Eco Funeral Resources
Eco Funeral Options for Natural Burial
We believe families should have access to clear, reliable information when considering an eco funeral. The Green Burial Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to education, certification, and advocacy for environmentally responsible burial practices. We help families, funeral professionals, cemeteries, and burial product providers better understand natural burial and the standards that support it. Through our work, we promote practices designed to reduce environmental impact, conserve natural resources, protect habitat, and allow natural processes to occur with minimal interference.
Understanding an Eco Funeral
An eco funeral can take a different approach to conventional burial by focusing on simplicity and natural decomposition. Natural burial generally avoids embalming, burial vaults, and liners while using biodegradable burial containers such as shrouds, caskets, or other approved materials. We recognize that burial grounds can differ in how they operate, which is why we provide clear definitions for hybrid cemeteries, natural burial grounds, and conservation burial grounds. Understanding these distinctions can help families make informed decisions about the type of eco funeral that best reflects their values.
Choosing an Eco Funeral Provider
When planning an eco funeral, knowing which providers follow established environmental practices can make the process easier. We certify eligible cemeteries, funeral homes, and burial product providers that meet our applicable standards. Our certification program gives families a way to identify providers that have undergone a defined review process. We also maintain provider resources and directories that can help people locate certified cemeteries, funeral homes, burial products, and body care products in the United States and Canada.
Natural Burial and Biodegradable Materials
An eco funeral may incorporate biodegradable materials that support the natural return of human remains to the earth. Depending on the burial ground and its requirements, families may select a shroud, casket, or other biodegradable container. Our standards for natural burial grounds address the use of natural and plant-derived materials and prohibit vaults and toxic embalming practices. Certified grounds also follow environmental practices that can include reducing waste, avoiding synthetic chemicals, and supporting responsible stewardship of the surrounding landscape.
Conservation Burial and Land Stewardship
For families interested in connecting an eco funeral with long-term land conservation, conservation burial provides another option. A conservation burial ground is a type of natural cemetery established in partnership with a conservation organization and supported by a conservation management plan. These grounds are designed to provide perpetual protection of the land through mechanisms such as conservation easements or deed restrictions. This model connects burial with the preservation or restoration of natural landscapes and encourages thoughtful stewardship of the land where people are laid to rest.
Resources for Planning an Eco Funeral
Planning an eco funeral can involve questions about burial grounds, funeral providers, containers, body care, cemetery requirements, and local practices. We provide educational materials to help families explore these decisions including: planning resources, webinars, and provider directories. We encourage people to ask questions, review the practices of individual providers, and understand the requirements of the burial ground they are considering. Our goal is to make reliable information about natural burial accessible while supporting transparency throughout the planning process.
