Pennsylvania Green Burials
Sustainable End-of-Life Choices
Green burial, sometimes referred to as natural burial, provides families with an eco-friendly substitute for traditional cremation and burial methods. We at Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Inc. are pleased to provide families in Pennsylvania with full green burial services that honor their lifelong dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
The idea of "green burial" is not new; it has been used for thousands of years by cultures all over the world. Its significant environmental advantages and the rising number of families looking for end-of-life options that are consistent with their ecological values are what make it more and more relevant today. Every green burial gives families a heartfelt, respectable way to pay tribute to their loved one's memory while also advancing our mission to protect and restore our sacred planet.
What Is Green Burial?
Green burial is a method of burying the deceased that has little effect on the environment. It supports the restoration and preservation of natural habitats, lowers carbon emissions, safeguards worker health, and helps conserve natural resources. Without the use of concrete vaults, metal caskets, or chemical embalming techniques, a green burial returns the deceased's body to the earth in a natural way.
Green burials emphasize natural decomposition and simplicity, in contrast to traditional burials that use a lot of resources and generate waste for the environment. By burying the body in naturally decomposing biodegradable materials, the remains can feed the soil and encourage the emergence of new life. This cycle of returning to nature and continuing to contribute to the living world after death holds great significance for many families.
Environmental Benefits of Green Burial
Conventional burials consume enormous resources—roughly 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid are buried annually in the United States. Green burials completely get rid of this waste.
Because green burial doesn't use formaldehyde or dangerous embalming agents, it doesn't contaminate soil or groundwater. It drastically lowers manufacturing emissions and resource consumption because it doesn't require concrete vaults or metal caskets. Compared to traditional burial, the streamlined procedure consumes a lot less energy. Most significantly, green burial promotes habitat restoration by creating natural burial sites that serve as ecological preserves.
Green Burial Services Offered by Buffington-Reed Funeral Home, Inc.
We offer comprehensive green burial services:
- Green Burial Council Certified Caskets – Renewable Northeastern hardwoods with no metal parts and biodegradable glues and finishes, meeting rigorous environmental standards.
- Green Burial Council Certified Shrouds – Simple linen and cotton shrouds offering dignified alternatives to caskets.
- Formaldehyde-Free Embalming – Non-toxic alternatives when preservation is desired before the funeral service.
- Natural Burial Ground Coordination – Relationships with approved Pennsylvania natural burial grounds with coordination and paperwork assistance.
- Custom Green Burial Variations – Customized services within environmental guidelines.
- Personalized Green Funeral Services – Meaningful funeral or memorial services before green burial with readings, music, and personal tributes.
Planning Your Green Burial
Our skilled funeral directors walk you through the entire process of organizing a green burial. We talk about your preferences and environmental values, assist in choosing a suitable natural burial site, go over your options for a casket and shroud, respond to all of your inquiries, and handle all the arrangements.
Prior to your green burial, we can assist in organizing heartfelt funeral or memorial services that honor your loved one's life and dedication to the environment. We design events that reflect the values of your loved one and the desires of your family, whether you're looking for a traditional ceremony, a modern celebration of life, or a small family get-together.
We offer...
- Green Burial Council certified shrouds.
- Green Burial Council certified caskets.
- Assistance with coordinating and setup with Natural Burial Grounds.
- Formaldehyde-free embalming.
- Green Funerals
- Green Cremation Services
*Custom variations of green burials are available for the convenience of all families
Green Burial Options
A natural burial (or green burial) is a simplified and natural way of returning the body to the earth. Natural Burials are low-impact, use less energy, and consume fewer resources than traditional burials. 'Going green' often does not involve embalming and is instead focused on making more natural choices, such as simple, biodegradable caskets.
If you have decided upon natural burial in a green cemetery, then you'll choose a naturally finished casket made of biodegradable materials or a simple shroud. Some green cemeteries require that the selected casket, urn, or shroud be made from materials that are biodegradable, non-toxic and harvested in a sustainable manner.
Green Burial Caskets
These caskets are constructed of renewable Northeastern hardwoods, contain no metal parts and use only biodegradable glues and finishes. They are approved by the Green Burial Council and are suitable for burial or green cremation. Green caskets are designed to move the funeral and burial process to a greener and more human-centered place. We can only achieve this through continuous attention to the environmental impact of our products and practices and by attentively listening to our clients' ideas for meaningful ceremony.
What is Green Burial?
Green burial is a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.
