Trends in green product manufacture and sales More companies and individuals are undertaking for the industrialized funeral sector what organic farmers and food producers accomplished for the agricultural arena, that is, meeting consumer demand for alternatives that challenge conventional practices that may have a detrimental environmental impact. These natural grave products are stimulating a renaissance in the weaving arts, with handcrafted and recycled paper and alternative fibers being made into caskets and coffins. Artists fashion Natural cemeteries Given the increase in individuals requesting natural burials, the need for natural grounds to accommodate these requests will also increase. Creating natural burial grounds is also a way to address limited burial space and increase open space with recreational vegetative areas. The United Kingdom (UK), for example, utilizes natural burial sites to reestablish the countryside with woodlands and grassy meadows. In the next few decades, green cemeteries will provide a unique opportunity to mix commercial use and land conservation. Sites that had previous uses, for example, quarries or industrial sites, may be rehabilitated to some extent, and traditional cemeteries with undeveloped land may open to green burials. Natural grounds do not allow embalming chemicals, metal caskets, or reinforced cement with the body. Like natural burials, the goal is to use as few resources as possible to allow the body to decompose quickly. According to funeral researcher Sara Marsden-Ille (2020), “There are approximately 166 registered green burial cemeteries and memorial woodlands in the U.S. These are recognized natural burial sites, although some are hybrid cemeteries where both natural and traditional burials take place. A green burial cemetery is also sometimes called an eco- cemetery.” Since 2005, the Green Burial Council has certified green cemeteries and funeral homes that follow their guidelines, and many more locations are offering natural or green burial options without certification. While different cemeteries have different standards for what they will allow to be buried with the body, minimum green burial standards typically require: ● No embalming fluids. ● Biodegradable casket that is not made of endangered tropical wood. ● No vault. Maintenance of grounds Natural cemeteries’ treatment of the grounds is also quite different from that of traditional cemeteries. Green cemeteries work to preserve natural habitat and wilderness areas instead of altering and manicuring landscapes with nonnative plants or grasses that often require large amounts of water and chemical fertilizers. They place trees and plants to mimic the natural environment and try to restore the land to its natural contours. Many of the trends in natural cemeteries dovetail with other landscaping strategies meant to reduce resource use and labor, and to work with, rather than against, the natural
willow, bamboo, sea grass, and fibers into woven containers and sew fabric shrouds of organic cotton, silk, and hemp. Each year, more natural versions of traditional funeral goods appear. While eco-friendly supplies for burial were previously sourced from outside the U.S., more U.S. manufacturers are now taking part. Purchasing simple wooden caskets and fabric shrouds not only supports local businesses but also reduces the need for fossil fuels in shipping heavy metal and wooden caskets. Most green cemeteries do not resemble traditional cemeteries, that is, green manicured lawns and headstones lined up neatly. Natural cemeteries tend to look more like nature preserves, with trees, grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs. There are often walking paths leading visitors to burial areas, with inconspicuous engraved stones marking individual burial sites. Other common features of natural cemeteries include: ● Excavation of the burial site is usually by hand to minimize impacts on the surrounding land and to protect native plant diversity. ● Earth is mounded on top of the gravesite, and the mound eventually disappears as the earth settles. Native grasses, flowers, trees, or shrubs may be planted on the mound to quickly rehabilitate the site. ● Caskets and burial shrouds must be made of biodegradable materials. No hardwood caskets are allowed. ● Grave markers are simple, engraved stones indigenous to the area. Sometimes a native tree or shrub is planted instead. To ensure family members will always be able to find the grave of their loved one, the burial sites are typically marked on a survey map. Some cemeteries insert metal nails at a site so that a metal detector can aid in searching. Others use global positioning systems (GPS) to locate sites. Another important aspect of natural burial grounds is that they also accept cremated ashes for burial or for scattering in a dedicated area. A number of natural cemeteries in Germany house only cremated remains. In these areas, ashes may be scattered or buried, or placed in biodegradable urns buried along the drip line of mature trees and marked with small memorial tags. environment. In the same way that offices are trying to go “paperless” to minimize costs and waste, more grounds are turning to sustainable landscaping principles, also called xeriscaping or green-scaping (Water Utility Authority, 2011). This means using native, noninvasive plants that are suited to the climate and can even provide habitat or food sources for animals such as nesting birds. Irrigation, pesticides, and herbicides are not used, or are used sparingly. Sustainable landscaping is low-impact, low-maintenance, low-resource- use, and low-cost landscaping that fits each particular site and climate.
GREENING OF THE INDUSTRY
Given the general greening of all aspects of society in recent years, it is certain that the funeral industry will continue to go green in a range of areas, including in response to potential environmental risks and to personal
risks for members of the profession, by reducing the risks of any toxic materials used or requiring the use of alternative materials.
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