If you are environmentally conscious, Zanesville(OH) funeral homes can assist you in planning a green burial for a deceased loved one. A natural or green burial is an alternative choice in funeral planning as the body is not prepped with embalming chemicals nor is it cremated. Going "green" is an environmental sustainability movement that goes for a more natural approach to death care.
Funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) can guide you through a selection of caskets or even a burial shroud that is biodegradable. Concrete grave liners and burial vaults are eschewed to allow proper decomposition of the deceased and the natural return to the outside earthly elements. The phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust", tied irrevocably to death and funerals, truly fits the bill with a green burial.
Green burials are not a new concept as it was the norm pre-19th century.Traditional embalming uses chemicals like formaldehyde, a component discovered in the latter part of the 19th century. However, the practice has ancient ties to the Han Dynasty in China and even the ancient Egyptians who used herbs and spices. Funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) will tell you that embalming became a popular method during the American Civil War as a way to preserve the bodies of dead soldiers being sent back home.
So why are green burials making a comeback in the 21st century? A greater consciousness about environmental harm is the predominant driving force. Some people simply see it as the latest fad though and are just trying to buck traditional. Zanesville(OH) funeral homes have discovered a number of other reasons why more people are going green.
In addition to a greater environmental consciousness, overall cost is a great motivator. Green burials do not involve embalming, decorative caskets or concrete liners or vaults - examples of some of the priciest funeral products. In some instances, when you simply cannot imagine the deceased not housed within some type of container against the elements, you can provide an alternative container of your choice to Zanesville(OH) funeral homes. There are very inexpensive biodegradable coffins for sale and even kits to craft one for a loved one.
If the thought of millions of square feet of hardwood or tons of metal has you cringing, a green burial can aid in conserving natural resources. You can also protect the environment by declining the embalming process for the deceased. Chemicals from the process have the potential to leach into the soil, groundwater or even the sewer system. Keep in mind though that some funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) might require it if the funeral cannot happen within a reasonable amount of time or you request a public viewing before final disposition.
Imagining your deceased loved one forever a part of a natural landscape can be another reason for choosing a green burial. Talk with the funeral directors of Zanesville(OH) funeral homes to see who can best help you choose a nature area to forever inter your loved one. There are different green cemeteries as well as ecological and wildlife preserves that allow for a green burial.
Because green burial is enjoying resurgence, there are more options now than there were five or ten years ago. You will likely see green options on published general price lists of Zanesville(OH) funeral homes. In addition, casket and outer burial container price lists might have biodegradable containers and shrouds for the deceased.
Some traditional cemeteries might have designated sections for green burials. There are also cemeteries designated as "green" only. Funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) may also steer you towards other green burial location alternatives such as park lands, habitat areas and conservation tracts specifically designated for environmentally friendly burials. Each green burial location might have different rules such as using natural rock as grave markers or even a discrete ground marker. Zanesville(OH) funeral homes can assist in finding the right green burial situation for your loved one.
Depending on where you live, there might not be a location that supports truly green burials. In this instance, funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) can present to you some compromises that help you stay as true as possible to a green burial. For instance, a simple burial can be modified to be environmentally conscious by forgoing embalming and being buried in a shroud or a biodegradable coffin. This option might preclude a public viewing however.
Zanesville(OH) funeral homes can help you locate a cemetery that does not require a burial vault. However, if this is not possible, inquire about whether the lid can be cast off and the vault turned upside down so that the deceased is exposed to soil bottom for better composition and return to the earth. If your desire is to have a green burial for a deceased loved one, funeral homes in Zanesville(OH) will work hard to help you realize it.