Blog 4: Sustainable burial practices – Can we honour the departed in an eco-friendly way?

Welcome to the fourth blog in this five part series about death and burials. I am attempting in the series to normalise death – a natural occurrence in life. I mentioned in the first blog that my mother stayed in a morgue for 6 months before she was buried. We couldn’t have buried her sooner because during this time, all events were temporarily banned by the Asante King. That said, many funerals in Ghana take place months after the death to allow sufficient time for planning, fundraising and time for family members oversees to travel home. In our case, we also had family members traveling from Germany, France and USA. The implication is that morgues in Ghana expend a tremendous amount of energy which is already in short supply. More importantly, the amount of energy expended is detrimental to the planet. Eco friendly burials do exist for those who wish to have a burial in ways that minimises financial costs, conserve natural resources and minimises environmental impact. It emphasises simplicity and sustainability. In this blog, I present various burial and cremation options and the reasons why I am more in favour of natural burials. 

An overview of different burials  

Most people will either bury or cremate a person who has died. The sustainability concerns with burying have to do with the use of concrete, loss of trees and biodiversity to make room for cemeteries and the volume of embalming fluids, which leak into the earth and pollutes water and soil. Cremation is considered as a more sustainable option by many. However, the studies show that cremation, though more economical, is not much better environmentally. One cremation by fire may produce about 250 pounds of carbon dioxide. Water based cremation, known as aquamation, is an alternative to traditional cremation. It uses water and potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide and is heated to approximately 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Only the bone matter is left in the end, which can be dried and crushed and given to the deceased’s family. It was the wish of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, may his gentle soul rest in peace, to undergo an aquamation, which uses 5 times less energy than traditional cremation. 

Other non-traditional methods include sea burials and recomposition. Sea burials were used for centuries in the West, mainly among sailors. A biodegradable coffin is used but generally, this is a complex process as there are strict rules about oceans. I would imagine this to be an option for someone who was incredibly passionate about the ocean. Recomposition is body composting. A body is placed in a container with woodchips and other organic materials to accelerate the decaying process. It generates soil in about 30 days. Only 3 States in the US have legalised the use of soil generated from this method. 

I hope I haven’t lost my readers up to this point. It’s a very cringey topic to write about, I will admit. In my research, I read of other methods which really push the boundaries. Personally, I have difficulty with all the methods presented above. I also cannot imagine a cultural shift to consider these “foreign” methods for the Akan people who have believed in the afterlife for hundreds of years. A viable option that I want to present is the “natural burial”. 

The Natural Burial

Natural burials are nothing new or revolutionary. Most burials before the mid 19^th century were done this way and many cultures follow it still. In a natural burial, there is no cremation or embalming. The body is placed in a biodegradeable coffin or shroud and placed in the ground without a concrete vault. Because the body is not preserved with chemicals, burials have to happen relatively quickly. The body decomposes and returns to the soil, giving a literal interpretation to “ashes to ashes” and “dust to dust”.

Natural burials are eco-friendly, more economical and also has a spiritual significance in the connection with nature. The benefits according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance (2024) are:

• Simplicity. The idea of wrapping the body in a shroud or placing it in a plain, unadorned coffin appeals to those who prefer their burial arrangement to be simple, natural and conducted in a way that is more aligned with their values and wishes.
• Lower cost. Because green burials do not involve embalming, fancy caskets, or concrete vaults, they can be a very cost-effective alternative to conventional burials, lowering the cost by thousands of dollars. If the family supplies their own shroud or coffin, the cost can be further reduced.
• Conserving natural resources. Each year US cemeteries bury over 30 million board feet of hardwood and 90,000 tons of steel in caskets, 17,000 tons of steel and copper in vaults, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete in vaults. With green burial, fewer resources are used.
• Eliminating hazardous chemicals. For some, forgoing the embalming process is the main attraction, since embalming fluid contains formaldehyde, a respiratory irritant and known carcinogen. In the US about 5.3 million gallons of embalming fluid are used every year, and funeral home workers are exposed to it routinely.
• Preserving natural areas. Love of nature and a desire for “eternal rest” in a forever-wild meadow or forest are frequently-cited reasons for choosing green burial. The burial sites restore or preserve a natural landscape populated by native trees, shrubs and wildflowers; the sites offer food and refuge to birds and other wildlife. The most conservation-intensive green cemeteries do not use fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides. A green cemetery can be an important component in the acquisition and conservation of native habitats.

Conclusion

I believe it’s healthy to discuss our preferred options for burial with our families. The trick is to have this in writing which obliges the family to respect your wishes. I firmly feel it’s time we start making these changes which our Muslim and Jewish friends have been doing for centuries. 

Sources:

https://www.snyderlawpc.com/eco-friendly-burial-cremation-options-for-deceased/

https://www.lhlic.com/consumer-resources/green-burial/