For a green burial, funeral directors are typically responsible for preparing the body, often without the use of chemical embalming.
The Role of Funeral Directors
Funeral directors play a significant role in facilitating a green burial by preparing and sheltering the body. This preparation often involves practices that align with environmental sustainability and natural decomposition. Notably, embalming is never required by law, making it an optional step that is generally omitted in green burial practices to allow the body to return to the earth naturally.
Even without embalming, options for family and community include:
- Preparation without Chemicals: Funeral directors can prepare the body through cleansing and dressing without using embalming fluids.
- Sheltering the Body: They provide appropriate facilities to shelter the body until the time of burial, ensuring dignified care.
- Public Visitations: It is a viable option for public visitations of unembalmed bodies, allowing loved ones to pay their respects in a manner consistent with green burial principles.
Understanding Green Burial Body Preparation
The core principle of green burial is to allow the body to return to the earth as naturally as possible, minimizing environmental impact. This approach contrasts sharply with conventional burial practices that often involve embalming and non-biodegradable materials.
Key aspects of green burial body preparation include:
- Minimal Intervention: The body undergoes minimal preparation, typically involving gentle washing, dressing, and positioning.
- No Embalming: Chemical embalming, which uses toxic fluids like formaldehyde, is avoided entirely. This preserves the body without introducing harmful substances into the soil.
- Natural Materials:
- The deceased is dressed in biodegradable clothing made from natural fibers, or simply wrapped in a natural fiber shroud.
- The body is placed in a casket made from sustainable materials such as untreated wood, wicker, or bamboo, or directly in a shroud for burial.
By choosing these methods, families can ensure that the deceased's return to nature is as eco-friendly and respectful as possible. For more information on green burial practices, you can explore resources from organizations dedicated to natural death care, such as the Green Burial Council.
