Each year, there is a growing demand for eco-friendly services in all aspects of life. Death is not exempt from this demand. A cremation service is already an ideal green option for burial as there is no requirement to disturb the earth for coffin placement. However, there are ways to make cremation services more eco-friendly. As someone who lives their life in an environmentally-friendly way, consider placing these requests into your will so that your death is a reflection of the way you lived.
Embalming
Many historians consider the introduction of formaldehyde to the embalming process in 1890 as an essential step in the modern embalming process. The primary purpose of embalming is to preserve the body immediately following death. However, embalming uses chemicals and energy to replace the body's blood. Therefore, eliminating the embalming process is an eco-friendly step towards a greener cremation service. Make a note in your will that embalming is not your wish so that your family may honor this request.
Bio-Cremation
A traditional cremation service uses a lot of energy! On average, it takes between two and three hours of 1,800 degrees heat to reduce a body to ash. This energy use creates a big carbon footprint because of the amount of carbon dioxide being produced. Bio-cremation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis, is an alternative energy process whereby the body is reduced to white ash using a combination of heat, water, lye, and pressure. This process uses less energy, resulting in reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Not all states allow this process yet, but check to see if it is available where you live. The cost of this process is comparable to traditional cremation, which also makes it desirable.
Scattering Of Ashes
One of the positive parts of a cremation service is scattering the ashes at a sentimental place. For example, this may be the deceased's favorite beach or park. However, you can ask your family to take this one step further by making the scattering more eco-friendly. For example, bury your ashes and then plant a tree sapling on top of them. Your ashes then enrich the soil beneath the tree and encourage it to grow. Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air around them, which means your ashes are directly reducing another person's carbon footprint.
These are just a few ways to change your future cremation service to a more environmentally-friendly version. Take the time to discuss these options with your family, and speak to your local funeral home if you want to obtain further eco-friendly ideas. Reach out to a funeral home service, such as Union Funeral Home-Lytwyn & Lytwyn, to learn more.