The Role Of Cremation In Eco-Friendly Funeral Planning

Many people prize the opportunity to be as eco-friendly as possible. Beyond just shopping at a local farmer's market, you might also want to look toward having a green funeral. An eco-friendly funeral is a great way to minimize your impact on the earth in your final moments, but how does cremation play into this? 

If you’re thinking about having a green burial or eco-friendly funerals, here’s what you should know about cremation: 

Minimizing Space in Natural Burial Sites

When it comes to a traditional funeral service, many people opt to be buried inside a casket. As you know, this takes up precious space in the ground and causes cemeteries to fill up quickly. There are a couple of different ways that cremation can save space. 

First, some people may opt to be buried inside of an urn or small container. This doesn't necessarily have to be done in natural burial grounds and takes up significantly less room than a traditional burial site. You can even find urns made of biodegradable materials that break down over time. 

Second, you might opt to have your ashes scattered in a place that means something to you or your family. Scattered ashes take up no space in the ground and are a great option for an eco-friendly "burial." 

Minimizing Chemical Embalming

Many chemicals can be involved after the passing of their body. If you plan to have a viewing or a more traditional funeral, embalming is often a necessity. However, this uses a lot of chemicals that are bad for the environment, in addition to the drawbacks of being buried in a traditional casket.

Green burials eliminate the need for harsh chemical embalming. The body can be cremated prior to needing to be embalmed, skipping this step altogether. 

Limit Your Carbon Footprint

Green funeral options aren't necessarily limited to cremation, but cremation plays a great role. What makes cremation eco-friendly? In part, it’s the decreased carbon footprint that makes these more natural burials a better option. Green funerals keep chemicals, steel, and even large chunks of concrete out of the ground. 

It's a more energy-efficient process that can help you have one last positive impact on the world around you. While cremation does release some carbon dioxide into the air, it’s still preferable to the long-term effects of a traditional burial. 

Is Cremation Right for Your Green Funeral? 

If a green funeral is of interest to you, then you may want to consider the role that cremation can play in your end-of-life plans. Alterna Cremation offers Winnipeg cremation services that provide you with a dignified way to have a green burial and/or funeral service based on your values of taking care of the earth. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you meet your goals with a green burial!