Missouri and Kansas residents opting out of traditional burials
KSNF/KODE Joplin, MO – A recent survey found that residents in the Four States area are looking at nontraditional burials for themselves and family members.
A Choice Mutual survey showed Arkansas residents and Oklahomans favored “Natural Organic Reduction” or human composting while Missouri and Kansas residents leaned toward a “Green Burial.”
The key to a “Green Burial” is that the process skips embalming and uses biodegradable caskets or shrouds.
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Approximately 19% of 6,000 Americans surveyed in the Choice Mutual survey choose a “Green Burial” over a traditional one. Other states showed their individuality. For example, Mississippians’ top pick was a “Mushroom Suit” and Oregonians chose “Memorial Reefs.”
A nontraditional funeral is eco and budget-friendly.
“We have done several unconventional burials,” said Jeff Brown, co-owner of Brown-Winters Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Miami. “Nontraditional burial practices start on both coasts and eventually come into the center of the country.”
In America, the cost of a funeral is a significant concern for many people. This worry stems from the high expenses associated with funeral arrangements, which can include charges for services like embalming, casket purchase, funeral director fees, and the cost of a burial plot or cremation.
The National Funeral Directors Association reported that a traditional funeral costs roughly $10,000, whereas a cremation costs nearly $6,000.
The cost for an environmentally friendly funeral in Oklahoma is substantially more inexpensive than a traditional funeral which can run between $8,000 to $10,000.
Jeff Brown, co-owner of Brown-Winters Funeral Home and Cremation Service
Brown said sometimes a family will choose to have the body refrigerated instead of traditional embalming.
“We have also performed a tree pod with cremated ashes burials,” Brown said. “The tree can either be a seed or a sapling.”
“Green embalming, which is without using formaldehyde, is better for the environment,” Brown said.
Some families will use a biodegradable casket or urn, which decomposes into the ground. Another practice is to use an urn made of salt and the ashes decompose into the dirt, he said.
“We don’t place a headstone with these types of burials,” Brown said.
“We’re observing a significant shift in end-of-life preferences as people seek to leave a lasting, positive impact on the planet”, says Anthony Martin from Choice Mutual.
Martin said people want to connect with the earth and leave a legacy that honors both environmental values and personal beliefs.
Eco-friendly options offer a way to say farewell that aligns with the principles people lived by, ensuring that their final footprint is as green and meaningful as the life they led, he said.
Preferred Alternative Burial Options
Green Burials
Natural Organic Reduction
Tree Pod Burials
Memorial Reefs
Mushroom Suits
Aquamation (Alkaline Hydrolysis)
Space Burials
Click here to read about each method.
