How to Plan a Green Burial
According to a recent survey by AARP, 89 percent of its magazine readers shun the idea of traditional burials and cremation and favor what's known as a "green burial." This is an alternative that's friendly to the earth and easy on a family's pocketbook. Resources found on the Internet can make it fairly simple to plan a green burial and it's a trend being popularized by eco-conscious Baby Boomers.
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Consider the financial and ecological realities of traditional burials. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average cost of a funeral in the United States is $5,180. Each year, at least 828,000 gallons of embalming fluid seeps into the grounds of about 22,500 cemeteries.
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Understand a green burial involves being buried in a simple wooden coffin without being embalmed. If this option is acceptable to you, research what's available, the costs involved and other specifics about this alternative.
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Express yourself with a green burial. If you've always enjoyed the outdoors, there could be no better final resting place than among trees, shrubs and flowers where wildlife and birds can visit and thrive. There are currently five green cemeteries around the United States: New York, Texas, Florida, California and South Carolina, with several more planned soon. This option costs around $2,000.
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Learn about other options. If you've always loved the sea, consider a reef ball. These are artificial reefs made by combining an environmentally-friendly concrete mixture with cremated remains. Buried at sea, these reef balls are designed so sea life can attach itself and grow in and around them. Regular cremation can cost about $1,000; reef ball cost between $1,000 and $3,000.
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Make sure everyone knows you want a green farewell. If you want to be buried naturally, but can't locate a nearby green cemetery, you can still be ecologically-conscious by asking that your casket not be placed into a concrete vault. Pine boxes with no metal parts are the most biodegradable choices for coffins. If you choose options involving cremated remains, ask that your teeth be removed so that mercury from any fillings you've had won't be released into the air as your body is being cremated.
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There are two more actions you can take to leave behind a legacy of a green heart. Fill out an organ donor card that can help give others a second chance at life. Ask that instead of flowers, donors give to charities that promote green living.
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