Conventional burials held in the United States leave a significant carbon footprint, with every burial needing a concrete burial vault, backhoe machinery for the opening and closing of the grave, lawnmowers and fertilizers for the maintenance of the grounds, concrete or metal grave markers and a hardwood casket that in itself tends to also include metal and plastic hardware and a synthetic interior. An alternative option is to have a green burial in Asheville NC.
What is a green burial in Asheville NC?
A green burial in Asheville NC is a method of caring for the deceased in a manner that causes minimal impact to the environment and helps to conserve natural resources, reduce carbon emissions, protect the health of workers, and restore and/or preserve the natural habitat.
In a green burial, there is no embalming of the body, the burial container must be made from completely biodegradable materials, graves become part of the natural surroundings rather than being maintained, there is no concrete vault or headstone, just plants, natural rocks, or plants to mark the gravesite.
In some areas, there is also the option of a full-body burial at sea. This complies with green burial standards but also has the benefit of not requiring the purchase of any burial plot. The body is still not embalmed but is wrapped in a completely natural sailcloth shroud weighed down with river rocks and then buried six miles from shore at the minimum depth of 600 feet.
