The Green Burial Guidebook

by Elizabeth Fournier

  For examples of green burials, please see chapter 9.

  Burial at Sea

  Burial at sea is a disposition method that releases a deceased body into the ocean, so that it sinks and decomposes naturally. A burial at sea can be considered a green burial if, as with any green burial, it does not involve traditional embalming or containers made of steel, concrete, or other non-biodegradable materials.

  Arranging a burial at sea is possible for anyone, no matter how far from the water you live. However, it requires a boat, and if you don’t have one, you’ll need to contract one. Also, a burial at sea (as well as spreading cremated ashes at sea) must follow a different set of rules than for burials on land.

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees US laws and regulations for burials at sea. The general permit is published in the federal regulations (available online; see endnotes), and the rules mandate that the site of the water interment be three nautical miles from land and at a depth of at least six hundred feet. Furthermore, the rule requires that “all necessary measures shall be taken to ensure that the remains sink to the bottom rapidly and permanently.”

  New England Burials at Sea is a Massachusetts company that can be hired for this service, and they also provide help and information for families interested in this option. I had a lovely email exchange with the owner, Captain Brad White, who said voyages take about forty-five minutes to reach the desired location, approximately three miles off the coast at an ocean depth of six hundred feet.

  Performing a green burial at sea is possible without the help of a contracted service. If you wish to do so, consult the EPA’s “Burial at Sea” website, and keep these two important steps in mind:

  •The EPA must be notified within thirty days of a full-body burial at sea with the following details: date, time, place, name of the deceased, and person responsible for burying the body at sea.

  •Care needs to be taken to ensure that the body sinks to the ocean floor. Either weigh down a biodegradable shroud, or drill a natural wood coffin with enough holes that it will take on water (the EPA website has instructions).

  TALES FROM THE GRAVE

  Osama bin Laden is buried at sea. His body was transported by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and let loose into the Arabian Sea. According to writer David Gilson, “You could say Osama bin Laden had received the ultimate green burial, courtesy of the United States Navy.”

  Chapter 7

  GREEN BURIAL CONTAINERS

  Handmade Caskets and Shrouds

  The best caskets are joyful epitaphs in wood.

  — Steve Maxwell

  To have a truly green burial, the body should be buried in clothing and a container made of 100-percent natural, biodegradable materials. This allows everything that is buried to decompose and return to the soil. Most people prefer to be buried in a casket or coffin, and using a natural one made of untreated wood like pine is an ideal, green choice. These can be handmade to order, or you can make your own (see page 92). However, new types of burial containers are being developed all the time, ones that use eco-friendly, organic materials like wicker, bamboo, willow, hemp, banana leaves, and sea grass.

  People can also forgo a box and be buried in a cloth shroud. With green burial, the concern isn’t only what we put into the ground, but the amount of resources we use to bury ourselves. After all, we came into this world possessing only a body. How much does our body really need when we leave it?

  Handmade Natural Coffins

  The tenets of natural burial resonate with those who want to honor and support our planet. This includes many talented woodworkers who are joining the green burial movement by building caskets in harmony with nature. These craftspeople see themselves as responsible stewards of Earth’s resources, which is another way to understand what it means to rest in peace.

  A casket doesn’t just hold and display the body and supply a receptacle for burial. It provides your loved one with an environmentally sound choice at the end of life. This can be part of their legacy for the next generation. Usually made of pine, poplar, oak, or maple, these natural caskets look similar to a traditional casket, but they are more environmentally friendly. If untreated wood isn’t appealing, biodegradable finishes can be used.

  Typically, any local woodworker should be able to make a custom wood casket. They are simple to construct. Obviously, prices vary depending on the cost of materials and the construction itself, but expect to spend at least $400.

  You might request that, if they don’t already, the woodworker use local trees that have already fallen and repurpose them into custom pieces. My casket maker, Richard, builds solidly rustic caskets out of western red cedar that falls on his property. His serene haven of a shop sits in the midst of these soaring trees overlooking the Clackamas River Basin. He started building natural caskets when he received a request from a fellow veteran. Richard spends three to four days carefully crafting each piece by hand, and he finds this adds a little peace for grieving families.

  TALES FROM THE GRAVE

  In Ghana, “fantasy coffins” are constructed to represent the deceased’s job or life passions. They are produced from wood and then shaped and painted into everything from soda bottles and rocket ships to zoo animals. I know a woman in Manhattan who has her Empire State Building casket propped up against her apartment living room wall, just waiting for the day she needs it.

  Shelves for Life

  If you like to plan ahead, consider ordering a bookcase from Shelves for Life. Invented by designer William Warren, these shelving units function like standard shelves while you are alive. When death knocks on the door, the shelves can be taken apart and reassembled as a coffin. Since this product uses a few pieces of small metal hardware, it’s not purely eco-friendly. Still, as Mother Nature Network observed, “Producing a new coffin is extremely energy- and resource-intensive and by being buried in a piece of repurposed furniture you completely avoid the unsustainable getting-buried-in-a-new-coffin thing.”

  How to Make a Natural Wood Casket

  Handmade natural cedar casket made by Oregon artisan Richard Clarke (Photo credit: Richard Clarke)

  I asked my casket maker, Richard, for advice on how to make a casket, and here is his quick-and-easy method.

  1.Use a shoebox as your scaled-down model for your finished casket. Mark it with measurements for all necessary cuts.

  2.Carefully measure the person who will be in the casket. A standard casket is eighty inches long, twenty-eight inches wide, and twenty-three inches high (these are all external measurements), but you may need more or less wood to complete the job. Also find out what specific objects will be placed inside the casket so you can allow for extra room.

  3.Use the wood you have on hand or have experience working with, but reclaimed wood is always a great choice. Avoid plywood, which is usually too thin for this project.

  4.If you are making a rectangular casket, you can cut the base and lid at the same time, the sides at the same time, and the top and bottom at the same time. If you create a tapered design, cut the base and lid at the same time, and the top and bottom at the same time. For the sides, cut four separate pieces: two shorter pieces for the upper (tapered) side of the casket, and two longer pieces for the lower. Using screws, attach the walls to the base. Hinges can be used to attach the lid to the bottom half of the container. Then, one by one, remove the screws and add a wood dowel and seal the seams and screw holes with nontoxic wood glue.

  5.To create handles, use about 24 feet of strong rope or nylon cord, and drill holes along the sides of the casket, through which you will weave the rope. Drill three holes on the lower portion of each long side, and two holes on each end, top and bottom. Weave the rope or cord through these openings, which creates a secured grouping of six handles for attendants to carry the casket. Make sure to tie off the ends of the rope firmly (on the inside), and use nontoxic wood glue to secure the knots, if needed.

  6.If you want a soft casket liner, sew thi
s out of biodegradable silk or cotton (or hire an experienced seamstress to do this), and attach. You can also have your loved one lie on a soft comforter, sheet, non-synthetic pillows, or nothing at all.

  Green Burial Shrouds

  A burial shroud is simply any piece of fabric used to wrap a body. The Green Burial Council declares that a “shroud is suitable for a green burial if it’s made from materials/substances that are nontoxic and readily biodegradable.” A shroud-wrapped body can be placed inside a casket or directly into a grave.

  Families often tell me their loved one wants to be wrapped in a basic sheet, comforter, or blanket. Great! As long as it is made out of something 100-percent biodegradable (such as cotton, wool, silk, and so on), that makes for an ideal green burial. Previously used fabrics, like wall tapestries and linen tablecloths, also can work well.

  If you plan to bury someone in only a shroud, do heed my warning above: Place some sort of board under the body for lowering into the grave. A few ropes make an awkward support for a floppy human bundle.

  If you would like to design your own burial shroud, follow the simple instructions below.

  How to Make a Green Burial Shroud

  A shroud can be simple or elaborate, a single piece of material or a hand-sewn masterpiece. Most families need some sort of shroud fairly quickly after a death has occurred. Therefore, hiring a last-minute shroud maker or seamstress isn’t always feasible. These basic instructions will give you an idea of how easy and satisfying making your own shroud can be. (Images were designed by Pashta MaryMoon and adapted for this book.)

  1.Find a piece of 100 percent biodegradable fabric, such as natural or organic cotton, wool, linen, silk, bamboo fleece, muslin, cheesecloth, hemp, cashmere, or jute. Cut the material into a square large enough that the body can be placed on it with the head at one corner and the feet at the opposite corner, with twelve to twenty-four inches of extra fabric above the head and below the feet. Work on a clean, flat surface large enough to hold the body and with enough space around it that you and any helpers will be able to move around it as necessary. A table, a bed, or the floor can work well, although the floor can be problematic if the body is heavier. Preferably, the body will be naked, or it may be dressed in natural-fiber (biodegradable) clothing or already wrapped in a sheet. Spread out the fabric on the work surface, and position the body on top of it. (See figure 1.)

  2.Fold the extra material below the feet up onto the legs. Next, fold the extra material above the head down toward the chest. Make sure there is a little slack. (See figure 2.)

  3.Wrap the extra fabric from one side across the body, and tuck it underneath. Do the same with the extra fabric from the other side, and tuck that piece completely under the shroud. The body should appear cocoon-like and cozy. (See figure 3.)

  4.If you have extra material left over, cut it into strips long enough to tie around the shroud. If not, use rope, cotton ties, or any other natural textile that can be used as straps. Start with the feet: securely tie a strap around the lower calves/ankles, making sure all the material is still tucked in and smooth. Move up to the waist area and slide a strap under the body and tie it firmly in the front. The tie should go over the hands/wrists to secure the arms into place. Finally, when you feel ready, tightly tuck the flap over the face and tie the strap firmly around the neck. (See figure 4.)

  Figure 1.

  Figure 2.

  Figure 3.

  Figure 4.

  Other Green Burial Containers

  Cardboard and Fiberboard Containers

  A very modest, low-priced option for a green burial container is fiberboard or cardboard. Both materials are strong enough to hold a body and are rather eco-friendly. These are used mainly for cremations, but they will work for a burial as long as there is a board underneath to keep the container rigid while lowering into the grave.

  Since these can look utilitarian, family and friends could be encouraged to decorate them using toxic-free colored markers, nonplastic stickers, family photos, and pictures of their loved one’s favorite things and places. I have often seen them covered in wildflowers and boughs from the woods. Families will also line the casket with a soft down comforter or blanket and maybe a pure cotton pillow. If the deceased isn’t a fan of flowers, instead of sprinkling the cardboard box with petals, have everyone write farewell messages on sticky notes and place them on the box. I have seen this done, and it was quite lovely!

  If you want to construct your own cardboard coffin, see the endnotes for resources.

  TIP: If your green burial isn’t on private property, be sure to check with your chosen cemetery about the type of container you’re planning to use. Cemeteries have the right to decide what they will allow to be buried on their property.

  Infinity Burial Suits and Shrouds

  The company Coeio produces green burial items that are unlike anything else on the market. For instance, the Infinity Burial Suit and the Infinity Burial Shroud are special clothing infused full of mushroom spores and fungi. The spores speed decomposition, remediate toxins, spur plant growth, and improve soil quality, thus returning your body to the earth and the ongoing cycle of life without harming the ecosystem. Of course, this organic technology must be used on its own, without any sort of casket, vault, or traditional burial container. According to the product’s website, the Infinity Burial Suit “cleanses the body and the soil of toxins that would otherwise seep into the environment.” However, I’m not sure our bodies contain so much toxic gunk that we leave poisonous carcasses.

  Ecopods

  Ecopods are a natural burial chest that was designed by English midwife Hazel Selina. The “eco” part of the name refers to its composition — it’s made from both recycled newspapers and handmade mulberry paper, and is thus biodegradable. And the “pod” part...well, it looks like a giant seed pod. Ecopods are offered in a range of colors, including red with an Aztec sun design, but as of publication, they were temporarily out of production. The company is currently exploring different production options and hoping to partner with the Natural Burial Company in Eugene, Oregon.

  Chapter 8

  GREEN EMBALMING AND HANDLING THE BODY

  In addition to discussing green embalming, this chapter provides you with the guidance, tools, and loving support for successfully preparing a body for burial.

  Of course, lovingly taking care of our deceased loved one is a central goal of green burials and home funerals. But we cannot forget to take care of ourselves as well. When a person dies, someone needs to be in charge of handling the body and, if necessary, preserving it until burial. Ask yourself: Do you have the stamina and emotional capacity to handle the body without the assistance of a funeral home, or would you prefer hiring someone else? Check in with yourself honestly about this decision.

  Green Embalming

  First, embalming is never required by any state or federal law. Second, embalming is usually only necessary when a body is kept out of refrigeration for a certain length of time, if the body will be shipped on a common carrier airline, and for public visitations and mausoleum entombment. Embalming is a process of substituting bodily fluids with chemicals to slow decay and preserve the body. This procedure is always handled by a licensed embalmer at a funeral facility.

  For a few days, refrigeration works just fine to stave off rapid decomposition (see more below), and a body can be viewed that hasn’t been embalmed. But some families choose embalming, not only to preserve a body until burial, but because this technique allows color to return to the very pale complexion of a lifeless body. In our American culture, we often feel the need to preserve the body and, as much as possible, to restore a lifelike presence. This can also be done with organic embalming fluid.

  Green embalming fluids are made of a variety of nontoxic, all-natural, biodegradable, plant-based extracts. While formulations differ, green embalming is always formaldehyde-free, which protects the embalmer and nature from this toxin. Green embalming extends the time available for t
ransportation and viewing of a body; it lasts longer than refrigeration, but not always as long as traditional embalming. Exactly how long depends on each particular circumstance, so consult a funeral director to discuss green embalming and your situation.

  Be aware that not every funeral home believes in this new way of embalming, and not every funeral home carries these natural products. Some funeral providers believe wholeheartedly in traditional embalming and will try to push that service on indecisive family members. Be firm and ask for what you want, but do remember that no method of embalming allows a body to last forever. Use your own best judgment.

  Handling the Body after Death

  Washing and dressing the body yourself is a lovely tribute, an act of tenderness, and a sign of respect. Usually, those who were most involved in the person’s physical care while they were alive may feel the most at ease contributing in this way.

  If you plan to handle the body yourself at home, there are several considerations. The first is time. If burial will not occur within the first twenty-four hours after death, then the body will need some type of preservation, whether embalming or refrigeration (see page 109). Keep in mind that nursing homes and hospitals often want a body removed pronto, at any hour of the day or night, so you need to have your plan of preparation in place prior to death. If you have had a family death and are just reading this section now, go easy on yourself. Take a deep breath, and make the correct decision without feeling pressure.

  A Word of Caution: Maintain a Sanitary Environment

  If the loved one died at home, there will always be soiled items, such as sheets, clothes, and towels. If you prefer, you can choose to wear universal precautions — such as disposable latex gloves, protective clothing, and eye protection — when handling these items or the deceased body. Most of the time this is unnecessary, unless you know the deceased had a blood-borne infection. Do try to avoid direct contact with blood or open sores, and practice thorough handwashing, both during and afterward, to minimize the risk of spreading infections or illness.