Every few weeks, another breathless article lands in our inboxes from state and national organizations, insisting that this is the “future” of funeral service.
We’ll say it again: Green Burial is nothing new. It’s the way Jewish and Muslim communities have been burying their dead for centuries — only now it comes with a marketing campaign and a higher price tag.
And the idea of a “Green Burial expert”? Please. Every licensed funeral director already knows how to arrange one. There’s nothing exotic or specialized about it. In fact, a colleague whose funeral home sits near a cemetery with a designated “green” section told us he’s thrilled when a family requests it. “It’s the easiest funeral I do,” he said. “No embalming, no technical work. I wish I had one every week.”
A word of caution: some funeral directors who loudly brand themselves as Green Burial “experts” also charge substantially higher prices for the exact same service any competent funeral director can provide. The “expert” label is often just a surcharge in disguise.
If you’re considering this option for yourself or a loved one, start with your own funeral director — the one you trust, the one who knows your family. They can explain the process clearly and without the sales pitch.
And do your homework on pricing. Cemeteries in the New York area that offer “green” sections — Green‑Wood, Sleepy Hollow, and others — charge substantially more for those graves than for traditional plots. The environmental language may be soft and soothing, but the price tag is anything but.
The Morte Girls 