New Yorkers Are Ditching Coffins for Green Burials

Do you know what's uncomfortable but unavoidable? Thinking about your own funeral. In the past  it was about burying or cremating, but times have changed and New Yorkers are all about green burials now.

So, what's a green burial? Well, it's all about skipping the embalming process and using biodegradable caskets. The idea is to let your body decompose naturally and go back to the earth, without harming the environment.

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Here's the thing! New Yorkers aren't sticking to just plain old green burials, they're getting creative. It may be creative but it could leave you feeling squirmy. I know it made me squeamish.

Tree Pod Burial

Tree Pod Burials is where your body goes into a biodegradable pod and gets buried in the ground. A tree is planted on top, and as you decompose, you become food for the tree.

Human Composting

Human composting is a fancy term for natural organic reduction. Your body goes into a special vessel with wood chips and straw. Over a few weeks, you decompose naturally and turn into nutrient-rich soil.

Memorial Reef

If you're more of a water person, Memorial Reefs might be right up your alley. They mix your remains with eco-friendly cement and it becomes artificial coral reefs. Those reefs help out marine life and coral ecosystems.

Mushroom Suits

No, it's not about wearing a suit made of mushrooms. It's about being buried in a biodegradable suit that has mushroom spores. Yeah that's better!  The mushrooms help decompose your body and get rid of the toxins.

Space Burial

Your ashes get sent into orbit. This wasn't top of the list in New York probably because they worry about space debris but it's an option for cosmic souls.

Why are New Yorkers getting rid of traditional ways of being buried? Well, cost is a big factor. between caskets, service fees, burial vaults, and all the rest. New Yorkers figure that going green is good for the environment and better on the wallet.

This may sound surprising but 72% of New Yorkers support their relatives' decisions to choose other burial methods. It's about celebrating personal beliefs and making a green choice that doesn't cost a lot of green.