When a loved one passes, one of the first questions families face is deceptively simple: burial or cremation? For decades, those felt like the only two choices. Today, a third option — green burial — is changing that conversation, especially for families who want their final choices to reflect a lifetime of caring for the planet.
At Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve in Lincoln, CA (Placer County), we hear this question often: “Isn’t cremation the eco-friendly option?” The honest answer is more nuanced — and it’s worth understanding before you make a decision that can’t be undone.
How Cremation Impacts the Environment
Cremation has long been marketed as the greener alternative to conventional burial, and compared to a metal casket, concrete vault, and embalming fluid, it often is. But cremation isn’t environmentally neutral:
- Fossil fuel use: A single cremation typically requires natural gas or propane burned at 1,400–1,800°F for two to three hours.
- Carbon emissions: Each cremation releases carbon dioxide roughly comparable to a 500-mile car trip, along with trace emissions of mercury from dental fillings.
- Energy intensity: Crematoriums consume significant electricity to run continuously, especially in high-demand regions like California.
Cremation is lower-impact than a conventional casket burial, but it still relies on burning fossil fuels and releasing emissions — it doesn’t return anything to the earth.
How Conventional Burial Impacts the Environment
Traditional burial carries its own environmental cost:
- Hardwood or metal caskets, many finished with varnishes and adhesives
- Concrete or metal burial vaults that prevent natural decomposition
- Embalming fluid, typically containing formaldehyde, a recognized carcinogen
- Manicured cemetery grounds requiring irrigation, pesticides, and fertilizer
None of these materials break down easily, and over time they can contribute to soil and groundwater contamination.
What Makes Green Burial Different
Green burial (also called natural burial) eliminates the two biggest environmental costs of conventional practices — chemical embalming and non-biodegradable materials — while requiring no fuel-burning process at all.
At a certified green cemetery like Morgan Oaks:
- No embalming chemicals are used, protecting soil and groundwater
- Biodegradable caskets or shrouds (untreated wood, wicker, cotton, or cloth) allow the body to return naturally to the earth
- No concrete vaults, so soil, microbes, and root systems can do what they’ve always done
- Low burial density — Morgan Oaks limits burials to a few hundred per acre, compared to nearly 1,000 per acre at conventional cemeteries — which allows the land to remain a living ecosystem
- Land conservation, not lawn maintenance — the grounds are preserved and restored as natural habitat rather than mowed, sprayed, and irrigated
In short, green burial doesn’t just reduce harm — it actively supports the land it’s part of.
Green Burial vs. Cremation: Side-by-Side
| Factor | Conventional Burial | Cremation | Green Burial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fossil fuel use | Moderate (manufacturing, transport) | High (fuel-burning process) | Minimal |
| Carbon emissions | Moderate | High | Very low |
| Embalming chemicals | Typically used | N/A | Never used |
| Materials | Metal/hardwood casket, concrete vault | Cremation container | Biodegradable casket or shroud |
| Land impact | High-density, chemically maintained | Minimal (no land needed) | Conservation land, restored ecosystem |
| Cost | Highest | Lower | Often the most affordable of the three |
Which Option Is Right for Your Family?
There’s no universally “correct” answer — the right choice depends on your family’s values, budget, and what feels meaningful. Some families choose cremation for practical reasons, such as relocating remains or reducing costs. Others are drawn to green burial because it aligns with a lifelong commitment to sustainability, offers a tangible place to visit and remember, and supports land conservation that benefits future generations.
If honoring your loved one and the earth both matter to you, green burial offers something cremation can’t: a living legacy. At Morgan Oaks, every green burial contributes to preserving open space in Placer County — land that will remain wild, protected, and meaningful for generations.
Learn More About Green Burial at Morgan Oaks
Morgan Oaks Eternal Preserve has spent over 30 years in land conservation, and we bring that same care to every family we serve. If you’re weighing green burial vs. cremation, we’re happy to walk you through your options, answer your questions, and show you the land in person.
Request a tour of Morgan Oaks today, or call us at (833) 667-4266 to speak with our team about green burial options in Placer County and across California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is green burial more affordable than cremation? Green burial eliminates the cost of elaborate caskets, vaults, and embalming, and at Morgan Oaks is often comparable to or more affordable than cremation with a memorial service, though pricing varies by site and service.
Can I have a funeral service with a green burial, like I would with cremation? Yes. Green burial is compatible with virtually any funeral tradition — a service at your place of worship, a funeral home, or onsite at Morgan Oaks.
Is green burial legal in California? Yes. California permits green burial, and Morgan Oaks operates as a licensed cemetery (COA 667) in Placer County following all applicable state regulations.
