Green / Natural Burials
Return to a Simpler, More Natural Tradition
Prior to contemporary, conventional cemeteries where graves are organized in carefully measured rows and marked by polished stone or cement headstones, there were natural burial grounds. There was no such thing as chemical embalming, varnished caskets with fancy linings, or concrete vaults. Natural or ‘green burial’ is a return to those traditions that provide a simple, less wasteful, non-toxic means of dedicating one’s physical form back to the earth to rejoin the soil with dignity and with minimal environmental impact.
Benefits of Natural Burial
Natural burial pays special attention to returning the body back to the earth in a safe way that is simple and natural, allows for greater family interaction, and is a fraction of the cost of conventional burial. In current times, green burial is also rooted in the spirit of social and environmental change.
Environmentally Friendly
Natural burial aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitats.
Simple
The loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult times in life, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can still honor your loved one without the overwhelming details and costs.
Affordable
Put your loved one to rest at a fraction of the cost of conventional burial.
Choice
An alternative to the current standard form of burial that is friendly to all aspects of a person’s life and to their memory.
Green Burial Basics
- Reduce the carbon footprint and contribute to the natural eco-cycle
- Allow only biodegradable caskets, shrouds or urns, and avoid the use of toxic chemicals or metal
- Create cultural and spiritual opportunities, building community
- Do not allow embalming fluids, vaults, concrete, grave liners, herbicides or pesticides
- Family-centered: family and friends are invited to participate in the burial process
- Mark locations by GPS, native memorials such as fieldstone which are laid flat on the ground
- Protect and restore wildlife habitats and native plant communities
Maryland Green Burial Cemeteries
Contact Us
