A dying flower sits on a log showing the environmental impact of death

Environmental Impact of Death

Thinking about the environmental impact of death might not come naturally, but the choices we make can leave a lasting footprint. This section explores how traditional practices like traditional burial and cremation affect the planet, as well as eco-friendly alternatives such as green burial and newer technologies. You’ll also learn about the social and environmental costs of items like flowers and caskets—helping you make thoughtful, sustainable choices when the time comes.



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What Is the Environmental Impact of Death?

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After Death: Environmental Impact of Death

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After Death: Environmental and Social Impact of Flowers

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The Undertaking, Life Studies from the Dismal Trade

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What Are Some Alternatives to Imported Flowers for a Funeral or Memorial Service?

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What is Green Burial? An Interview with Joe Sehee

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Where Can I Buy Sustainable Flowers?

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What Is the Environmental Impact of Flowers at a Funeral or Memorial Service?

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What Do We Need to Know About Green Caskets?

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Is the Liquid Remaining After Alkaline Hydrolysis Safe for the Environment?

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What is natural organic reduction and how does it affect the environment?

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What Is Alkaline Hydrolysis?

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What Is Being Done to Minimize the Impact of Death on the Environment?

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How Do Green Burials Minimize Risks of Contamination to Groundwater and Soil?

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The New Immortality: Shifting Attitudes About Death, Our Bodies and the Environment

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How Does a Decomposing Body Affect the Environment?

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How Do Crematories Minimize Mercury Emissions?

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Does the U.S. Regulate Cremation Emissions?

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How Embalming Cultures Accidentally Prevented the Coffin Birth Phenomenon

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What Is the Impact of Burying Cremated Remains?

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How Much Energy Is Used in a Cremation?

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What Is the Environmental Impact of Cremation?

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How Can I Minimize the Environmental Impact of My Death?

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Thanks” by W.S. Merwin

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Can Recycling Metal Implants Offset the Environmental Impact of Death?

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How Do Headstones Impact the Environment?

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Death is a commingling of eternity with time; in the death of a good man, eternity is seen looking through time

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What Health Hazards Do Embalmers and Funeral Workers Face?

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Is Embalming Fluid Harmful to the Environment?

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Why Are Hardwood Caskets Bad for the Environment? Aren’t They Biodegradable?

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“Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death”

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Is the Steel and Concrete Used in Burials Bad for the Environment?

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Environmental Impact of Death: Additional Resources

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