By CATHERINE DONNELLY
Special to the PRESS
In the United States and worldwide, 2023 and 2024 have shown a marked shift in burial practices with a strong trend toward more eco-friendly alternative funeral options, and Texas is no exception.
Traditional burials usually involve coffins and embalming processes that are typically toxic, resource-intensive, and more expensive. Greener choices such as biodegradable caskets, natural burial sites, and even more unique options like tree pod burials or coral reef memorials are replacing the more traditional practices.
According to a recent study by Choice Mutual, this change reflects a growing environmental consciousness and an inclination for a more personalized and meaningful end-of-life ceremony. The organization surveyed 6,000 people to measure the increasing preferences for non-traditional burials.
Contemplating one’s funeral can be awkward, even when faced with the decision of burial or cremation. People usually strongly favor one over the other. However, the trend towards environmentally friendly funeral options is increasing as people become more aware of their options, which are limited mainly by their imagination.
These societal trends signify a more profound movement towards sustainability and incorporating a much closer connection with nature into the cycle of life and death. A “Green Burial” eliminates embalming and uses biodegradable caskets or shrouds to minimize unnecessary environmental toxins. It can also include mushroom suits or manufactured coral reef options.
According to the study, the first of seven methods used instead of traditional burials is a Green Burial, the most popular option among Texans. The Green burial allows the body to decompose naturally without harming the environment.
The second method is Human Composting, which involves letting the body decompose naturally over several weeks surrounded by organic materials.
The third most popular choice is tree pod burials. The body is put in a biodegradable tree pod and buried in the ground, marking a place to visit a deceased loved one.
Memorial Reefs were the fourth most popular choice. By mixing a loved one’s cremated remains into cement, these reefs create habitats for marine life and help restore endangered coral ecosystems.
Space burials rank fifth among alternative methods for Texans. They involve sending ashes into orbit, but environmental concerns about space debris may exist. Aquamation, also known as water cremation, uses water and lye to break down the body.
Mushroom Suits currently rank seventh among Texans. They involve a biodegradable burial covering embedded with mushroom spores, which decompose the body and neutralize toxins during decomposition.
The Choice Mutual study looked into possible reasons for the new trends. Burial costs emerged as the unsurprising primary concern.
39% of respondents are expected to have life insurance to cover the costs, with personal savings expected to cover expenses for 29% and 11% most likely having to rely on family contributions, which can be problematic.
Traditional burial expenses often include purchasing a casket, paying service fees, purchasing a burial vault, and paying for the gravesite and its preparation, along with a headstone or marker and the funeral ceremonies. Lower-cost green burials greatly minimize these costs, which can quickly add up to thousands of dollars.
Environmental impact emerged as another concern, closely followed by the issue of cemetery space at a time when some cemeteries run out of room for the continual demand for burial plots for an expanding family’s loved ones.
While discussions about funeral plans with older family members remain a sensitive subject, a surprising 72% of elders report that they would back a relative’s decision to choose an alternative method.
“These eco-friendly options offer a way to say farewell that aligns with the principles people lived by, ensuring that their final footprint is as green and meaningful as the life they led,” said Anthony Martin.
The urn type of burial is also something to consider, with many options from $35 to a few hundred or more, especially if space is a concern. Many will opt for a biodegradable urn made of materials that will naturally decompose over time. This is an environmentally friendly option if the ashes are to be buried in a burial plot or cast into a body of water.
A quick inquiry into funeral homes and cemeteries closest to our reading area finds that greener and less expensive options are widely accepted and available in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Many already have a space-saving columbarium to protect urns on display for loved ones to visit. This is a viable solution for space concerns, as more urns can be housed or even buried in place of a full-sized casket.
A Brownsville cemetery owner, Maria Guillen, said, “It’s important to know that it’s completely legal to skip embalming a loved one if there is going to be a direct burial, but it involves the funeral home keeping the body on ice for no more than 24 hours.” and she also said, “ But we will always honor the family’s wishes, from the more traditional burial to the new environmental trends.”
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