When we think about how we want to leave this world, many of us look for ways that align with our values and beliefs. For those of us who care deeply about the environment, natural burial offers a beautiful and eco-friendly way to honor our loved ones.
It’s a thoughtful approach that allows you to give back to the earth while celebrating a life lived. Whether you’re just beginning to explore natural burial or have already considered it, we’ll walk through what it truly means and why it’s a growing option in North Carolina.
Together, we’ll explore how this option supports both a personal farewell and the planet’s future.
Is “Natural” Burial the Same as “Green” Burial?
Understanding Natural and Green Burials
When we talk about natural burial and green burial, we’re essentially talking about the same approach, with both aiming to return the body to the earth in the most natural way possible.
Natural burial avoids the use of chemicals like embalming fluid, skips the burial vault, and focuses on burying a body in a biodegradable container directly in the ground. The intention is simple: conserve resources and minimize environmental impact.
While some may use the terms natural and green interchangeably, green burial often has a slightly broader focus on ecological restoration and sustainability, which is why it’s often tied to certified green cemeteries and conservation burial grounds. These burial sites work not only to reduce the environmental impact of death but to actively protect and restore natural habitats.
Green Burial Council and Certification
One of the most important aspects of a green burial is certification by the Green Burial Council. This organization ensures that green burial cemeteries and conservation burial grounds meet rigorous standards for protecting land and conserving natural resources.
For example, conservation burial grounds might maintain a conservation easement, which guarantees that the land will be preserved for future generations.
Both natural and green burials avoid using burial vaults and chemical embalming, supporting ecological restoration as part of the burial process. Whether it’s at a designated green burial site or a natural burial cemetery, you’re choosing to create a living memorial, a grave site that benefits both your loved one’s memory and the environment.
How Burial Locations Differ
The main difference between natural burial cemeteries and green burial grounds lies in how they are managed.
- Natural burial cemeteries allow for natural burials but may not be as strictly focused on ecological restoration.
- On the other hand, green burial grounds often serve a dual purpose, functioning both as burial areas and as protected lands that encourage the growth of native species and support wildlife. These spaces often ban the use of heavy equipment, opting instead for hand-dug grave sites to preserve the integrity of the land.
Some natural burial grounds are even designed as hybrid cemeteries, offering sections for both conventional and natural burials. This way, families can find a place that aligns with their personal values, whether they’re looking for a more eco-friendly option or a traditional burial for another loved one.
Eco-Friendly Choices for Future Generations
Both natural and green burials are part of a larger movement to conserve resources and protect the environment for future generations. By choosing these eco-friendly burial options, you not only reduce the impact on the natural world but also leave behind a space that can grow and thrive.
From natural boulders marking grave sites to the restoration of native plants and animals, green or natural burial becomes part of the earth’s cycle.
Whether you opt for a natural burial site in a conventional cemetery or a certified conservation burial ground, the decision honors the earth and creates a lasting tribute to your loved one’s life.
Need some guidance to plan a green or natural burial? Whether you’re pre-planning or facing an immediate need, our team is ready to support you.
Contact us today to learn more about our green and natural burial options and how we can help you create a meaningful, eco-friendly farewell.
Green Cemetery and Conservation Burial Grounds
Exploring Green Cemeteries in the Triangle Area
If you’re considering a green or natural burial in the Triangle area of North Carolina, you’ll be glad to know that several green cemeteries and conservation burial grounds are available within a 50-mile radius.
These burial grounds offer eco-friendly alternatives to traditional burial practices, allowing us to honor our loved ones while protecting the environment.
In green cemeteries, the focus is on preserving the natural landscape and avoiding the use of harmful materials like embalming fluid, burial vaults, or outer burial containers. This way, the human body returns to the earth naturally, leaving a positive legacy for future generations.
Conservation Burial Grounds Near the Triangle
Conservation burial grounds take green burial a step further by actively working to restore and protect the land. These burial areas are often located on conservation land, where bodies are buried in biodegradable containers that allow the remains to decompose naturally. The burial grounds are protected by conservation easements, ensuring the land is preserved for future generations.
- Historic Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh offers a dedicated section for natural burials. “In the Spring of 2016, Oakwood Cemetery opened Mordecai’s Meadow, a green burial section located in the North West section of Oakwood Cemetery.. Oakwood is returning to it’s roots, and offering a burial option that looked much like the original burials here at Oakwood in the 1860s.”
- Bluestem Conservation Cemetery in Hillsborough provides one of the area’s most respected conservation burial grounds. The focus is on ecological restoration, ensuring the land remains a natural sanctuary for the future.
- Carolina Memorial Sanctuary – in Mills River, NC, offers a beautiful conservation burial ground focused on sustainable, natural burials, allowing for the land to remain as a natural habitat.
- Pine Forest Memorial Gardens – in Wake Forest, NC, offers a green burial section focusing on environmentally sustainable practices. Located near the Triangle, this cemetery provides natural burial options where the body is returned to the earth in a way that conserves natural resources.
- Maplewood Cemetery – in Durham, Maplewood Cemetery has a designated section for green burials. It offers eco-conscious options without the use of embalming fluids, burial vaults, or other environmentally harmful practices. Maplewood’s ash scattering garden is also being enhanced to serve as a peaceful, conservation-oriented area, further supporting the green burial movement.
- Beechwood Cemetery is another option in Durham. The city has approved a plan to include a green burial section within Beechwood, offering families environmentally sustainable choices. This hybrid cemetery allows for both conventional and natural burials, supporting diverse cultural and environmental preferences. The green burial section is expected to provide 50-60 natural burial plots in an upcoming expansion project.
Benefits of Green Cemeteries and Conservation Burial Grounds
One of the essential aspects of a green or conservation burial is the protection of the natural world. These burial grounds are designed to conserve resources, minimize disruption to the land, and even support wildlife.
By choosing a green cemetery or conservation burial ground, we ensure that the land is protected from future development and native species can flourish in a way that honors both the past and future generations.
For example, wildflowers and native plants often grow over the grave sites, creating a beautiful, living memorial to the loved ones buried there. The use of heavy equipment is minimal, keeping the burial area as close to its natural state as possible.
Final Resting Place Options for Green Burials
Whether you’re considering Bluestem Conservation Cemetery or another green burial ground near the Triangle, the options for final arrangements are diverse. Green burial sites offer space for both whole-body burials and cremated remains.
For those opting for cremation, a green cemetery can still provide an eco-friendly option, with ashes placed in a biodegradable container and returned to the land. Some families may also choose a living urn, where the remains are used to nourish a tree, creating a living tribute.
By making these thoughtful decisions, you help ensure that the land is preserved and that the burial process contributes to ecological restoration. This way, we not only honor our loved ones but also give back to the earth in a meaningful way.
Renaissance Funeral Home Offers Green Burial
At Renaissance Funeral Home and Crematory in Raleigh, NC, we believe in providing burial options that honor both your loved one and the earth.
Our green burial services embrace simplicity, returning the body to the soil in the most natural way possible without the use of harmful chemicals or burial vaults.
Natural Burial Options
We offer biodegradable caskets and shrouds that allow the human body to return to the earth naturally. This approach minimizes environmental impact, supports ecological restoration, and provides a meaningful way to say goodbye.
Green Burial Locations
We work closely with certified green burial grounds, including Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh and Pine Forest Memorial Gardens in Wake Forest. Both locations offer serene environments where nature thrives, creating a lasting tribute to your loved one’s life.
These cemeteries are certified by the Green Burial Council, ensuring the highest sustainability standards.
Why Choose Green Burial?
Green burial is more than a funeral choice. It’s a commitment to conserving resources and protecting the environment for future generations. Families often find comfort in knowing that this final resting place allows for the natural cycle of life to continue uninterrupted.
Our Natural and Green Burial Services Include:
- Professional Services
- All Necessary Paperwork
- Transfer of Deceased to Our Care
- Natural Care and Preparation
- Biodegradable Casket or Shroud
- Visitation and Funeral Same Day
- LIVE Streaming Funeral Service
- Hearse to Cemetery
- Graveside Service
Get Started With Us
At Renaissance Funeral Home, we are here to guide you through each step of planning a green burial. Whether you’re pre-planning or facing an immediate need, our team is ready to support you.
Contact us today to learn more about our green and natural burial options and how we can help you create a meaningful, eco-friendly farewell.
