By Rachel Rickman

WKTV Contributor

When researching options for her husband’s burial in 2019, Stephanie Edwards believed natural burial fit perfectly with Tom’s life and his love of nature.

“I believe that Tom would have appreciated the ecologically friendly process of this burial,” said Edwards in a Green Burial Council testimonial about her husband’s burial at Penn Forest.

Throughout preparation for the burial, Edwards also found the process to be one of healing.

“Funerals have always been traumatic for me, but this was a beautiful, healing experience,” Edwards said after Tom’s burial was complete.

What happens with our bodies after death is often discussed among loved ones, and available options are growing in number.

While not always a comfortable conversation topic, it is an inevitable occurrence, so why not have some say in the matter?

Familiar traditions and a new (old?) alternative

Embalming/burial and cremation are two familiar and popular traditions. However, a new option is a natural or green burial, which was recently approved in Michigan but only in certain cemeteries and locations.

In West Michigan, the only currently approved green burial location is Ridgeview Memorial Gardens in Grandville.

Proponents of green burials highlight minimal environmental impact, cost effectiveness, and peaceful, natural settings.

In total, Michigan has 14 designated green burial areas. More cemeteries are adding or looking to add a natural burial section as they grow in popularity. So why don’t more cemeteries offer this option?

“Because they’re more labor intensive,” says Ron Zartman, Executive Director of Ridgeview Memorial Gardens and member of the Green Burial Council.

Zartman explains that he has been contacted by other municipalities about adding a green burial option, but they find the labor-intensive aspect to be an obstacle.

Burial types and their environmental impact

A traditional burial involves a casket and vault made from concrete, creating little maintenance after the burial. With a natural burial, it is necessary to maintain and service the grave site three or four times as the earth settles.

A green burial allows for natural decomposition as opposed to dealing with chemicals involved in the embalming process. Keeping embalming fluids and chemicals used on traditional burial sites—such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers—out of the equation lessens negative impact on the environment.

In a natural burial, even headstones are considered. While headstones have traditionally been made from imported stones such as marble, designated green burial sites are required to use stone native to the area. Using local stone guarantees all aspects of the site retain their natural integrity.

Embalming, while often still a popular option, is not required in Michigan, though it can be deemed necessary for purposes of transportation or in other specific circumstances.

During the embalming process, a body is drained of blood and those fluids are exchanged for embalming chemicals such as formaldehyde, which delays the body’s natural decomposition process. The practice of embalming has been around a long time—think Ancient Egypt and mummies—but it was popularized during the Civil War as a way to transport bodies home over a long distance.

Natural burials, in contrast, have been “the way the human race handled burial before embalming,” said Zartman.

Before the growing popularity of natural burials, cremation was considered a more natural and less environmentally impactful method of handling a body. However, cremation does carry an environmental footprint because it releases CO2 and other chemicals into the environment.

Costs and requirements

Many people associate death with a casket. However, Michigan law does not require a casket for burial or cremation.

Due to cost, caskets can often be one of the biggest expenses of a funeral.

Zartman stated that the “average funeral in Michigan runs $8,500, but people easily put $10,000 into a burial. Even cremation can be expensive.”

If cost is a consideration, know you have options when choosing a casket, and question if a funeral home or crematory service pressures you into purchasing one.

While you are not required to have a casket for burial, you will need to check with your chosen cemetery about their “container” requirements.

Zartman said that cost is a big factor in why people choose a natural burial. Natural burial services can cost as little as $3,200 compared to higher costs associated with other options. Alleviating more expensive items such as a vault and casket lowers the total cost considerably.

“80% come in cardboard boxes—cremation containers,” said Zartman. However, there are other biodegradable green burial containers available, such as wicker caskets.

Each state has their own rules and regulations when it comes to how a body is handled after death. Whether you or a loved one have chosen cremation, embalming and burial, or natural burial, there are specific guidelines to adhere to.

If you are looking for more information about green burials in Western Michigan for you or a loved one, Zartman is ready to answer your questions.

“Families need help,” Zartman said. “They need sound advice.”

Discussing what to do with your body or the body of a loved one after death is not a comfortable subject, but knowing your options and the costs associated can save a lot of stress during an emotional time.

Rachel Rickman is a freelance writer, editor, and former university English Instructor with a BA, MA, and MFA focused on writing. She grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but currently resides in Rosarito, Mexico with her husband and son. Much of her work focuses on “narrative recipes”—personal essays with recipe/cooking ideas.

Rachel’s work can be found on her blog: jezebelstable.com; Instagram: aroundthetablerr; and Patreon: www.patreon.com/AroundtheTableRR.