Green Funerals 101 – Breakdown of Green Funeral Expenses
By M. Kotch
The term “green funeral” means different things to different people. And while it’s true that it can cost a lot less than a traditional funeral, green doesn’t automatically mean cheap. After all, natural burials often take place in woodlands or natural grounds; the land can be more expensive but the overall cost is often lower. Depending on which part of the U.S. you live, a green funeral costs between $1000 and $3500, but can go up many thousands (just as a traditional funeral can).
To further understand what a natural burial financially entails is the following breakdown of green funeral expenses.
• Basic fee: A funeral home (green or otherwise) will obtain the remains, prepare the remains for burial, contact the deceased’s doctor and take care of obtaining a death certificate. More and more funeral parlors are responding to the public’s interest in eco-friendly burials by adjusting their services to include chemical-free options. In the New England area this basic fee typically costs $1500.
• Burial site: Location and natural habitat determine the cost of a plot of land for green burials. Cemeteries are also offering natural sections on site. But prices vary dramatically; in New Hampshire, for example, a green plot can cost just $500 while a plot in Maine’s natural woodlands costs $5000.
• Refrigeration: Since chemical embalming fluids are not used in green funerals, maintaining the remains until the day of the burial may require refrigeration and/or using dry ice (depending on the temperature and time of year). This costs around $200.
• Casket: Here’s where you’ll notice the biggest difference in cost. Traditional caskets often contain treated wood and reinforced steel. Green burials by definition require caskets made of renewable, natural materials that are less expensive. Choices for eco-friendly caskets include:
o Cardboard: which can cost as little as $50
o Banana stalk: imported from Asia
o Pine: ranging from $100 to $500
o Bamboo: This more expensive option costs $1000
• Transportation fees: This cost doesn’t vary much from what a funeral parlor charges for transporting the remains during a traditional funeral. The fee is $300.
• Service at the burial site: Cemeteries do not charge mourners for attending burials. They will only charge you for the purchase of the plot of land. A green cemetery, however, may charge extra for attending the actual burial. This is because green plots are often far away from cities/congested areas and require coordinated staff efforts to coincide on particular dates. Also, natural burial sites aren’t closed off in the same way that many cemeteries are. The cost for this service is $350.
A few things you should know: this article did not touch upon cremation because while experts agree that the practice is far less harmful to the environment (due to the fact that it introduces fewer foreign and non-renewable materials to nature) than a traditional funeral, it is by no means completely green. The fact remains that the process requires burning fossil fuels, i.e. a lot of energy—not green according to environmental purists.
Furthermore, as you approach planning an eco-friendly funeral, be sure to check with different funeral homes in your area for a breakdown of expenses and to determine specific pricing. As with any other major expense, it is always a good idea to compare prices before committing to the funeral service provider that best suits your needs.
Source included:
Dennis Kohane from http://www.negbs.com/
