Are you considering a greener alternative for your end-of-life wishes? It seems that more people are now engaged with the environment and are looking for eco-friendly options in many life choices. This article explains how to arrange a green burial in Atlanta.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), a recent survey indicated that 54% of Americans would consider a green funeral. By all accounts, there has been a shift in funeral trends over the last decade. A move away from expensive, traditional funerals and towards greener, simpler, and more affordable funeral alternatives.
A traditional funeral would cost (on average) around $7,848 (NFDA) without any cemetery costs included. More families struggle financially to meet funeral expenses in today’s economic climate, and cremation has gained popularity in the last 10 years.
Cremation was considered to offer a ‘greener’ alternative to traditional burial. And it is way more affordable. A typical direct cremation service costs between $895 and $3,000 in and around Atlanta.
Why opt for a green funeral or natural burial in Atlanta?
But why this changing shift towards natural burial options? The environment and the climate crisis have been a growing concern in society, especially over the last few years. The big shift towards cremation has, I believe, been positioned to us by the funeral industry as it still gave them some power and control over our death-care options. We needed a cheaper alternative to expensive traditional funerals.
But now, more Americans are considering the carbon footprint of a cremation. And if there is a more natural, and less detrimental option for disposition, we are open to consider it.
In 2017, a study conducted at the request of the City of Paris found that traditional burials generate, on average, 833 kilograms (or almost 1 ton) of carbon dioxide, nearly the equivalent of a round-trip flight between Paris and New York. Cremation produces an average of 233 kilograms (500 pounds). A natural ‘green’ burial can eliminate the majority of emissions, and if combined with replanting trees and natural vegetation, can even help to reverse greenhouse gases.
What is considered a green funeral or natural burial?
The concept of a natural burial is to lay the body to rest, returning to the earth in a natural state of recomposing. No embalming fluids are used to preserve the body. After death, the deceased can be kept on dry ice or in refrigerated storage until the burial can proceed.
The body is buried in a simple biodegradable wicker casket, a simple pine box (with no metal), or even just a burial shroud. There are no concrete vaults. A burial plot is dug, and the body is laid to rest.
Some green burial sites are nature preserves where trees or local shrubs are planted to help regenerate and conserve. Natural burial sites and conservation burial sites offer the ‘true’ future of natural, organic death care. However, many existing traditional cemeteries in Georgia have added a green division to their grounds to appeal to the growing demand for green burial. These are what are known as hybrid cemeteries.
To learn more about green burial sites and memorializing a natural burial, visit the guide to green funerals on US Funerals Online.
Natural burial vs. Cremation
Direct cremation costs around $1,000, and a green funeral starts at around $2,000. If you employ the services of a funeral director, there will also be a professional service charge to add to the natural burial plot fee. However, as Georgia allows families to conduct their own home funeral or DIY funeral care, you do not necessarily need to employ a funeral director.
How much does a green burial cost in Atlanta, GA?
A green burial can save you money on funeral costs. Typically, a green burial will save you 40% of the cost of a traditional burial. Our affiliate green funeral provider in Atlanta charges $1,895 for a green burial service. This does not include the burial container, but a range of biodegradable caskets and shrouds are available.
If you have questions about arranging a green burial,
Please call us at (770) 954-6424, and we will gladly assist you.
Where can I have a green burial in Atlanta?
There are two bespoke Natural Burial sites around Atlanta: Milton Fields in Milton and Honey Creek Woodlands in Conyers. Eco-Eternity Forest is also north of Atlanta in Dahlonega, but only cremated remains can be interred in the forest.
Milton Woods was established in 1984 by Jim Bell on 17 acres. The meadowland has a capacity for 4,000 burial plots, and burial plot prices start at around $1,695.
Honey Creek Woodlands is a 2,300-acre nature preserve in Conyers operated by a Monastery. A burial plot here costs $2,500.
You can pre-purchase a burial plot at either green burial site with a small down payment.
I have been researching and writing about the death care industry for the past fifteen years. End-of-life services and experiences are topics most people avoid thinking about until they must face them. My work provides comprehensive and independent resources for families, explaining the workings of the funeral industry, the laws governing funeral practices, and the death care trends that impact consumers. With a BA in Cultural Studies, I bring a unique perspective to analyzing cultural death care rituals, complemented by a career background in Business Management. The death care industry is undergoing significant changes, which I find fascinating. The shift towards cremation services and the emergence of sustainable alternatives like aquamation and human composting are of particular interest. I am also intrigued by how technology is reshaping the funeral planning process and experience. I write for US Funerals Online and DFS Memorials LLC, and contribute to various forums and publications within the death care industry.
