As we become aware of how our actions can impact the environment, more and more people are looking for ways to be more eco-friendly. There are many ways that individual people can change their footprint, even reaching as far as their final arrangements. If you or your loved one prefer to be buried after you pass away, but you don’t enjoy the idea of the harsh chemicals that can enter the soil, you may want to think about green burial. Your funeral home near Marietta, GA, can help connect you with some resources that will allow for a “greener” burial.

Traditional burial is not the most eco-friendly option for disposition out there today. Most cemeteries place a concrete encasement in the ground, which the casket is lowered into. This impedes the natural degradation process, meaning that it takes much longer for the bodily remains to break back down into the earth. In addition, many caskets are made from materials that will break down extremely slowly, or not at all. Oftentimes, the wood used to make caskets is treated with certain chemicals that slow the degradation process, and these chemicals are typically toxic to the environment. Many people undergo the embalming process prior to burial, which can introduce harmful substances into the earth as well.

When you’re considering how to achieve a green burial, these are the issues that you will likely want to address. When it comes to the casket, you can find untreated wood caskets that will be able to naturally break down, without releasing any harmful toxins. You can also look into burial shrouds made from natural fibers like cotton, silk, or linen. These are excellent alternatives to the traditional caskets that we are used to, and they are much less detrimental to the earth.

In addition to more eco-friendly burial vessels, you can opt for a nontoxic alternative to embalming. Typically, these methods may not be as effective for as long as traditional embalming, but they are much less harmful to the soil and ecosystem. Another thing to look into is the possibility of not using a concrete encasement for burial. Not every cemetery will allow this, because the primary purpose of these boxes is to keep the ground at an even level. Without them, there is a chance for the soil to sink in certain areas over time. However, it’s certainly worth asking about and researching further.

These are just a few of the ways that you can have a greener burial, and whether you choose to do one or all of them, you can be sure that you’re lowering your negative impact on the environment by doing so. Your funeral home near Marietta, GA, can be of assistance to you in suggesting more eco-friendly alternatives to traditional burial, as well as connecting you with merchandise and resources to help you achieve this goal. If your loved one had a passion for protecting the planet, you’ll be glad that you made the effort to make their burial more eco-friendly. You can find peace in knowing that their final impact on the earth was a positive one.