteful practices and a tool for land repair and environmental stewardship.

A Model for the Future

As climate change accelerates and land use becomes more constrained, green burial provides an ethical and ecologically sound alternative. It eliminates pollution, protects biodiversity, and even helps sequester carbon—all while offering families a meaningful and enduring connection to the earth.

More than just a burial method, green burial is a shift in perspective. It asks us to consider our bodies not as waste to be managed, but as part of a living cycle—capable of healing the very systems that sustain us.