Human remains need to be placed into ocean water three nautical miles from shore. The United States Environmental Protection Agency allows burial at sea in ocean waters. Green burial plots are normally larger, too, Sullivan said.ĭisinterment is more difficult with green burial, "once you're there you're there," and it would be like an archeological dig after awhile, she said. Green burial may have an impact on the stability of the land as typically vaults are used to keep the burial grounds stable. Though cemeteries may require the use of vaults, the decision is made at each cemetery, said Lynn Sullivan the CEO of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery & Ascension Garden. The idea is to put the person back into the earth completely just as animals in the wild would. Rochester has four cemeteries that are certified by the Green Burial Council. Embalming can be used if green embalming fluid is available. Wearing garments made of natural fabrics and not embalming are green practices. Ranging from garments, embalming or even the casket's glue can be eco-friendly. There are different shades or levels of how green you can be after death. The practice includes biodegradable caskets, shrouds or cardboard. More: More cemeteries are going green Green burialĪfter death, a person can be prepared to go back to the earth as naturally as possible. The cemetery has 225 registered and their services are provided to all of Saguache County, a county of about 6,000. Crestone is a town of 150 people according to the town's website. Over 300 people petitioned to the county.ĬEOLP, the cemetery, a permanent site was then established. In response, the community reached out to have a permanent site. She said they were due to the deceased's faith traditions.Ī complaint was made to the Colorado State Health Department and open-air cremations were then prohibited in the county, she said. In 1998, there was a growing trend of private open-air cremations, seven were held in the area, according to Stephanie Gaines the founder of Crestone End of Life Project/Informed Final Choices. According to National Geographic , it's a practice still used in India. Open air cremation involves burning the body of the deceased on a funeral pyre outside. Early Vikings had the same practice, according to History. In Crestone Colorado, the Crestone End of Life Project operates one of the only legal open-air cremation sites in the state, according to Informed Final Choices. It uses 85 percent less energy than traditional cremation and doesn't put air pollutants or emissions out into the sky, he said.Īlkaline Hydrolysis is not legal in New York. “Families like the eco-friendly option” and families view it as a gentle practice, Baskerville said. Loved ones who have to make arrangements as needed pick this process 40 percent of the time, rather than traditional cremation. In Illinois, at Reeves and Baskerville Funeral Homes, people who are pre-planning for their final disposition opt for flameless cremation about 80 percent of the time, he said. The process essentially dissolves the body into a substance similar to ashes. Flameless Cremationįamilies are opting for flameless cremation or alkaline hydrolysis, a cremation of the body that uses water rather than flames, said Matt Baskerville a funeral director and a spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association. Here are some end-of-life options you may not know about. There are more options than traditional caskets and cremations.Īrranging death practices are part of life, while they can be upsetting and expensive, can also be cultural, personal and unique. Watch Video: Dust to dust: More opting for green burials at White Haven Memorial ParkĬremation is growing in the United States and outpacing the rate of burial according to the National Funeral Directors Association.
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