Are Cremation Services Green?

Michael Bernardo • August 12, 2019

As our planet continues to suffer from worse and worse climate change, many people are beginning to as the question: “What can I do?” A posthumous, non-traditional way to help the environment is through cremation. A lot of people never even think about burials’ environmental impact, but a few small changes to funerals and services can go a long way.

If you are looking for a green way to celebrate the life of a loved one, or prepare for your own passing in an environmentally friendly way, cremation services in Aspen, CO might be the answer. Make an informed decision on how best to make your cremation environmentally conscious.

Cremation has a lot of positive sides over traditional burials. One of the main ones is environmental impact. Traditional, full service burials have considerable negative impact on the environment. One big example is loss of habitat. A recent statistic from the Centre for National Burial states that 10 acres of cemetery holds almost 20,000 tons of vault concrete, 1000 tons of casket steal, and enough wood to build over 40 full-sized homes. All that material leaves little room for animal and plant life.

On the whole, thanks to modern advances, cremation is a greener choice. However, there are some downsides to cremation in terms of the environment. Standard crematoriums burn a lot of natural gas, and therefore release lots of greenhouse gases and chemical vapors that can harm the atmosphere.

Also, to fully dehydrate a human body to bone and ash, a crematorium has to be fully heated to at least 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintain the heat for a minimum of 45 minutes. This process releases a lot of carbon dioxide, and uses up a lot of fossil fuel. But, new technology and more fuel-efficient crematorium centers have greatly reduced these negative impacts.

There are ways you personally can make cremation even greener. Some of these include:

  • Choose the casket carefully. Cremation providers generally require bodies to be in a rigid, consumable, and leak-proof casket for the cremation process. Burning these caskets can give off noxious gases and fumes, if you chose a bad one. When picking out your cremation casket, look for one made of non-toxic and renewable material. Wicker and cardboard are great options.
  • Recycle medical materials. Remove and recycle medical devices and parts, like pacemakers, before cremation. Burning said parts can release harmful gases and produce non-biodegradable ash.
  • Consider a biodegradable urn. Many people chose to bury their loved one’s ashes after cremation. While urns and ashes take up less space than a full-size grave, urns slow down the decay process and may negatively impact the surrounding earth. Choose a biodegradable urn to better protect the local ground.

Be careful to remain aware of your options when it comes to Aspen, CO cremation services so you can feel good about your choice in terms of the environment and celebrating your loved one. If you want more information, Brown’s Cremation & Funeral Service is here to help. Please visit us at 904 N 7th St Grand Junction, CO 81501, or give us call at (970) 255-8888.

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