For a long time, cremation has been the go-to answer for families who want something simple and affordable. But it’s not the only option — and for many people, it’s not even the most meaningful one. Green burial offers a different kind of simplicity: not scattering or storing ashes, but returning a body directly and naturally to the earth.
If you’re weighing the two, here’s an honest, side-by-side look at what each option actually involves.
The Quick Comparison
| Green Burial | Cremation | |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost | $1,000–$4,000 | $1,000–$3,600 (direct); $3,000–$8,000+ with a service |
| Uses chemicals? | No embalming | No embalming (for direct cremation) |
| Environmental impact | Low — no vault, no metal, biodegradable materials | Moderate — energy-intensive process, releases carbon emissions |
| What remains | The body returns to soil naturally | Cremated remains (ashes) |
| Physical resting place | A gravesite in a natural landscape | Ashes kept, scattered, or interred separately |
| Ceremony options | Full range — graveside, memorial, place of worship | Full range, typically separate from the cremation itself |
Cost: Closer Than You’d Think
Cremation has a reputation for being the “cheap” option, but the real numbers tell a more nuanced story.
Direct cremation — no service, no viewing — nationally runs <cite index=”41-1″>around $2,202 on average</cite>, though prices vary widely by state and provider. Add a memorial service, and cremation packages commonly run <cite index=”44-1″>$3,000 to $5,000, with full-service cremation reaching $4,000 to $8,000 or more</cite> once embalming, viewing, and a ceremony are included.
Green burial, by comparison, typically falls between $1,000 and $4,000 total — plot, natural marker, and burial services included. In other words: once you add a meaningful service to cremation, green burial is often the same price or less — while also giving your family an actual place to visit, something ashes alone don’t always provide.
Environmental Impact: Not as Equal as People Assume
Cremation is often framed as the “green” choice, but it’s more accurate to call it the less harmful choice compared to conventional burial — not a low-impact one on its own. Cremation requires significant energy to reach the temperatures needed to process a body, and it releases carbon emissions and trace airborne particulates in the process.
Green burial, on the other hand, skips the energy-intensive process entirely. There’s no embalming, no manufactured casket, no concrete vault, and no combustion. The body is simply allowed to decompose naturally, in a protected landscape designed to stay wild rather than developed.
If minimizing environmental impact is the priority, green burial is generally the lower-impact choice of the two.
What You’re Left With, Emotionally
This is the part cost comparisons tend to miss.
Cremation gives you portable remains — flexible, but abstract. There’s no single place to return to, unless the family chooses to inter the ashes somewhere.
Green burial gives you a place. A gravesite along a trail, marked by a natural stone or a memorial tree, set inside a living landscape that continues to grow and change with the seasons. For many families, that physical place — somewhere to walk to, sit at, bring flowers to — becomes part of how they grieve and remember.
Neither is “more correct.” It genuinely comes down to what will bring your family peace.
Can You Combine the Two?
Yes. This is one of the more overlooked options: cremated remains can still be buried in a green cemetery, often beneath a memorial tree planted specifically for that purpose. It’s a way to keep the simplicity and lower cost of cremation while still giving your family a physical place to return to — the best of both, in a lot of ways.
How to Decide
A few questions worth sitting with:
- Do you want a physical place to visit? If yes, green burial (or cremation with tree burial) is likely the better fit.
- Is minimizing environmental impact your top priority? Green burial has the lower footprint of the two.
- Is portability important — moving with remains, splitting them among family members? Cremation offers more flexibility here.
- What would your loved one have wanted? Sometimes this is the only question that matters.
There’s no wrong answer. The goal is finding the option that feels most true to the life being honored.
Explore Both Options at Morgan Oaks
Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve, in Placer County, California, offers both green burial and cremation with memorial tree planting — so you’re not locked into one path before you’ve had the chance to see what feels right. Our team brings over 30 years of land conservation experience and walks alongside families through every decision, without pressure.
If you’d like to talk through your options or see the grounds in person, call us at (833) 667-4266 or visit 421 Fleming Rd, Lincoln, CA 95648.
Curious what a green burial actually costs, in detail? See our full green burial cost breakdown. Want to understand the basics first? Start with what is green burial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is green burial more expensive than cremation? Not necessarily. Direct cremation alone can be cheaper, but once a memorial service is added, cremation often costs about the same as green burial — or more.
Can I have a green burial after cremation? Yes. Cremated remains can be buried in a green cemetery, often paired with a memorial tree.
Is cremation bad for the environment? It’s less harmful than conventional burial, but it still uses significant energy and produces emissions — it isn’t a zero-impact option.
Does Morgan Oaks offer both options? Yes — full-body green burial and cremation with memorial tree planting are both available.
