Environmental Impact from traditional burials and cremation

1. GREEN FUNERALS OF COLORADO Environmental Impact from traditional burials and cremation • About 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde-based embalming fluid are buried in U.S. cemeteries every year. • Ten acres of a typical cemetery contain nearly 1,000 tons of casket steel, 20,000 tons of concrete in burial vaults, and enough wood used in coffins to build 40 homes. • The danger of mercury and particulate emissions from crematoriums is a concern, yet also a subject of controversy. The Alternative – Natural Burial • A modern natural burial is an environmentally sustainable alternative to existing funeral practices where the body is returned to the earth to decompose naturally and be recycled into new life. • The body is prepared for burial without chemical preservatives and is buried in a simple shroud or biodegradable casket that might be made from locally harvested wood, wicker, hemp or even recycled paper, perhaps even decorated with good-bye messages from friends. • A natural burial ground often uses grave markers that don’t intrude on the landscape. These natural markers can include shrubs and trees, an engraved flat stone native to the area. • Planting native trees, shrubs and flowers on or near the grave establishes a living memorial and helps form a protected wildlife preserve. A completed natural burial preserve is a green place with trees, grasses, and wildflowers, which in turn bring birds and other wildlife to the area. • These sacred and natural places leave a legacy of care and respect for our planet. Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Victor Forsythe ~ www.greenfuneralscolorado.com ~ 303.885.7311