Green Burial Options: What They Are and How to Choose

What Makes a Burial "Green"

A green burial skips the three interventions that define a conventional American funeral: chemical embalming, a sealed metal or hardwood casket, and a concrete burial vault. Instead, the body is buried in a biodegradable container — or no container at all — in a way that lets natural decomposition return the body to the earth.

The environmental case is straightforward. Each year, conventional US burials put roughly 4.3 million gallons of formaldehyde-based embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, and 17,000 tons of copper and bronze into the ground. Green burial eliminates all of it.

The Main Options

Natural burial grounds. These are dedicated cemeteries that prohibit embalming, metal caskets, and concrete vaults. Bodies are buried in biodegradable containers — shrouds, wicker baskets, cardboard caskets, or untreated pine boxes — at a depth set by the cemetery's rules and local law. Grave markers, if allowed, are flat native stones or small plantings rather than polished granite headstones. Costs typically run $1,000 to $4,000 for the burial plot and opening/closing fees.

Conservation burial grounds. A step beyond natural burial, these are certified by the Green Burial Council and legally protected as conservation land. Your burial fees directly fund land preservation — meadows, forests, or wetlands that are placed under permanent conservation easements. Burial practices follow the same rules as natural grounds. Costs range from $2,000 to $6,000, with the premium funding the land trust.

Hybrid cemeteries. These are conventional cemeteries that offer a dedicated green burial section alongside their traditional plots. The green section follows natural burial rules, but the surrounding cemetery operates normally. This is the most common option because it doesn't require families to travel to a specialized facility. Costs are comparable to or slightly lower than the cemetery's conventional plots.

Backyard burial. In many states, you can bury a body on private property you own. Requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction — minimum acreage, distance from water sources, burial depth, deed recording, and local zoning ordinances all come into play. Check your county's specific regulations before assuming this is available.

Container Choices

Burial shrouds ($75–$250) are the simplest option — a length of natural fabric (cotton, linen, or wool) wrapped around the body and secured with ties. Most green cemeteries accept shroud-only burials. Some families tuck fresh flowers, herbs, or personal mementos into the fabric folds.

Wicker or bamboo caskets ($200–$800) provide more structure for families who want the body in a recognizable casket form. They're fully biodegradable and strong enough for transport and lowering.

Cardboard caskets ($50–$350) are the most affordable rigid option. Some families paint or decorate them as a therapeutic group activity during a home funeral vigil — visitors write messages, paint murals, or press handprints onto the exterior.

Pine caskets ($300–$1,200) are traditional and biodegradable when built without metal fasteners or synthetic finishes. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you have the right to provide your own casket to a funeral home covered by the rule without paying a handling fee.

How Green Burial Fits with a Home Funeral

A home funeral and green burial are natural companions. After a home vigil — where the family cares for the body at home for one to three days using dry ice or polymer cooling — the body is transported directly to the green burial site in a biodegradable container. No embalming, no facility rental, no vault purchase.

The combined cost of a home vigil followed by green burial typically runs $1,140 to $3,150, compared to the $11,255 national average for a conventional funeral.

Finding a Green Cemetery

The Green Burial Council maintains a searchable directory of certified natural burial grounds, conservation cemeteries, and hybrid facilities. As of 2025, there are roughly 300 green burial providers across the US, with concentrations in the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and upper Midwest.

If there's no dedicated green cemetery near you, call your local conventional cemeteries and ask whether they offer a green burial section. Many have added one in the past decade in response to growing demand, even if they don't advertise it prominently.

The Home Funeral / Family-Directed Guide includes a vendor comparison worksheet and direct questions to ask cemeteries and crematories to ensure you're getting genuine green burial services — not a conventional burial marketed with eco-friendly language.