We appreciate that you are seeking green burial options in Alabama. We must all do what we can to preserve the natural beauty of our fine state, and our industry is always searching for the best way to honor the bodies of our loved ones while doing what is best for our environment.
Let’s explore some green burial options from across the country and then focus on environmentally friendly options available in Alabama.
What You Need to Know about Green or Natural Burial in Alabama
- Green burial options include natural burials with biodegradable caskets, cremation, and alternatives like natural organic reduction and biocremation. However, the availability of these methods varies by state.
- In Alabama, traditional cremation and green burials in natural cemeteries or private property are the primary eco-friendly options available. Human composting, biocremation, and promession are not yet legal in the state.
- To plan an eco-friendly funeral in Alabama, consider direct cremation or green burials in a natural cemetery. Opting for solid wood caskets and avoiding embalming are also environmentally conscious choices.
What Is Green Burial?
The term “green burial” can refer to allowing the body to undergo the natural decomposition process. However, it can also refer to cremation and alternatives to cremation.
- Green burial: Also known as natural burial, green burial involves burying the body in a biodegradable casket or shroud. Green burials often avoid embalming, which involves embalming fluid that can be harmful to the environment. Instead, refrigeration or dry ice may be used to preserve the body for the funeral. The graves for green burials are often dug by hand – sometimes with the family members participating in the digging process. Finally, natural cemeteries frequently only allow natural markers to mark a person’s grave. It’s worth noting that some natural cemeteries allow the burial or scattering of cremated remains.
- Cremation: Cremation involves the application of high heat to reduce the body to bone fragments and ash. The process typically takes a few hours and results in ashes that can be stored, scattered, or buried according to the wishes of the deceased or their family.
- Natural organic reduction: Natural organic reduction, also known as human composting, gently transforms human remains into nutrient-rich soil over several weeks using natural decomposition methods.
- Biocremation: Biocremation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation, uses water, heat, and alkaline chemicals to break down the body into a liquid state, leaving only bone fragments that can be processed into ashes.
- Promession: Promession is an eco-friendly burial method that involves freeze-drying the body to break it down into biodegradable particles. The process begins by freezing the body with liquid nitrogen, followed by vibration to shatter it into a fine, organic powder.
While some of these options may be intriguing to you, they are only available in some states. Families who consider transporting the body after death to utilize one of these green burial options should consider the impact of additional transportation needs.
Green Burial Options in Alabama
Which green burial options are available in Alabama? Here’s a current breakdown of options:
- Cremation: Cremation is the most common method of disposition in the U.S. Every funeral home offers cremation, although not every one may have a crematorium on-site.
- Green burial: Are you looking for a green burial ground in Alabama? They are available. Using a burial site on private property may also be an option. Ask local officials about home burial near you.
Currently, human composting, water cremation, or promession are not legal or readily available in Alabama.
How to Plan a Green Funeral in Alabama
Talk with your funeral director about the most environmentally friendly burial options available in Alabama. Here are some thoughts to consider.
Although not environmentally perfect, direct cremation is a solid option. In direct cremation, the family says goodbye to the body at the place of death, and then the body is transported to the crematorium. The cremated remains are later returned to the family, who can scatter or bury them. Direct cremation reduces transportation needs and land used for burial.
If there’s no natural cemetery near you, consider purchasing a solid wood casket and opting out of embalming. You must realize, though, that most traditional cemeteries require vaults.
Do you want to learn more about green burial services in Alabama? Contact Alabama Funeral Homes & Cremation Centers. We have been in operation since 1967 and can answer any questions you have about green burial in Alabama.
