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Many of us are now conscious of our carbon footprint. This carries into all aspects of life, and our life choices, including final disposition. There are many ways to have an eco-friendly funeral and disposition options. Outlined here are several different options that may be available.

Eco-Friendly Embalming

Embalming chemicals have come a long way. While many are hazardous, the process of embalming mixing with the body chemistry often neutralizes these chemicals so as not to affect the earth. However, now there are quite a few embalming options that use natural, biodegradable compounds that would allow for an eco-friendlier disposition. This allows for a more traditional goodbye, but keeps the environment in mind. Please check with our staff if you and your family have any questions.  Michigan allows the use of such chemicals for the purpose of embalming.

Mushroom Suits/Caskets

While primarily used in other countries, the United States has seen a growth in looking to these as methods of disposition. The mushrooms are genetically engineered to absorb and purify any toxins (medication remnants, embalming chemicals, etc) and then use their by-product to nourishing the soil around them. While this is a great thought, the problem with this is that most cemeteries require the use of an outer burial container. This keeps the body and casket separate from the cemetery grounds. The purpose of this is to protect the body and the cemetery grounds. These eco-options would be available to cemeteries that allow burials without vaults or vault bottoms. Very few cemeteries in the state of Michigan allow for burials without vaults.

Flameless Cremation

The process is based on alkaline hydrolysis: the body is placed in a pressure vessel that is then filled with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide, and heated and at an elevated pressure. The end result are remains very similar to cremated remains done by flame (calcified remains). The liquid is disposed of in accordance with local ordinances and the calcified remains (often referred to as ashes) returned to the family.

Flameless cremation or alkaline hydrolysis is championed by environmentalists because of the reduction in use in electricity and carbon emissions. However, the use of acids and water and the production of the units make its total carbon footprint comparable or slightly better than traditional cremation methods.

This form of disposition is not uniformly legal across the United States. Michigan, has yet to adopt this as a legal form of disposition. However, it is likely in the future this will be adopted.

Natural Organic Reduction 

Currently only legal in the States of Washington, Oregon, and Colorado, natural organic reduction (human composting) is the process of reducing the body into organic soil through accelerated natural processes. This process is usually 30+ days. Being a new process and not legal in most of the United States there are a lot of caveats to this disposition. First, the soil generated from this process cannot be used to grow foods for human consumption. The soil however, may be donated to reforestation projects around the country.