Going Green With Cremation Services

Climate change, global warming, and carbon emissions…we hear those terms all the time. As our planet continues to suffer from the threat of permanent damage, many people are stepping up to do their part to help protect our world. A posthumous, non-traditional way to help the environment is through cremation services in Boston, MA. A lot of people never even think about burials’ environmental impact, but a few small changes to funerals and services can go a long way.

One of the main benefits that cremation services have over traditional funeral services and burial is environmental impact. Traditional, full service burials have considerable negative impact on the environment. One of the biggest ones is loss of habitat. A recent statistic from the Centre for National Burial states that 10 acres of cemetery holds almost 20,000 tons of vault concrete, 1000 tons of casket steal, and enough wood to build over 40 full-sized homes. All that material leaves little room for animal and plant life. Not to mention loss of land that could otherwise be used to grow food or build homes.

Cremation can be a much greener choice than burial these days, thanks to lots of modern advancements in the cremation process. However, there are still some downsides to cremation in terms of the environment. Standard crematoriums burn a lot of natural gas, and therefore release lots of greenhouse gases and chemical vapors that can harm the atmosphere.

Not to mention that to fully dehydrate a human body to bone and ash, a crematorium has to be fully heated to at least 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, and maintain the heat for a minimum of 45 minutes. This process releases a lot of carbon dioxide, and uses up a lot of fossil fuel. But, new technology and more fuel-efficient crematorium centers have greatly reduced these negative impacts.

There are ways you personally can make cremation even greener. Some of these include:

• Get a biodegradable urn. Many people chose to bury their loved one’s ashes after cremation. While urns and ashes take up less space than a full-size grave, urns slow down the decay process and may negatively impact the surrounding earth. Choose a biodegradable urn to better protect the local ground.
• Remove and recycle all medical materials. Remove and recycle medical devices and parts, like pacemakers, before cremation. Burning said parts can release harmful gases and produce non-biodegradable ash.
• Get a green cremation container. Cremation providers generally require bodies to be in a rigid, consumable, and leak-proof casket for the cremation process. Burning these caskets can give off noxious gases and fumes, if you chose a bad one. When picking out your cremation casket, look for one made of non-toxic and renewable material.

Take control over you’re Boston, MA cremation services when it comes to small, potentially greener choices so you can feel good about your body disposition in terms of the environment. If you have questions about how you can make body disposition greener, reach out to Middlesex Cremation by visiting 106 Middlesex St, North Chelmsford, MA 01863, or calling (978) 622-1234.