Most families don’t come to this choice as “environmental shoppers.” They come as people who are grieving, or planning ahead with love. When you compare green burial vs cremation, you’re really asking: what kind of goodbye fits this life, and what can our family realistically carry?
For many people, the goal isn’t “perfectly green.” It’s choosing eco friendly funeral options that feel aligned and doable—sustainable end of life options that your family can carry without stress or second-guessing. And because these decisions often land in the middle of grief, the most helpful approach is usually a steady one: understand the basics, ask a few clarifying questions, and choose what feels both meaningful and manageable.
Cremation has become the majority choice in the U.S. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the cremation rate is projected to reach 63.4% in 2025. The Cremation Association of North America reports a 61.8% cremation rate in 2024—evidence of how many families are seeking flexibility, simplicity, and cost control.
What “green burial” and “natural burial” usually mean
Green burial is an umbrella term, and natural burial is one of the most common forms of it. The Green Burial Council describes natural burial grounds as places designed to bury without “impediment,” typically avoiding toxic embalming, concrete vaults or liners, and non-biodegradable materials.
In plain language, natural burial usually comes down to a few core practices. First, toxic embalming is typically avoided, with refrigeration or dry ice used instead when timing requires it. Second, the burial container is designed to return to the earth—often a simple wood casket, a wicker-style container, or a natural-fiber shroud. Third, the burial ground itself matters: many green or natural cemeteries do not require a vault or liner, and they often prioritize land stewardship over manicured lawn aesthetics.
If you’re trying to understand what a cemetery will actually allow—and what “green cemetery requirements” mean in real life—Funeral.com’s guide to green burial and natural burial grounds is a steady place to start. For container options in particular, eco-friendly caskets and shrouds explains the difference between what families hope for and what cemeteries may require, which can save you time and frustration during funeral planning.
Green burial vs cremation: tradeoffs in everyday terms
A conventional burial can involve embalming chemicals, a hardwood or metal casket, and a concrete vault in a cemetery maintained like a lawn. A green burial removes many of those inputs. The environmental “benefit” is often about what you avoid: chemicals, long-lasting manufactured materials, and heavy infrastructure. For families who value a simple return to the earth, that simplicity can feel emotionally right as well as environmentally gentler.
Cremation typically avoids a grave and can feel simpler for families spread across states, but it requires energy. If cremation fits your family and your values, you still have options that may reduce impact. One is alkaline hydrolysis, sometimes called water cremation. The National Funeral Directors Association notes that alkaline hydrolysis consumes less energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases than flame-based cremation. Funeral.com’s guide to green cremation and alkaline hydrolysis walks through what families can reasonably expect, without hype.
What matters most is that “eco” doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. You can choose natural burial and still hold a traditional memorial. You can choose cremation and still plan a nature-centered ceremony afterward. The best plan is the one you can carry out with care, not the one that looks perfect on paper.
Costs and the question families ask out loud
If you’re wondering about money, you’re not alone. The National Funeral Directors Association reports 2023 national median costs of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with cremation, with a separate 2023 national median of $2,195 for direct cremation. Your region, cemetery fees, and service choices can move the total up or down.
So how much does cremation cost in practice? The biggest difference is whether you’re choosing direct cremation or adding a service like visitation, a church funeral, or a celebration of life. Funeral.com’s guide to how much does a funeral cost helps you see the common line items and where simplifying is most realistic. When families ask about green burial costs, the largest variables are the cemetery and whether a vault is required; asking for itemized prices is often the fastest way to compare options fairly.
After cremation: containers, rituals, and what to do with ashes
Once cremation is complete, families often shift from logistics to meaning: what to do with ashes, and what kind of container feels right. Some people want a single resting place. Others want to share. Many want a “for now” plan that can become a “forever” plan later, once the shock has softened and the family has had time to breathe.
If you’re considering keeping ashes at home, that’s common. NFDA reports that among people who prefer cremation, 37.1% would prefer to have their remains kept in an urn at home, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. For many families, home is simply where grief is held most gently.
From there, choices get practical. Funeral.com’s cremation urns and cremation urns for ashes collection includes full-size options across materials and styles. If your family expects to divide remains—often because children live in different places—small cremation urns and keepsake urns can make sharing simpler while still keeping one primary urn as the “home base.”
Some families prefer a wearable memorial. cremation jewelry can hold a tiny portion of ashes or another keepsake, and cremation necklaces can be a private, everyday way to carry someone close—especially during travel, anniversaries, or difficult milestones.
If your values lean toward simplicity and returning to nature, biodegradable options can fit beautifully. Funeral.com’s guide to eco-friendly urns and biodegradable options explains which materials are designed for soil burial versus water ceremonies, and the biodegradable urns for ashes collection includes options intended to dissolve or break down over time.
Water burial and scattering at sea
Families sometimes use “water burial” to mean placing a biodegradable urn into water, while “scattering” usually means releasing ashes so they settle onto the surface. If you’re planning an ocean farewell, federal rules can apply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that burial at sea in U.S. ocean waters under the general permit must occur at least three nautical miles from shore, and the EPA requires notification after the ceremony.
For the “how does this actually work?” side of planning, Funeral.com’s guides to scattering ashes at sea and what happens during a water burial ceremony can help you picture the day and avoid last-minute surprises, especially if you’re coordinating relatives, permits, and travel.
Human composting and natural organic reduction
Another option on the eco spectrum is human composting, also called natural organic reduction (NOR) or terramation. The National Funeral Directors Association describes NOR as a contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil, using a vessel with natural materials like straw and wood chips for roughly four to six weeks.
This option can feel deeply fitting for people who loved the outdoors, gardening, or conservation work. It can also be unfamiliar, and families may need time to talk through comfort levels and faith traditions. If you’re exploring NOR, ask what the provider returns to the family, how the material can be used locally, and what timelines and travel requirements apply. A good provider will answer plainly and will not rush you through the emotional parts of the decision.
What states allow human composting?
If you’re trying to figure out what states allow human composting, start with the legal map—but remember that rollout can lag behind legislation while licensing rules are finalized. Laws vary by state, and implementation may take additional time for licensing. A state list published by the National Funeral Directors Association (as of May 2025) shows NOR legalized in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York, Nevada, Minnesota, Arizona, Maryland, Maine, Delaware, and Georgia. In September 2025, the Associated Press reported that New Jersey became the 14th state to allow natural organic reduction.
If your state does not currently allow NOR, some families explore an out-of-state provider in a state where it is legal, with transportation and paperwork handled by licensed professionals. This can feel daunting at first, but many families find that a clear checklist—who files permits, who transports, what is returned, and when—makes it understandable. A local funeral director can often help you understand what is permitted and what documents are required, even if the disposition itself happens elsewhere.
If you’re honoring a companion animal, many of the same ideas apply. Families who choose cremation for a pet often want something small and close: pet cremation urns and pet urns for ashes, or more personal shapes like pet urns in figurine styles. In the earliest days of grief, a gentle, tangible memorial can be a surprisingly steady comfort.
Four questions that make planning easier
Eco decisions are usually simpler than they look—until a cemetery rule surprises you. During funeral planning, it helps to ask a few grounding questions early: Does the cemetery require a vault or liner, or are biodegradable containers allowed? If you do not embalm, what timelines and refrigeration options are available? Which costs are separate from the service package, such as permits, transportation, or grave opening and closing? And if you choose cremation now, can you place or bury an urn later, and what rules apply to that cemetery or memorial space?
There’s no single “best” answer to green burial vs cremation. The best choice is the one your family can carry out with care—emotionally, financially, and logistically—while still honoring the person at the center of it all. If you move slowly, ask for itemized prices, and confirm the cemetery’s rules in writing, you’ll usually feel more confident that your final decision is both respectful and truly yours.
