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contamination of soils. Public/Private Cemeteries. For-profit cemeteries run by an organization or company and one of the most commonly used (“Where to be buried?”, 2016; “An Overview Of Cemeteries”, 2020). Municipal Cemeteries. Non-profit cemeteries controlled and run by the city or county. They are open to the public and are very common. (“Where to be buried?”, 2016; “An Overview Of Cemeteries”, 2020). Religious Cemeteries. Non-profit cemeteries maintained by a religious group. They are typically reserved for members of the local church community. (“Where to be buried?”, 2016; “An Overview Of Cemeteries”, 2020). Family Cemeteries. Although they are not as prevalent as they once were, they are self-explanatory. Most family cemeteries are older and are harder to start due to varying state by state regulations (“Where to be buried?”, 2016). Memorial Park/Monument/Garden. While there are no graves or headstones, they typically consist of a monument and well-groomed grounds. “The purpose is to honor the lives of the deceased” (“Where to be buried?”, 2016). Military Cemeteries. Government-run cemeteries for the burial of veterans and their families. (“An Overview Of Cemeteries”, 2020). A popular example is the Arlington National Cemetery (“Where to be buried?”, 2016). GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 16 Green Burials and Green Cemeteries: An Environmental Alternative Green burials. The green/natural burial movement is a way for people to return to earth without the use of toxic chemicals or caskets, and instead to replenish the soil by decaying naturally within the earth itself. Green burials involve a body wrapped in non-toxic biodegradable material such as cotton, wool, silk, etc. (Fournier, 2018). Although green/natural burials have been practiced for generations, the new movement arose in the early 90s (Rehagen, 2016). The first green burial cemetery was in the UK started by Ken West who wanted to retain a part of the cemetery to natural burial as he was concerned with environmental issues. West was growing disappointed with the use of pesticides and other chemicals on cemeteries. Instead of headstones, he planted trees and left the section wild hoping to draw in wildlife (Smith, 2016; Fournier, 2018). His ideas grew in popularity and the first natural burial grounds in the United States were created in 1996 in South Carolina, named the Ramsey Creek Preserve with “33 acres of woodland and open fields” (Fournier, 2018). Since the early stages of the movement, green burials have increased. Lee Webster, the treasurer of the Green Burial Council, confirms this and states that green cemeteries have more than doubled in 5 years (L. Webster, personal communication, February 6, 2020). Founded in 2005, the Green Burial Council is a non-profit organization that certifies green cemeteries, sets standards, and educates the public on the subject (Green Burial Council, n.d.). As of 2019, the United States has at least 266 official green cemeteries (Webster, 2019). With the baby boomer generation entering the final stages of life, there are expectations that green burials will be further increased (Fournier, 2018). This is the generation that was welcoming the environmental movement with Earth Day as well as green activities. According to GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 17 a recent study, this generation wants to perish naturally, too (Rehagen, 2016). This 2015 study by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council found that overall awareness of green funeral alternatives was the same as in 2010, at 34%, but “64 percent of adults 40+ said they would be interested in green funeral options, compared with 43 percent in 2010” (Funeral and Memorial Information Council ([FAMIC], 2015). The study was administered online “among 1,238 U.S. adults ages 40+ and 305 U.S. adults ages 20-39 by Harris Poll, a market research company, on account of FAMIC” ([FAMIC], 2015). Green embalming. Similar to traditional embalming but without the use of formaldehyde (“Greener Embalming, 2016”). The fluids are made from non-toxic, natural, biodegradable, plant-based extracts (Fournier, 2018). It does not last as long as traditional embalming, but dry ice can also help with preservation (Fournier, 2018; “Greener Embalming, 2016). Burial at Sea. A burial at sea can be considered a green burial as it does not involve traditional embalming or containers made of biodegradable materials (Fournier, 2018). The process consists of delivering a deceased body into the ocean so that it sinks and decays naturally (Fournier, 2018). The Environmental Protection Agency regulates burials at sea and requires that all materials be biodegradable or “decomposable in the marine environment” (EPA, n.d.). Green Burials: The environmental benefits. The human body is full of nutrients and is naturally biodegradable (Rumble, 2016). Natural burial allows the body to decay into the soil and in doing so, fertilizes it and nourishes new life (Rumble, 2016). A body wrapped in a shroud or placed in a plain wood container decomposes swiftly, leaving little to no pollutants in its path (McCausland, 2008). A 2017 study by Gwendolyn Michel and Young-A Lee, revealed that decomposition can be seen as a step in a " recurring cycle of transformation of nutrients into GREEN BURIAL: THE LAST FOOTPRINT 18 food" (Michel, et
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