Humans have been using the burial rituals since ages. They’ve become so entrenched in the religious systems that very few people take the time to question them. Scientific research says that the process of placing corpses into caskets is not at all environment-friendly. There are many toxic chemicals that go out into the environment through embalming of a dead body.
The burial process also takes a toll on the funeral workers. They’re prone to many potential hazards as they have direct involvement in the rituals. Maintenance of the memorial plots or cemeteries also places a lot of stress on land and water. As a result, more eco-friendly alternatives are becoming popular today. People are increasingly realizing how harmful the typical burial services are.
Embalming of a dead body is quite common across most parts of the United States. Most of us have grown up watching the burial process and having a nice casket and stone marker. However, these are the very things that make burials expensive. Besides, they don’t help the environment in any way.
Toxic chemicals in conventional burials
A slowdown in the process of a dead body’s decay is possible through embalming. The idea of preserving the body for a ‘viewing’ service is not bad. The real cause of concern is the use of chemicals for this purpose. These chemicals are usually very strong and toxic.
Some of the toxic chemicals used in the process are menthol, formaldehyde, glycerin, and phenol. As a result of conventional burials, about 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde are released into the environment.
People use many valuable resources for conventional burials
In just a year, the amount of casket wood that goes under the earth equals 4 million acres of forest. This fact is enough for people to stay away from the burials. The materials in caskets are usually wood, bronze, steel, copper, and other resources that can be quite useful. There are people who end up spending enormous amounts on caskets. Once they’re placed in the ground, they’ll never be used again.
Conventional burial occupies too much space
When you are going past a local cemetery, you’ll notice that it always looks full. According to research, the total area of all the cemeteries in America put together is 1 million acres. This must raise a concern among people about the destruction of lands, especially forests. One wonders whether there’s still room to bury more people.
Natural burial is the best
More number of individuals are getting to know the negative effects of conventional burials today. This is why most of them are opting for cremation. Although it’s still not the best choice, it’s definitely better for the environment than a burial. There are reasons why cremation is still not the best choice for the environment. The burning of bodies releases gases like sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Many other heavy chemicals are also released into the air by the burning bodies. The most eco-friendly way to be buried, therefore, is natural burial. This would be an upcoming trend in the process of burials. It is the best way to make sure that the body is decomposed in nature. It gets the nutrients back to the earth and the environment benefits from it to a great extent.
