In recent times, there's been a rise in what's called "natural" or "green" burials — burial without a coffin or casket. The remains go into a biodegradable container, are buried, and quickly decompose. But just how quickly?
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00:00Traditions and practices of burial have changed. In recent times,
00:04there's been a rise in what's called natural or green burials — burial without a coffin
00:08or casket. The remains go into a biodegradable container, are buried, and quickly decompose.
00:14Some cultures believe that the body should be returned to the earth,
00:18and natural burials are a pathway to that return.
00:21And it's not only about the container. No casket often means no preservatives or embalming fluids,
00:27no tombs or concrete tomb liners, and no dressing the deceased in clothing made of
00:31non-biodegradable fabrics. It's a chance to be eco-friendly, even in death.
00:35All of this means the body will decay faster, but not as fast as you might think.
00:39The early stages of decomposition — rigor mortis, bloating, and putrefaction — happen
00:44within the first few days to months. After that, it's a gradual process no matter what,
00:48assuming animals don't get to the body to pick it clean.
00:51According to Live Science, a human body in a green grave is expected to skeletonize within
00:56five years. This may come as a shock, but embalming and casket burials don't prevent
01:00the human body from decaying after death. Decomposition kicks in fast, within four
01:05minutes after death. Embalming slows down that process, but it can't be stopped.
01:10How long will a man lie in the earth ere he rot?
01:14According to Titan Caskets, a body that's embalmed, sealed in a casket,
01:18and buried in a dry environment will slowly decompose down to bones, teeth,
01:21and hair over 10 to 15 years.
01:23Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.
01:33The material of a coffin and its lining could dry out the body and allow it to mummify,
01:37preserving it longer still. But no matter how long you try to stave it off,
01:41decomposition is going to happen. The body will do what it's always done.
01:45There are plenty of positives to going with a natural burial over the traditional method.
01:49Mourners still get the ceremony of laying a loved one to rest with the body intact,
01:53but anyone committed to environmentalism and good stewardship of the land will have
01:56their needs met as well. For those whose spirituality is rooted in nature — no pun
02:00intended — green burial may even result in a deeper, more meaningful funeral.
02:05And then there are the practical considerations. Funerals are enormously expensive.
02:09According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average cost of a funeral,
02:13including coffin, embalming, family visitation, and burial, comes to almost $8,000.
02:18By contrast, the Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage estimates the cost of a green burial
02:30is ranging between $1,000 and $4,000. The key word there, however, is burial. Getting the body
02:36to the burial plot, the ceremony, and anything else a bereaved want costs extra. Still, if a
02:41green burial is performed outside of a religious or other institutional tradition, the cost will
02:46likely come in at under $7,000. But before you commit to going out that way, you'll want to check
02:51the legal and regulatory situation in your area. It turns out that green burials aren't always
02:56welcome. The federal government doesn't regulate natural burials in the U.S., and there are no
03:01state mandates requiring a coffin as a prerequisite for having a burial. But four states — California,
03:06Georgia, Maryland, and Washington — require a grave to be at least three feet deep,
03:11and at a certain degree of distance from a water source, depending on the location.
03:14Not to mention that not all funeral homes are equipped to facilitate green burials,
03:18and each cemetery has its own rules for what they will and will not allow on their grounds.
03:23Green or not, all burials are becoming a thing of the past. By mid-century,
03:27it's anticipated that over 80 percent of deceased persons will be cremated rather than buried.