How to "Green Up" Cremation

6/8/2016

“Isn’t cremation green?” I hear this all the time. Cremation is not green, or not as green as a natural burial. Almost always doing something to the body after death is going to make a negative impact on the earth. Cremation is no different. Cremation might be better for the environment than having a funeral consisting of embalming, metal coffin, polyester lining, cement or metal lined vault and a large marker stone imported from China. On the other hand, cremations in North America use as much fuel as it takes to make 84 trips to the moon and back. That is a considerable amount. If you are planning cremation and you want to make sure that you are not impacting the environment too much, you need to keep in mind a few things.

Ask if the crematorium has scrubbers on their stacks. Federal environmental laws do not regulate crematoriums. The death care industry made a fuss saying that human cremains should not be labeled as waste and therefore could not be held under the laws that regulated incineration. I can see why someone would not want to label humans as waste, but surely they could have created a term so that cremation could be more environmentally friendly. Locally, crematoriums might have scrubbers on their stacks, so ask the question. Always ask any question you need to make you feel secure in your decisions about end of life care.
Mind what you wear to the crematorium. Make sure the body is in biodegradable clothing or shroud. Make sure all medical devices are removed. Make sure the body is not wrapped in plastic. Whatever the body has on when it comes to the crematorium goes up in the flames along with the body and into the atmosphere.
Don’t keep the cremains in an urn produced by non-environmental means. This means not granite from china or elaborately manufactured urns. There are plenty of beautiful urns created locally and using sustainable means. It would be great if someone you know could make the urn. I know of some people who have done just that.
Scatter the cremains. Don’t use an urn at all and return the cremains to the earth through scattering. Scattering could be just pouring the cremains into the ground. Some cemeteries allow this or you could do so on your own property. You could also mix the cremains with mulch and other organic material and plant a tree or make a garden. Cremains are inert and cannot nourish plants. All the organic material in our bodies that can nourish the earth is destroyed in the process of cremation.

Cremation does provide for less negative impact on the earth than does a full conventional burial. If you are concerned about the earth and the impact our living and dying has on the earth, please consider these things when choosing cremation.

10 Comments

Mary Woodsen

6/15/2016 05:44:03 pm

So a couple of years ago I had a friend, much better at math than I am, check and recheck and recheck the math again on the trips to the moon imagery — and to my complete astonishment, instead of 84 round trips it's a lot more like 2,500 trips to the moon (or divide by two if you want the there-and-back image). I'll email you the details soon, but if it seems I've forgotten, just give me a nudge.

Daphne Gilpin link

5/29/2019 08:01:53 am

Thanks for explaining that the body should be in biodegradable clothing. My aunt recently passed away, and she was very environmentally friendly. Your tips will help us cremate her in an environmentally friendly way.

Tara Forrest link

12/14/2020 12:59:16 am

Great readiing your blog

Tez link

8/30/2021 02:09:51 pm

I like your cremation tips. My cousin just died. He needs to be cremated.

Mia Evans link

8/12/2022 12:20:37 am

I totally agree when you said that we need to ask questions to help us feel secure when choosing a facility. For me, I would ask if they have spare crematory replacement parts ready, so the process will not be delayed if anything happens to the equipment. It will make me feel at ease regarding the remains of any loved one who might pass away in the future when I can entrust them to a reputable funeral home that is prepared.

Afton Jackson link

8/15/2022 12:18:09 am

Reading your suggestions of what to do with the cremation remains was really helpful. We've since found funerals quite stressful to constantly attend whenever we have a passing relative, and we wanted to try and find a quicker and more earth-friendly way to undergo memorials. This definitely feels like the best way to do it, so I'll ask a nearby cremation service for a process like this and think of a good place to scatter the remains of any loved one we send off.

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12/28/2023 07:48:34 pm

I appreciate the honesty in this post. It's true that many people assume cremation is a green choice without considering the energy and resources it consumes. To minimize the environmental impact, individuals can also explore the option of donating their body to science or organ donation, which can have a positive impact on others' lives while avoiding some of the resource-intensive processes associated with traditional cremation.

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1/1/2024 07:57:08 pm

I completely agree that cremation is not as green as many people think. While it might be a better option compared to traditional funerals with embalming and metal coffins, it still has a significant environmental impact. The fact that it requires as much fuel as 84 trips to the moon and back is quite eye-opening.

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1/5/2024 10:37:05 am

I'm thrilled to see a discussion on making cremation more eco-friendly. It's crucial that we explore sustainable options in every aspect of our lives, including the end-of-life choices we make. Cremation has been a common choice for many, but it often comes with environmental concerns.

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Caroline Vuyadinov

I graduated from St. Vladamir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York with a Master of Divinity. I trained as a chaplain following graduation and worked with a wide variety of people.

When I moved to Canada, I began work in a women's halfway house in Hamilton, Ontario which worked with women in conflict with the law on a federal level. I became the program manager and loved working alongside the women, creating their plans for their reintegration back to the community. I also worked as a liaison with the parole board, parole officers and other community service providers.

Upon my return to the United States, I worked in the Death Care Industry as a Family Service Counselor, which lead me to become a green burial advocate. I co-founded Midwest Green Burial Society with Juliann Salinas. I speak to community groups and have developed practical seminars for a variety of audiences. I have been interviewed on a national podcast and was featured on a WGN spot dealing with green burial.

How to "Green Up" Cremation

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