These days, it’s more important than ever to consider how our actions impact the world around us. As we become more aware of the potential effects of what we do, it’s easier to make smarter choices. This can even apply to our final arrangements after death. Traditional burial comes with a host of issues that greatly impact the earth. However, if you opt for cremation services near Adelphi, MD, you can mitigate your negative impacts greatly.

One of the biggest issues that come with traditional burial is the number of resources that it uses. For one thing, it uses a great deal of land, and cemeteries are becoming more and more overcrowded. With cremation, you don’t even necessarily have to bury the remains at all. If you do, they take up much less space than a casket, and several different family members can be buried within a single burial plot. Secondly, consider all the hardwood and valuable metals that are used to construct caskets. It’s said that within an average cemetery there is enough hardwood to build an entire neighborhood’s worth of houses! Many tons of steel and copper are buried as well, to sit underground for centuries to come. None of these issues exist with cremation services.

Next, consider the chemicals that enter the ground with traditional burial. Many people are put through the embalming process, which uses toxic chemicals to slow down the decomposition process. When they are buried, these chemicals are buried with them. Additionally, many caskets have toxic chemicals sprayed on their exterior to improve their appearance and extend their life. These substances enter the ground as soon as the casket does. With cremation services, none of these harmful things are used. Even if the cremated remains are buried, there are no toxic chemicals involved.

With both cremation and traditional burial, there are more environmentally-friendly items coming onto the market. For instance, you can find biodegradable caskets and urns, which will naturally break down in the soil and will not leave any harmful traces. Biodegradable urns can be buried in the earth or at sea, and will not leave a negative impact on the environment. If you or your loved one are committed to living a “greener” lifestyle and lessening your footprint on the environment, there are plenty of ways to bring these values into your final arrangements.

All of this isn’t to say that cremation services are perfect. They do release harmful greenhouse gases into the environment, such as carbon dioxide, which have been shown to contribute to climate change. However, when compared with the overall impacts that traditional burial has, cremation services near Adelphi, MD, are clearly a more eco-friendly option. You can ask your funeral home and cremation service provider for more information, especially if you want to find out more about biodegradable and eco-friendly merchandise. They can help you make sure that your lasting imprint on the earth will not affect it in a negative way, and you can be at peace knowing you did all you could to protect your planet.