A Graveyard Forest

Many are reluctant to think about death, an admittedly uncomfortable subject. The usual traditions after death include funeral services and burials, though some cultures practice cremation. Recently, green burials have arisen as an eco-friendly alternative to such practices. They center around breaking down a body in a simplistic but sustainable way, avoiding the usage of chemicals. This concept entails placing the body in an “organic burial pod” made of biodegradable plastic that can decompose the body or ashes into a tree. In contrast, burying a person in a casket traps them in a steel case that harms the soil, leaching heavy metals over a period of time.

The transfer from human to tree begins with the individual choosing a type of seed to plant. Afterward, the seed is planted above the burial pod and then stored underground. As the tree grows, the plastic deteriorates, causing the body’s nutrients to leak out and support the plant’s growth from a young sapling until maturity. Our bodies contain multiple nutrients that plants need to grow, including nitrates—which help with protein development—and phosphates—which help with photosynthesis and energy production.

The idea of green burial pods was first developed by Italian designers Raoul Bretzel and Anna Citelli in 2003, who both sought organic burial practices as an alternative to caskets and cremation. Caskets made out of metal, which make up the majority of cemeteries, are composed of carbon steel—an alloy of regular steel that possesses, as the name suggests, a higher carbon content than regular steel as well as higher concentrations of manganese. Steel already has high resistance to wear and tear, but with the hexagonal compact structure of metals such as manganese, as well as circular carbon rings, the decomposition of carbon steel can take anywhere from 50 to 500 years. Even if these metals were to decompose, it would intoxicate the soil with heavy metals, damaging plant root systems and slowing rates of photosynthesis, which stunts growth.

Cremation has the same problem. Though the cremation process is far more environmentally friendly, as it does not produce as many heavy metals with the exception of mercury, it releases an extremely toxic chemical: formaldehyde, which is used for preservation of the dead. When formaldehyde undergoes a combustion reaction or is exposed to oxygen in a burning furnace, the reaction produces water and carbon dioxide as well as a tiny bit of gaseous formaldehyde. Not only is carbon dioxide the main contributor to global warming, but contact with formaldehyde gas can also lead to severe burns of the eyes and skin. Formaldehyde can cause breathing problems and asthma in elderly people as well, posing a threat to human health. Furthermore, this causes more stress on plants, leading them to thicken their leaves and overwhelm the nutrient distribution.

Yet many states are struggling to transition from caskets to burial grounds due to outdated laws in current cemeteries. For one thing, cemetery land relies on land acquisition, which needs funding. Green burial movements are struggling to acquire land, as casket burials and cremation are much more prevalent and therefore receive the majority of funding. Cemeteries also require road paving and fencing, which are both degraded practices that green burial cemeteries wish to avoid. However, legislation is slowly catching up, receiving support in Congress, which aids to focus the spotlight on human composting. Green burials also provide an economic benefit due to the dramatic “discount” that green burial has in comparison to traditional burials. Green burials can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 dollars, which is considerably less than funeral costs, which can cost up to $10,000. If the bill gains a majority of the popular vote, it indicates that there is an agreement that human remains can be used for the purpose of “soil accelerators.” That is, being buried to improve the quality of soil and even one’s wallet.

A few years from now, a tree will be more than just a tree. That tree will be the remnants of a person, watching over lands of environmentalist prosperity. As the economic and environmental benefits of green burials are recognized, the practice will continue to expand, replacing the detriments of a traditional burial with a tree. Soon, death may no longer be such a morbid topic after all. Instead, we will live on and thrive as a new form of life, becoming one with our planet.