Embedded Files
these traditional caskets and grave liners. It is Harris who writes that graveyards should be thought of as landfills and the embalmed bodies of the deceased release bacteria, formaldehyde, liquefied tissue, fluids, and acids, that create a noxious brew that seeps out of the receptacle (Harris, 2007). Cemeteries also use gallons of pesticides, fuel, and water to project a tidy and polished image on the grounds. To put all of this into perspective, "each year 'we bury enough embalming fluid to fill eight Olympic sized swimming pools, enough metal to build the Golden Gate Bridge, and so much reinforced concrete that we could build a two-lane highway from New York to Detroit"' (Fournier, 2018). However, based on a 2015 study by Elizabeth Keijzer, the "environmental impact of funerals is very low compared to other activities during a person’s life, which means that the environmental impacts of funerals, in general, are not primarily a reason for societal concern" (Keijzer, 2015). The study further showed that the major consequences of burials emerge from "the cotton lining of the coffin and from the transport of the monument" (Keijzer, 2015). Therefore, Keijzer argues that green burials or green funeral practices should not be a primary focus when the environmental impact is so low. This includes cremation along with burial. GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 13 Embalming. Embalming is the process of replacing bodily fluids with chemicals to slow decay and preserve the body (Fournier, 2018). Embalming fluids contain formaldehyde and other chemicals. A body can be revived, stored for some time, and carried long distances (Fournier, 2018). Initially started during the civil war, embalming allowed the deceased soldiers to be shipped back home for burial (Kelly, 2015; Fournier, 2018). Soon it became common practice and bodies were sent off to professionals to be revived back to their lifelike state (Fournier, 2018). Embalming is not legally required but has become widely practiced because it brings color back into the lifeless body (Fournier, 2018) Traditional cremation and environmental impact. Cremation is the “process of reducing the body to its basic elements of bone fragments through the use of heat” (“Understanding Green Cremation”, 2020). As mentioned previously, cremation has gained popularity over the last few decades due to the extreme costs of a traditional burial and environmental concerns regarding land usage (Fournier, 2018). Author Jessica Mitford has been credited for the spike in cremation after her 1963 publication of The American Way of Death. She criticized the funeral industry and the unnecessary practices that became commonplace (Fournier, 2018). A 2018 study stated that among the numerous factors that have added to the rise of cremation, such as environmental interests, less religious bans, and choices for easier, less elaborate services, the prime factor has been cost (Coutts, et al., 2018). The average cost of a general cremation is $2,400 (Carrns, 2019). While the average cost of a “burial with a coffin and full funeral home services is about $7,400” (Carrns, 2019). Unfortunately, cremation is not a solid or environmentally sound option when dealing with the deceased. The foremost reason is because of the energy it uses. Using fossil fuels and GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 14 sustaining a temperature of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, cremation significantly contributes to the emissions of pollutants in the atmosphere such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, trace metals, and most importantly mercury. Mercury is found in dental fillings and is released into the atmosphere falling into water sources (Harris, 2007; Fournier, 2018). The spreading of cremation ashes also raises a red flag. Human ashes are composed of various components that range depending on what that person's body held. In short, ashes are not compost or fertilizer and hold no nutrients for the environment. All of the useful nutrients for flora and fauna have been burned away (Fournier, 2018). Despite the negative environmental impacts, cremation is not a declining trend. There are expectations that cremation will continue to increase in popularity. According to the 2019 report on cremation and burial by the National Funeral Directors Association, the cremation rate passed 50 percent in 2016 and continues to rise (Carrns, 2019). The rate is expected to increase to 79 percent by the year 2040 and the burial rate is expected to “drop to just 16 percent over the next two decades” (Carrns, 2019). Cemeteries and environmental impact. There are several distinguished types of human cemeteries including public/private, municipal, religious, family, memorial park/monuments/gardens, military, and green/natural (“Where to be buried?”, 2016; “An Overview Of Cemeteries”, 2020). Environmental concerns of cemeteries are mirrored by Uslu, Baris, and Erdogan in their 2009 study Ecological concerns over cemeteries. They write that environmental concerns need to be taken seriously in the conception, preparation, and managing of cemeteries. As reported in this study, the burial sections can become endangering to the environment, contaminating underground water and producing adverse effects on fauna and GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 15 flora, i.e. plant and animal life (Uslu, et al., 2009). Further ecological problems are the
Report abuse