It’s always seemed like a shame to you that burials were so expensive. As of 2021, the median cost of a funeral with burial was nearly $8,000 – and you hate the whole idea. After all, that money could make a big difference to your loved ones.
Besides, you also dislike the whole idea of a burial. It seems like a huge ecological waste. Cremation would be less expensive, but it’s not exactly eco-friendly, either, and you’d like to minimize the carbon footprint you leave behind for the next generation.
Fortunately, you have plenty of options. Ecologically friendly, or “green,” alternatives to a traditional burial have moved mainstream.
Eco-friendly burials have expanded in recent years
Cremation was once touted as a less wasteful alternative to burial, since it doesn’t require an expensive casket or a plot of land for burial – but cremation still requires the use of a lot of fuel and puts toxins into the air.
That’s why many people are now seeking out even better alternatives, but the movement toward some of these methods really took after Hollywood icon Luke Perry died and was buried in a mushroom suit. The suit is designed to speed up natural decomposition of the body, neutralize any toxins and create new plant life – which many see as a beautiful way of honoring a loved one.
Aside from mushroom suits, people are also turning toward other alternative burial methods, which include:
- Burial pods: These are small pods that are designed to allow your remains to nurture new life in the form of a tree. Many people find the symbolism wonderful.
- Woodland burials: These basically involve leaving your body in a shroud and burying it in a preserve where nature can take its course, without any headstone or marker – which also appeals to many people.
- Modified green burials: These are similar to regular burials except they use coffins made of biodegradable materials and no vaults, chemical embalming is not used and grave markers are minimal or also designed to biodegrade.
These aren’t your only options. However, whatever you choose, you may want to put your wishes in writing and make them a part of your estate plans. That can circumvent a lot of quarreling amongst your relatives when the time comes.