Are There Suitable Memorials That Will Be Environmentally Friendly?

Choosing a suitable memorial for an environmental activist can be a daunting process. Environmentally friendly tombstone are available to serve as a memorial for someone who cherished the earth during life, but may be difficult to find. The goal is to find a tombstone that does not use significant amounts of non-sustainable resources, or that will simply biodegrade many years afterwards. Making matters even more difficult are cemeteries that only allow a narrow range of tombstone materials.

In the United Kingdom, there are tombstone manufacturers that have developed a composite plant material tombstone that over many, many years will eventually biodegrade into the ground where it is placed. Burial spaces are becoming problematic there, because there is simply a lack of space and growing need for more of it. Alternate burial formats and practices are being considered simply because cemeteries are quickly running out of space.

Actually, tombstone materials are controlled in many cemeteries. Cemetery managers are concerned about the appearance of their cemetery grounds. There is a definite preference toward keeping a uniform look to the property, and each property favors a particular appearance. When considering appropriate tombstones for a loved one, there may only be a few choices of traditional materials available for sale. These choices are invariably expensive.

Faced with high burial costs and a growing concern for the environment, many people are looking at green burials as a better way to deal with the end of life. Cemeteries are now available where burials may only be accepted with simple pine boxes or even cloth shrouds as the options. To mark burial places in these cemeteries, family members may plant a tree or group of trees, or they may choose a native rock, bush or flowers.

It is not uncommon for family members to find a burial site at a green cemetery using electronic tracking devices. Tracking chips included during internment help family members to locate the plot later on. This modern system assumes that no tombstone will be needed. But, family can choose to use a flat rock or flat tombstone marker to identify the exact spot as long as the natural environment is not disrupted.

Many professional tombstone engravers will say that they consider a large stone to be the most green tombstone they can possible engrave. Their view is that stones are part of the earth. They enjoy engraving stones to serve as what they believe to be the best environmentally friendly tombstone available.