People are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of climate change. Depending on where you live, you may have experienced the changes first-hand, such as record setting temperatures in Arizona, extreme wildfires and drought in California and the west, and an increasing number of hurricanes in the southeast. Even though people’s awareness is growing, it still feels like anything we try to do has such a small impact that we wonder if it’s even worth it.

​A vast majority of people are buried in a traditional cemetery when they die. In every town across the country, there are both small and large plots of land that are dedicated to this very purpose. While not every cemetery is maintained as well as others, the cost of maintenance can be significant, both in terms of finances and environmental; there are various other costs associated with cemeteries as well. 

As the nation’s population grows, and as more and more land is needed to build homes and house the population, can we reasonably expect to continue burying people in the ground?

What is the Difference Between a Green and Traditional Burial?
For anyone who isn’t familiar with what a green burial is, some distinguishing features of a natural burial include:

• No embalming fluids are used to preserve the body
• Burial plot is located on naturally preserved grounds rather than in a cemetery
• The body is wrapped in a shroud rather than dressed in clothing
• There is no need for a casket or burial vault

The Costs of a Green Burial
When you choose a green burial, a significant benefit is the fact that you can forego many of the superfluous items associated with a traditional burial; however, there are some costs that go into a green burial, including:

• The Burial Plot – $1,000 - $4,000
• Burial Clothing – $150 - $400
• Burial Vessel – $150 - $1,600
• Death Certificate: $10 - $40
• Flowers – $100 - $300
• Service – $150 - $300

Total: $1,560 - $6,640

With a green burial, the biggest expense is often the plot itself, which will depend on where the plot is located, the endowment fees for the natural area, and other factors. The burial clothing is often a shroud made of a biodegradable material, but if you choose traditional clothing made of biological materials, that could increase that cost. Many people do choose a burial vessel or casket, but it is made of bamboo, cardboard, or other natural material rather than treated wood or metal. There are also other miscellaneous costs involved if you choose, such as an officiant who can speak at the service, flowers, and other items to personalize the ceremony.

The Costs of a Traditional Burial
Some of the costs associated with a traditional burial, which takes place in a cemetery and typically involves working with a funeral home, include:

• Cemetery Costs – $2,500 - $4,500
• Casket – $2,000 - $5,000
• Burial Vault – $500 - $2500
• Headstone & Installation – $100 - $5,000
• Funeral Home Services - $2,000 - $8,000

Total: $7,100 - $25,000

Cemetery costs can be further broken down into service fees and the opening and closing of the grave (digging the plot and covering it back up). Funeral home services include things like transfering the remains, preparing the body, transportation rentals, and other items. The cost of a traditional burial can vary greatly depending on the location and materials and items chosen.

Choose EverAfterly For Your Green Burial Plot
Ultimately, the cost of a green burial is considerably less than a traditional burial. At EverAfterly, the burial plots at our Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve ranges from $900 to $3,360, depending on whether you want a full plot or a cremation plot. Whichever you choose, we are passionate about protecting our environment for future generations, and providing a final resting place you can feel good about. 

Learn more about EverAfterly, and contact us if you have any questions.

The dangers of climate change are becoming more and more clear, and its effects on our planet are becoming more frequent, from bigger storms to more damaging forest fires. States like California, Texas, and Colorado are no strangers to the massive impacts of wildfires. With these impacts on our environment, people are looking for ways to help protect our planet for future generations; one of those ways is through green burials. 

A green, or natural burial is when someone is buried using sustainable, biodegradable materials. The body is wrapped with a cloth shroud and is simply placed directly into the ground. Traditional burials use chemicals to preserve the body, the body is placed in a casket, the casket is placed in a burial vault, and the cemetery uses resources to maintain the appearance of the grounds – all of which can have a significant impact on the environment. A green burial bypasses all of these harmful materials, chemicals, and practices and allows the body to return to nature and become a part of the earth. 

​Even though our clothes will degrade far faster than many other products, like water bottles, synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and spandex can still take 20 to 200 years to decompose. If you’re interested in a natural burial in order to protect our environment, you will want to be buried in materials that can break down faster and are made of natural fibers. Common natural fibers used in green burials are cotton, hemp, linen, and silk. These materials can be used as a shroud in which the body is wrapped.

Although caskets are not a common practice for natural burials, they can provide a type of comfort for those wanting a burial that in some way resembles a traditional service. In traditional burials, caskets are commonly made of treated wood with metal fasteners and varnishes or stains (chemicals) to give them a high-end appearance. These can be harmful to the soil and take significantly longer to decompose. There are also metal caskets, which do not decompose at all. For a natural burial, you can choose a casket that is made of hemp, untreated wicker, bamboo, willow, or even cardboard.

Natural burial plots are areas where nature is given the opportunity to thrive on its own. There may be some management of the land, but only minimal work is done and sustainable, natural methods are used to keep the area safe and protected. Cemeteries, on the other hand, require significant maintenance to keep the property well maintained. This can be done through the use of fertilizers, excessive watering, grass mowing, and more. ​

EverAfterly is passionate about preserving the land and protecting our environment for future generations. Our natural burial plots are essentially nature preserves that are beautifully restored using sustainable land management practices. 

Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve is located in Placer County, and is a beautiful space filled with trees, natural grasses, and wildflowers. When you choose EverAfterly, you’ll get GPS coordinates for your plot so that family members and friends can locate your body and visit you just like a traditional cemetery. If you’re looking for a natural way to be buried, our team is here to help you find your perfect final resting place. Get in touch with our team today to learn more.

It can seem like there are a lot of regulations about how someone can be buried when they die, from the use of embalming fluids to working with a funeral home to what the body needs to be buried in and where. And while there are some regulations that funeral homes, cemeteries, and local municipalities have, people often have more freedom than they believe when it comes to their end-of-life burial decisions. 

A common question that people ask is, “can a body be buried without a casket?” A casket is one of the more expensive components of a traditional burial, so it’s no wonder that people are looking for ways to avoid this expense. The good news is that there are alternative burial options, including a green or natural burial. So in short, yes, you can be buried without a casket. However, there are a few considerations.

State’s Laws and Cemetery Regulations

While green burials are allowed in all states, each state has slightly different requirements. In most cases, it’s the specific cemetery that has regulations that need to be followed, especially those pertaining to concrete vaults. A burial vault is a container typically made of concrete that is placed in the ground and houses the casket. The purpose of a vault is to ensure that the ground above the plot doesn’t settle as time goes by. It also protects the structure of the casket from dirt and animals and when a grave needs to be excavated nearby.

If you wish to be buried in a traditional cemetery, they may require a vault, but it is possible to be placed directly into the vault rather than a casket. However, this isn’t a common practice as it makes it difficult to have a viewing service and burial ceremony. If you do wish to have a viewing service and want to be buried in a cemetery, but do not want the expense of a typical casket, another option is to use another material for a green casket, such as hemp, cork, wicker, or cardboard. There are no requirements pertaining to the type of material a casket is made of.

Working With Your Funeral Home

The funeral home you choose will provide a wide variety of options that you can consider, and they will do what they can to ensure your wishes are met. This includes both traditional casket burials and green burials.

Alternative Burial Options If You Don’t Want a Casket

Like mentioned above, there is an option to be buried in a variety of materials. As each cemetery may have its own rules, you will need to work with them to determine what your options are.

A burial method that is growing in popularity is a green or natural burial. With a green burial, the body is wrapped in a biodegradable material and placed directly into the ground. A body can be buried on private property as well, but always check with your local zoning laws and it is still required that you work with a funeral home. 

EverAfterly Offers Green Burial Services

There are many green burial grounds across the country as well, including Northern California. EverAfterly offers several natural burial locations, including Whispering Pines in the Sierra Mountains, Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, and Morgan Oaks in Placer County. Our compassionate team can ensure that your burial wishes are met, whether that’s a green burial or cremation. Learn more about the burial services we offer, and get in touch with us today if you have any questions.

Using embalming fluids when someone dies has been done for over a hundred years, so it can’t be that bad, right? However, the more you know about embalming fluids, the embalming process, and the effects it has on the environment, the more you may want to reconsider how you are buried when the time comes.

If you’re planning for how you want to be buried, here are a few things to know about embalming.

What Are Embalming Fluids?

Even though they’re commonly referred to as fluids, which sounds harmless, they are a mixture of chemicals and preservatives. Embalming fluid contains formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, methanol, and other solvents. In 2011, the US National Toxicology Program described formaldehyde as "known to be a human carcinogen." Glutaraldehyde is also used as a disinfectant and fixative. Methanol is a volatile, flammable liquid chemical. These chemicals can be incredibly harmful when someone is exposed to them, even just their fumes. After deconstructing embalming fluids, that alone might be enough to cause people to reconsider a traditional burial.

What is the Embalming Process?

The embalming process is essentially two steps: replacing bodily fluids with embalming fluids and cosmetically preparing the body for viewing. First, blood and other fluids are removed through the veins and then replaced with an embalming solution, which is also done through the veins. Second, gas and fluids found within organs in the chest and abdomen are removed and replaced with embalming fluids. This occurs through a small incision in the abdomen. Then, the body is prepared with some makeup, hair is styled, and the body is dressed.

The Effects of Embalming Fluid on the Environment

As you can imagine, placing chemicals into the body may also have a negative effect on the environment once the body is placed into the ground. According to an article in the Berkeley Planning Journal, over 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid are used each year. And, as the body decomposes (embalming fluids only delay decay, not prevent it entirely), these chemicals are released from the body and can reach the surrounding soils. The Berkeley journal goes on to say that the surrounding soils have higher concentrations of copper, lead, zinc, and iron, which are materials used in the construction of caskets. 

When you add up the square footage of all of the cemeteries across the nation, it’s clear that traditional burials and the use of embalming fluids cannot be good for the environment.

Choose a Cleaner Burial – EverAfterly Offers Green Burials in Northern California
​
EverAfterly offers alternative burial options, including green burials and cremation burial plots. We offer several natural burial locations in Northern California, including Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, Whispering Pines in the Sierra Mountains, and Morgan Oaks in Placer County. 

Our green burial sites are essentially nature preserves that are protected and restored through the endowments provided by those laid to rest on the property. Our team is passionate about helping preserve our environment for future generations, and also allowing people a more natural and safe way to be buried. Our environment is a delicate ecosystem and traditional burial practices are placing an incredible amount of stress on that system. We hope to provide people with an alternative option, one that is safer, and that allows nature to truly thrive. Learn more about our mission at EverAfterly, and contact us with any questions you may have about green burials.

​If you are going through the estate planning process or a loved one has passed away, you may be looking into what options are available regarding the burial of your body or the deceased. While the most popular option is a traditional burial that involves working with a funeral home, a casket, burial vault, and cemetery, more and more people are choosing a green burial.

What is a Green Burial?

The purpose of a green burial is to help preserve the environment, avoiding the use of non-renewable resources. A green burial typically consists of the body being wrapped in a biodegradable shroud and being placed directly into the ground where it can naturally decompose over time. 

Another option that is more eco-friendly than a traditional burial is being cremated. While the furnace that is used for cremation is typically fueled by natural gas, there are generally no embalming fluids used (although you can be embalmed and then cremated in order to provide a funeral service with a viewing). The cremated remains can then be interred into the ground rather than using a casket, or they can simply be scattered into the wind or even out at sea.

Do All States Allow Green Burials?

The good news is that all states allow green burials. However, depending on the state you live in, you may want to check local zoning regulations before burying a body on private property. In addition, if the deceased body needs to be transported from one state to another, there may be local laws that regulate what needs to be done to the body before it is transported. 

Who Can Prepare Burial Plans?

Because a funeral service doesn’t need to be involved with green burials, anyone can prepare the body for burial and put together plans for the burial service. However, healthcare facilities often require the person who has been designated the Durable Power of Attorney to handle funeral or burial arrangements. The designated Durable Power of Attorney can complete any paperwork and documentation. They will request the death certificate and prepare for transportation of the body. ​

Religious Burial Customs

Even though traditional burials are a common practice for a majority of people, one factor that can play a part in the decision is their religion. The Jewish culture has always had green burials for their deceased and the body is wrapped in a white shroud (tachrichim) and placed in a pine coffin. In the Islam culture, the body is buried as quickly as possible after death so there is no wake or viewing service. In both the Jewish and Islam faith, it is important to wash the body thoroughly. With Christian and Catholic faiths, traditional burials are more common. At one point cremations were not allowed in the Christian faith, but that rule has become more relaxed.

Choose EverAfterly For Green Burials in Northern California

If you live in the Northern California area, EverAfterly offers natural burial plots that are preserved through restorative land management techniques. We are committed to helping families ensure that their burial wishes are met, whether you want to be cremated or want a traditional green burial where there are no chemicals used and only renewable, biodegradable materials are used. 

Located in California, we offer three different green burial preserves, including Whispering Pines in the Sierra Mountains, Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, and Morgan Oaks in Placer County.. We have years of experience helping families plan for a green burial and can help with cremation services, scattering ashes at sea, and traditional natural burials. The plots have GPS coordinates so loved ones can find exactly where your body has been placed, and we offer a variety of natural urns for interring ashes. 

To help protect our environment for future generations, reach out to the EverAfterly team to learn more about green burial laws or regulations in California.

When most people think about how they want to be buried, the most popular method today is a traditional burial with a casket and cemetery. However, cremation is becoming more popular, and green burials are becoming more well-known and common. We all know what a traditional burial service consists of, but you may not know as much about cremation and green burial services. 

What is a Green Burial?

Before we dive too deep into what the service involves and what options are available, let’s take a brief look at what a green burial is. With a green burial, the emphasis is on protecting the environment and choosing a burial practice that is sustainable. Rather than using embalming fluids to preserve the body, a casket, burial vault, headstone, and traditional cemetery, a green burial focuses on simplicity. Minimal materials are used and those that are used are biodegradable and natural. The body is simply wrapped in a shroud and placed directly into the ground where it will naturally decompose over time. In addition, the burial plot is located on grounds that are often naturally preserved rather than using a cemetery that requires various resources to maintain. 

Green Burial Service Options

Cremation Burial


Although it’s not quite as environmentally friendly as a natural burial (allowing the body to naturally decompose in the ground), cremation is still a more sustainable and eco-friendly option than a traditional  burial. With a cremation, a crematory uses a special type of furnace called a retort that reduces the body to its most basic elements. The cremated remains are then placed in an urn. The urn can be interred in a variety of places, including a cemetery, an urn garden, a columbarium, on private property, or in a green burial plot. You can learn more about cremation burial services here.

Scattering Service

Another service option for cremated remains is to scatter the ashes. While this method can be difficult for remaining loved ones who wish to have a specific place for them to visit the deceased, it allows the body’s remains to be truly set free. Cremated ashes can be scattered at sea, in a forest, an open field, or somewhere that holds special meaning for the deceased. There are few official laws regulating where ashes can be scattered unless you plan to scatter ashes at sea. Ashes can even be scattered in National parks, although some require permission. It’s generally a good idea to request permission if you wish to scatter the ashes on private land.

Eternal Memorial Tree

If you truly want to help protect the environment through your death, there is an option to grow a tree, plant, or flowers from the cremated remains. With a living urn, your remains will be placed in the container and you can choose your favorite tree or plant to grow. The living urn container is 100% biodegradable and comes with a special additive to offset high pH and sodium levels in ash so a healthy tree can thrive. The memory of your loved one will live on in the life of a tree that gives back to the environment. Learn more about the eternal memorial tree here.

Traditional Green Burial Interment

With cremation, the retort is typically fueled with natural gas. If you want a natural burial and to avoid any chemicals or gas completely, you might consider a traditional green burial, which is when your body is allowed to naturally decompose in the ground. Laws pertaining to burying a body on private property vary by state, or you can work directly with a green burial service. When you choose a green burial and work directly with a service, there is no need to plan the burial through a traditional funeral home service. Learn more about the benefits of green burials here.

Choose EverAfterly For Your Green Burial Services in Northern California

EverAfterly offers several green burial services, including scattering the remains at sea, natural burial plots, and living urns. It is our mission to help protect our environment and ensure that your green burial wishes are met. We offer three burial plot preserves, including Whispering Pines in the Sierra Mountains, Howell Mountain in Napa Valley, and Morgan Oaks in Placer County. All of our natural burial preserves are protected through land management techniques that allow nature to thrive. If you’re interested in green burials, get in touch with the EverAfterly team today.

​Even though it’s not something that’s often on our minds, we are all faced with the fact that our bodies will die. And while we all realize this, planning for our deaths is still a difficult journey and it can be emotionally challenging thinking about what you want to do with your estate and even your body, let alone going about making those plans. 

One of the biggest decisions that we all need to make is how we want to be buried. Traditionally, bodies are prepared for a funeral service and then are placed in a casket and buried in a cemetery. However, with a growing concern and awareness surrounding the health of the environment, people are looking for alternative burial options. A burial practice that is growing in popularity is a natural burial, or green burial. 

What Are Traditional Burials?

To truly understand what a green burial is, it’s important to take a closer look at traditional burials and all that they entail. A traditional burial commonly involves:

• Embalming Fluids: Embalming fluids is a mixture of chemicals (formaldehyde, methanol, and others) used to preserve the body after death until a service can be held.
• Casket: Used to hold the body, caskets are typically made of treated wood and metals or even solid metal, as well as fabric materials to line the inside.
• Burial Vault: Typically made of concrete, burial vaults are placed in the ground and are used to hold the casket, prevent the ground surrounding the casket from sinking, and to keep insects out of the casket. 
• Cemetery: Our bodies are then placed in the ground in a cemetery, most of which are regularly maintained with sprinklers, lawn mowing, and other tasks.
• Headstone: Headstones are used to mark gravesites. They are commonly made of granite, marble, other types of stone, or even steel. 

The combined use of all of these materials can make traditional burials a considerable burden on our environment. And when you take the hundreds of thousands of people who die each day in the US, the resources used for these burials is astounding. 

What is a Green Burial?

Now that you know a little more about what a traditional burial entails, let’s look at what a green burial is. The sole purpose of a natural burial is to minimize, if not eliminate completely, the use of chemicals and materials that do not decompose naturally or take hundreds of years to decompose. When comparing the four common elements of traditional burials with a green burial process, it’s easy to see the difference and the benefits that green burials have on our environment.

There Are No Embalming Fluids

With a natural burial, no chemicals are used to preserve the body. Instead, the body is kept cold in order to preserve it until a burial can take place. Without the use of chemical embalming fluids, there is no risk of them releasing from the body and entering the soil as a contaminant.

There is No Casket

To reduce the use of treated materials like wood or metals that do not decompose, a natural burial uses only a biodegradable shroud in which to wrap the body. A casket can be used for the burial, but should be made of a biodegradable material like cardboard or bamboo. The body is then placed directly into the ground. The shroud is typically made of cotton, hemp, linen, or bamboo and will naturally decompose much faster than even untreated wood. Cotton decomposes in around five months, while even untreated wood can take years to decompose.

There is No Burial Vault

Without the use of a casket, there is no need for a burial vault. The use of concrete is a significant source of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas. So, eliminating the use of concrete vaults is incredibly beneficial for the environment.

The Body is Interred in a Natural Burial Plot

Rather than being buried in a cemetery which requires regular upkeep in order for them to look presentable, with a green burial the body is buried in a naturally preserved plot where trees, grasses, and wildlife can thrive. This reduces the need for water to keep the grass green, gas for lawnmowers, and the time and money it takes to maintain a cemetery.

There is No Headstone

The purpose of a green burial is to eliminate the use of materials that do not decompose quickly, and to leave the environment in a natural state, so headstones are not used to mark a gravesite. 

Choose EverAfterly For Your Green Burial

The team at EverAfterly is committed to preserving our environment for future generations. We realize how destructive traditional burial practices can be on the environment, and so we have established green burial plots in Northern California. We offer several plots, including Morgan Oaks Preserve in Placer County, Howell Mountain Preserve in Napa Valley, and Whispering Pines Preserve in the Sierra Mountains. All of our natural preserves are protected and restored through the endowments provided by those laid to rest on the property. We use conservation-minded land management techniques to ensure that nature has the freedom to do what it does best.

One of the biggest concerns that we hear from our customers is that they won’t be able to visit their loved one's grave. Without the use of a headstone, finding their resting spot can be nearly impossible. However, the EverAfterly team has designed a Digital Legacy software that allows loved ones to know the exact location of the burial plot. The software features a plot locator so that you can find the site on a map so friends and family can visit the location.

If you’re planning what to do with your body after you pass, and want to help preserve our environment, consider a green burial with EverAfterly. You can rest assured that your body will return to the earth and help support the surrounding environment. If you have any questions, you can visit our FAQ page, or feel free to reach out to our team and we’ll get back to you shortly.