Green burial provides option for families

A home funeral is an environmentally friendly way to celebrate the life of a loved one.
Photo via Beth Barbeau

You drive a hybrid car, eat organic and even skip buying bottled water in an effort to live “green” and reduce your impact on the earth. But there could be more.

“Green burial means to go back to the earth with as little interference as possible,” said Merilynne Rush of the Ann Arbor Green Burial Network. “So no embalming and no cement vault. You return to the elements. It’s the old concept of ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

Little to no harm to the earth comes with a green burial. Instead of using embalming chemicals, the deceased is kept preserved using dry ice or non-toxic fluids. Furthermore, natural fiber shrouds and caskets made of pine, wicker, bamboo or paper are used instead of conventional containers.

In a green burial, there is no cement vault or outer burial container. The body is in direct contact with the earth.

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“People are feeling like filling the earth with concrete is not in line with the way they are living their lives, trying to be environmentally friendly,” Rush said.

There are around 10 cemeteries in Michigan that devote a section of their land to green burials, Rush said, including one in Waterford. A green cemetery looks a little different on the outside as well. It might look like a prairie, with a few natural markers made of wood or stone.

“In addition to the way we bury people, we’re also changing the way we take care of the land. We’re not using as much gasoline and chemicals in the maintenance,” Rush said.

Along with a green burial, some families are opting for a home funeral. This can be the greenest way to celebrate the life of a loved one, Rush said. Over the past decade, she has assisted about 30 families in care for their dead at home.

“It’s perfectly legal in all 50 states for families to care for their own dead at home. They just need preparation, and they need to educate themselves about how to do it,” Rush said.

Those who want to utilize a funeral home and still be green may ask the funeral director to avoid using embalming fluid. However in this instance, the facility may limit the number of visitors, allowing only family members.

Cremation is considered a green option by some; however, others have argued that this process is not green because fossil fuels are used in the process.

Rush urged anyone considering a green burial or home funeral for themselves or a family member to research and plan in advance. Waiting until after the person has died limits the options.

“This is really changing the concept of how we think about using the land and what we think is beautiful. This is going to take a few generations to catch on,” Rush said. “But if you plan ahead and ask for what you want, that’s what’s going to change things.”

For more information, visit Rush’s website at afterdeathhomecare.com or visit her at the Ann Arbor Green Burial Network booth at the Ann Arbor Green Fair on June 9.