What is a natural, or green, burial?

A natural burial is a modern funerary choice that allows a our bodies to be recycled directly into the earth, to become part of the continuous cycle of nature, and create life from death. It provides us with a chance to participate in the ecological restoration of the Earth. In this way our bodies are bequeathed to the Earth and become a living memorial of tranquil forests, beautiful parklands or bushlands bursting with wildlife.

No chemicals or preservatives are used to prepare the body, which is usually enclosed in a biodegradable coffin or casket, or wrapped in a shroud made from a natural fibre, allowing the body to naturally decompose in a simple soil grave. The burial site can be marked with a native sapling or local rock, or left unmarked with geographic coordinates given to the deceased’s nearest and dearest.

It is a truly beautiful way to celebrate life in death.

What is the history of natural burials?

Natural burial was the norm for thousands of years before the wide-spread use of crematoria and recent technological advances to slow down decomposition, such as chemical embalming, caskets and vaults. A return to natural burials started in the late nineteenth century when Sir Francis Seymour Hayden wrote a pamphlet called Earth to Earth Burial.

In the last 20 years or so, natural burials have gained in popularity as people have become more environmentally aware and understood the impact traditional burials have on the environment. The first British natural burial site opened in 1993 in Carlisle Cemetery which involved stopping mowing, creating a woodland, and reintroducing wild plants and animals indigenous to the area. A year later, a private woodland burial ground opened near Rugby and, to date, over 200 natural burial grounds exist in the UK.

In the US, Billy and Kimberley Campbell opened the first ‘green cemetery’ in 1998 in South Carolina. Canada, Australia and New Zealand also have strong natural burial movements and the concept is taking off in many other countries, including in Africa and Asia.

What is the problem with ‘traditional’ funerals?

The traditional burial process starts with the deceased’s body being taken to a funeral home, laid on an embalmer’s table and having the bodily fluids pumped out and replaced with a chemical embalming fluid to preserve the body. In many countries, the body is then dressed in favourite clothes, jewellery and make-up and placed in an open casket for viewing. It is often a labour intestive process to make a person look more ‘life-like’ and can involve breaking bones, sewing or gluing the mouth and eyes shut and using specially designed putty to fill out facial features.

After the viewing, the body is sealed inside the composite manufactured casket with metal or plastic accessories and artificial lining. It is finally placed inside a reinforced concrete vault in a deep grave. In this environment the body putrefies through anaerobic breakdown, turning into a toxic sludge, rather than decomposing naturally into the soil. The grave site and cemetery are then mowed and sprayed with fertilisers and weedkillers to keep them looking tidy. This usually creates an artificial environment of grass and non-native flowering plants laced with toxins that supports very little biodiversity.

This is process in resource-intensive and environmentally damaging, not to mention expensive for the deceased’s family.

What is so bad about embalming?

Chemical embalming fluids contain substances, such as formaldehyde and disinfectants, that destroy the microbes in soil that cause decomposition and nourish the soil. In fact, the soil is stripped of nourishment and toxic fluid can leech into surrounding soil and water systems. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen which has been linked to nasal and lung cancers. It has also been associated with asthma, nausea, and irritations of the eyes and throat. This creates modern cemeteries that are toxic waste dumps.

Embalming fluids can sometimes be used in natural burials, but they must contain non-toxic, naturally derived and organic ingredients which will not contaminate soil and groundwater. Natural embalming fluids still kill bacteria and viruses and preserve the body during the period between death and burial. Preferably, bodies should remain unembalmed and may be preserved using refrigeration and/or dry ice until they are ready to be buried.

What is wrong with traditional caskets?

Traditional caskets are full of petrochemicals, such as varnish, polyurethane and lacquer, that give off toxic fumes and can poison soil. In Australia and New Zealand, most caskets are made from medium-density fibreboard (MDF), which is made using a lot of chemicals and glue, with an artificial veneer on top. Traditional caskets are also very resource-intensive. In the United States, for example, caskets consume over 80,000 kilograms of steel, over  two million kilograms of copper and bronze, and about 10 million metres of hardwood board each year. Natural caskets are often made of wood from sustainable forests and are finished with natural oils and pigments. Caskets can also be made of other natural materials, such as wicker, paper or cardboard.

The liners of conventional caskets are usually made from synthetic materials, such as rayon, nylon and other chemical polymers. Natural caskets are lined with cotton and other plant-based materials. They also do not employ non-natural accessories, such as plastic handles, which use non-renewable resources and cause pollution.

What about shrouds?

A simple shroud made from organic cotton, linen, wool or any natural material is another alternative to a traditional casket. Shrouds are usually white and are also called winding cloths or winding sheets. Jews and Muslims traditionally use shrouds for burials and sometimes Orthodox Christians choose them and decorate them with a cross.

How are natural graves different from traditional graves?

Natural graves are usually hand-dug rather than dug with machinery. They are also shallower than traditional graves. A typical grave size would be 2.5.m x 2.5 m x 1 m deep. This is so that the body is placed in the upper layer of soil with the most aerobic activity to aid natural decomposition. A mix of soil and compost is sometimes added. Letting bodies decompose naturally in the soil is better than allowing them to putrefy in a concrete vault deep in the ground. Putrefaction releases substances, such as cadaverine and putrescine, that can be toxic as well as smelling bad.

Why is cremation a problem?

The main problem with cremation is that it produces 46 pollutants that international studies have shown to cause reduced air quality and contribute to climate change. Cremations are significant producers of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, potent greenhouse gases, and other harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide. They also release heavy metals, such as mercury and cadmium, from the likes of amalgam tooth fillings, which contribute to acid rain among other things.

How are natural graves marked?

Natural grave sites can be marked in various ways that are in harmony with their surroundings. Some natural cemeteries still use headstones or other traditional grave markers. Often, trees, shrubs or other plants are placed above the grave to mark the site and help the body decompose and return its nutrients safely to the soil. Rocks or stones can also be used and some graves have decorative marker posts. Some are simply recorded on a map using global positioning satellite (GPS) technology and have no visible marker.

Why are natural burials becoming more popular?

People are attracted to natural burials for many reasons. Often they are aware of the environmental damage that can be caused by traditional burials and want a more environmentally friendly alternative. Some people have religious or spiritual reasons for wanting a natural burial, or feel that their family and friends will take greater consolation from it. Others may simply prefer the ‘earth to earth’ concept of being buried naturally and having their bodies decompose into the soil.

However, despite up to 40 per cent of  New Zealanders surveyed saying they would be interested in natural burial, around 95 per cent who died in 2007 had traditional funerals. This is generally linked to a lack of viable natural burial alternatives and a reluctance from funeral directors to provide adequate and unbiased information about natural burials.

Why are natural burials less expensive than traditional ones?

The costs of a natural burial tend to be better allocated to natural products that require less processing, and the money spent has greater long-term value because it contributes to environmental restoration and conservation goals. Natural burials also tend to be more ‘hands on’ for the family and friends of the deceased who can become directly involved in burying their loved one.

In the worst case, traditional funerals can be conducted by funeral homes owned by large corporations that place a huge mark-up on their products. Particularly unethical suppliers take advantage of people in their time of grief by charging more than they should for caskets and accessories, and pressuring people whose decision-making may be impaired into buying unnecessary extras.

What is special about a natural cemetery?

Natural cemeteries are often on private land, farms and other areas that may have become degraded by human impact and land use. Establishing a natural cemetery on such land can contribute to the wider reestablishment of native ecosystems by encouraging planting of native trees and other plant species. These in turn encourage insects, birds and animals back onto the land, so improving its biodiversity.

Natural burial sites are often places of great peace and beauty. They are sometimes enhanced with interpretive displays and facilities to commemorate those buried there, with pathways and places for gatherings or private contemplation. In some places, people can also choose to be buried on their own property, offering a long-lasting and personal family memorial.

Why should hybrid cemeteries by avoided?

In some places, locals authorities have been pressured into providing natural burial grounds and have set aside areas within traditional cemeteries for natural burials. However, these often represent little more than a different sort of landscaping and does not avoid many of the pitfalls of traditional cemeteries mentioned above. They are likely to be of limited environmental value as they are subject to the same regulations as  traditional cemeteries alongside, and will not be true regeneration or conservation sites.

Properly designated and maintained natural burial grounds are needed to avoid the problems early adopters faced in the UK. Many of the early natural burial sites in the UK were incorporated in traditional cemeteries and had little appeal to those who wanted a genuinely natural burial experience. This lead to a number of ‘home-made’ natural burials which garnered negative media coverage of people struggling across boggy paddocks with a heavy body in a shroud or a badly homemade coffin. Incidents such as this gave the mainstream community a poor picture of a natural burial and scared off many who may have chosen one. The natural burial movement in the UK now has an uphill battle to get the practice widely accepted and funeral directors offering the option to grieving families.

How are natural burials regulated?

Most countries that allow natural burials have robust codes or standards of practice that ensure natural burials are conducted using strong ethical, environmental, legal and operational parameters. Funeral directors who deal with natural burials must be familiar with these regulations and use qualifies and experienced staff. Many counties also have a regulatory body that monitors compliance with the rules.

What other alternatives are there to traditional burial?

Apart from natural earth burials, various other options exist. Sea burial is a popular alternative and not just for those who die at sea. A body can be cremated and the ashes scattered at sea, or the body shrouded and placed directly in the ocean from a boat or plane to decompose naturally. Another alternative is to have the deceased’s body combined with cement and dropped onto the sea floor to form an artificial home for coral and other sea-life in an ‘eternal reef’. Other options for a more valuable after-life include donating a body for scientific research or for medical teaching. And more out-there options exist such as having a small amount of the deceased’s ashes sealed in a capsule and blasted into space or turned into a synthetic diamond.

What other advantages are there in having a natural burial?

In general, the wishes of the deceased and their family are more likely to be honoured in a natural burial than a traditional one. Also, a natural burial has far less ‘rules’ for how it should be conducted than a traditional funeral. This offers more flexibility to the deceased and their friends and family in making choices for marking the deceased person’s passing.

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