Green Burial is an environmentally sustainable alternative for funeral and burial where the body is returned to the earth to decompose as naturally as possible and be recycled into new life. A Green Burial does not prevent you from having an opportunity for private family time to say good-bye, a visitation, and memorial ceremonies to recognize and celebrate the life of your loved one.

There are several materials that may be used for a “Green” casket construction, ranging from simple pine to woven sustainable materials. Bamboo is grown and harvested at licensed plantations (when it is cut down at the root, it takes just 59 days to grow back to full height without need for re-planting). Willow is cut from bushes known as crowns which remain harvestable for approximately 40 years before they need to be re-planted.

These caskets will biodegrade, leaving nothing but human remains within six months to one year from the time of burial. These caskets are also appropriate for cremation; an added benefit is the lack of toxins released into the environment during the cremation process.

Cremation uses fewer resources than other disposition choices, but it also has an environmental impact. The Green Burial Council is working towards provisions to help identify ways to reduce or off-set the environmental impact of cremation. The main objective is to offer viable options for reducing the “eco-footprint” in whatever manner that is deemed appropriate by survivors.

Cremation does not exclude the need to recognize an individual and a life lived; or the need for dignified and respectful treatment of a body including, when desired or necessary, cosmetic restoration, clothing, and other related care; or the need for a private or public gathering; either with or without ceremony or ritual; or the need to select and arrange for meaningful final placement of a body following cremation; or the need to permanently and appropriately memorialize the life and the individual.

At Central Cremation Center, our facility is always open for your inspection.