🌳 Green burials + the “death industrial complex”

This email is a bit of a curveball, as you might hear “death industrial complex” and think I’m going to be ranting writing about how the healthcare system is incentivized for Americans to be sick. While that’s true, it is not the focus of today’s newsletter. Instead, I want to talk about something deeply meaningful to me based on my experience of my mom’s death nearly 4 years ago: funerals and burials. 

Like many things in our modern world, we have normalized a culture around burying our loved ones that emphasizes intensive intervention and high costs. Practices like embalming, purchasing elaborate caskets (and placing those caskets inside of concrete vaults), and applying makeup to our loved ones’ bodies are commonplace, and up until I faced my mother’s impending death, I didn’t know there were many other options. 

In my journey with my mother and family to find a “final disposition” path that aligned with my mom’s values, we were able to learn about the option of “natural burials” or “green burials.” A green burial is an environmentally friendly form of burial that forgoes embalming chemicals, non-biodegradable caskets, and concrete vaults, allowing the body to decompose naturally and return to the earth. 

My mom chose to have her body be placed directly into the ground in a hand-dug hole in a forest grove at one of California’s few natural burial grounds. The experience of knowing that my mother will disintegrate and reintegrate into the earth on a natural timeline, re-infuse the earth with her atoms and energy, and be part of the natural cycle of matter is deeply comforting to me and was a part of my healing process. 

In this newsletter, I want to explain a bit about the Western funeral industry and why it is a big business that benefits from people thinking that natural options are fringe, weird, or dishonoring of their loved ones.  I also share other options that are available to people for a more natural resting place. Like so many aspects of our society, our options for more natural living - and dying - are hidden in plain sight. 

The decision of how to rest after death is deeply personal to families and individual cultures and there is no one “right” answer. The intention of this newsletter is to shed light on the path my family took and why it was so meaningful to me. 

A look inside the funeral industry

The modern funeral industry is estimated to be a $20 billion per year industry. Modern funeral industry’s practices—including embalming, elaborate caskets, and vaults—have become so normalized that few of us question their necessity or cost. Yet, the numbers can be staggering. A traditional funeral in the U.S. costs an average of $7,000–$12,000, a sum that often strains families emotionally and financially. Embalming alone can add an extra $500–$1,000, and while it’s a deeply ingrained ritual, embalming is rarely legally required. 

Embalming is a preservation process in which a chemical solution, typically containing formaldehyde, is injected into the body to temporarily delay decomposition by replacing bodily fluids and sanitizing tissues. Formaldehyde is a carcinogenic chemical that is bad for people who handle it and the environment. The history of embalming is ancient - dating back to the Egyptians - and techniques expanded in the US significantly around the time of the Civil War when soldiers’ bodies were preserved for transport, a practice that led to its popularization in civilian contexts. This shift gave rise to a growing industry. 

If you want some evidence of the death with a industry, take a look at this graphic from PR Newswire: 

Natural and green burials

One of the alternatives to the traditional path is the natural or “green” burial. Instead of embalming and traditional caskets, green burials return the body directly to the earth, often in biodegradable containers or a simple shroud. They avoid chemical preservation, emphasizing simplicity and eco-friendliness. Advocates of natural burials highlight that these practices honor the body and earth simultaneously, allowing for an unimpeded return to the soil and avoiding many of the toxins and pollutants associated with standard burials. In some green burial grounds, “simplicity is strived for with no grand burial vaults or upright grave markers being permitted.” It’s about returning to nature, simply.

Natural and green burials offer a chance to align end-of-life practices with values of sustainability, simplicity, and respect for the natural cycles. This can provide a meaningful way to honor life, allowing loved ones to leave a smaller environmental footprint. The cost of a green burial is significantly less than a traditional burial.  According to Fox, “traditional funerals cost $12,000 on average. The price of a natural burial runs between $3,000-$5,000 for the plot and funeral director. Direct cremation is the cheapest at around $1,500.”

13 wild statistics about the funeral industry

1. Average Funeral Costs: A traditional funeral with a viewing and burial averages $7,848, but the total can exceed $9,000 when including a burial vault, required by many cemeteries (National Funeral Directors Association, NFDA)​ Choice Mutual, Seniors Mutual

2. Publicly traded Funeral Companies: According to Rok Financial, “80% of funeral homes are privately owned and 20% are publicly owned. The three publicly-listed companies in the United States are Carriage Services Inc., Service Corporation International, and Stonemor Partners L.P. Service Corporation International owns an estimated 15%-16% of the funeral services market.” According to other sources, there are 24 publicly listed death care companies on stock exchanges worldwide.  

3. Cost of Embalming: Embalming, a common procedure in traditional funerals, costs about $775 on average, although it’s not legally required in most states.  Dignity Memorial

4. Casket Costs: The price of a metal casket is about $2,500 on average, contributing significantly to total expenses. Some elaborate caskets can cost over $10,000. Seniors Mutual

5. Optional Costs Add Up: Funeral homes often offer additional services like hair styling, makeup, and cosmetic preparation of the body, adding about $275 on average to the bill​.  Choice Mutual

6. High Regional Variability: In Hawaii, funeral costs average around $14,975—the highest in the U.S., while in Mississippi, they are significantly lower at around $6,684​. Seniors Mutual

7. Cremation Costs: Although generally less costly, a cremation with a viewing and funeral service still averages $6,280, which is often only slightly lower than burial options​. Dignity Memorial

8. Basic Services Fee: Funeral homes charge a “basic services fee,” typically around $2,300, to cover overhead costs like planning, administrative services, and facility use. This fee is usually non-negotiable and applies whether you choose burial or cremation​. Dignity Memorial

9. Transportation Fees: Transferring remains from the place of death to the funeral home averages about $350, and a hearse for transportation to the cemetery can cost an additional $350​. Choice Mutual, Seniors Mutual

10. Cemetery Plot and Headstone: Cemetery plots and headstones, which are often not included in basic funeral costs, can add $700 to $10,000 to the final expenses​.  Choice Mutual

11. Rising Industry Profits: The U.S. funeral industry generates about $17 to $20 billion annually, with over 25,000 employees nationwide. This profitability underscores the commercial nature of many common practices​. 

12. FEMA is involved: Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced in early 2021 that FEMA would provide financial aid for funeral expenses for families of COVID-19 victims. With $2 billion in federal funds, New York State alone was allocated $260 million to help cover burial costs averaging around $7,000. This measure aimed to alleviate the financial burden for families who lost loved ones during the pandemic, with eligible families able to claim reimbursements for funerals held as far back as January 2020. 

13. Costco sells caskets. ⚰️

Where to learn more

If you or your family are interested in learning more about natural burials or considering this option, here are some helpful resources:

• Global Green Burial Alliance

• Green Burial Council Certified Cemeteries

• Destination Destiny 

• Green Burial Cemeteries through Steelmantown Cemetaries 

• Books: "The Green Burial Guidebook" by Elizabeth Fournier (I have not read this book)

With good energy 💓 

Dr. Casey