Cremation is significantly more environmentally friendly than a traditional burial. It does not require a casket or use of land for burial. It also skips embalming, which uses chemicals to preserve the body for viewing ceremonies or open caskets.

However, cremation services in Phoenix require energy and produce some emissions. The Cremation Association of North America estimates the typical cremation consumes about the same amount of energy as a one-way car trip from Phoenix to Las Vegas or San Diego.

Regardless, there are options you can choose to make cremation even greener.

Choice of Materials

A large part of the carbon footprint in end-of-life arrangements has to do with the materials used, such as a casket for burial, a cremation container, or a decorative urn. You can reduce your environmental impact with cremation and by making a few choices.

For example, you can choose cardboard containers, for cremation, that use recycled products or bamboo. Bamboo is a natural resource and will also burn cleaner than cardboard due to a lack of chemicals used in the production process.

Biodegradable Urns

You can opt for biodegradable urns or even urns that act as planters for growing trees or flowers. These urns are made of natural plant fibers and include material that helps fertilize the surrounding soil to create a more suitable environment for trees to grow. Seeds are planted in the urn.

Biodegradable urns will decompose naturally in a short time with little impact on the environment. Green urns are also available, made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials like rock salt, cornstarch, and sustainability-produced paper products.

Scattering Remains Rather Than Storing Them

If you decide you want to scatter the remains in a meaningful location, you can skip the urn altogether. Licensed crematoriums will return the remains to you in a temporary container—usually a cardboard box or plastic container—reducing your carbon footprint even more.

Alkaline Hydrolysis

You may have heard about alkaline hydrolysis, also known as water cremation. This process uses water and an alkaline solution along with heat to decompose bodies naturally. It uses significantly less energy and can be discharged into wastewater safely.

Currently, 28 states have legalized this process. Arizona authorized alkaline hydrolysis in 2023. However, the only current listings for water cremation in the Phoenix area are for pets rather than humans.

Human Composting

Although not technically cremation, human composting is another environmentally friendly alternative. Also called natural organic reduction, the body decomposes naturally over a 45-day process, turning into soil that is rich in nutrients.

Like cremated remains, many families chose to scatter or plant the soil or have it sent to local conservation sites for land restoration projects. This process is carbon neutral and is currently only offered by select providers in:

• Gila County, about 100 miles northeast.
• Coconino County in the Flagstaff area, about 145 miles to the north
• Cochise County, about 200 miles southeast of Phoenix

Body Donation and Cremation Services in Phoenix, AZ

You can also play an important part in medical science with a whole body donation. In Arizona, United Tissue Network (UTN) is the only non-profit organization that coordinates body donations for medical science. Donated bodies are used to train medical students and surgeons, test medical devices, develop new drug therapies, and study disease progression.

Body donation is a selfless act that can improve the lives of countless others and serve as a lasting legacy for you or your loved one. It fits the concepts of sustainability and eco-friendliness by reducing the need for additional burial resources while advancing medical knowledge in a way that benefits future generations.

Some research also contributes to sustainable medical practices. For example, scientists can study the impact of biodegradable implants that provide temporary support to patients with weakened tissue to aid healing, or the development of eco-friendly treatments.

In many cultures and religious traditions, giving back to society even after death is considered a noble and selfless act. In some Buddhist and Hindu philosophies, for example, the body is seen as a temporary vessel, and donating it for the greater good aligns with the principle of dāna, or selfless giving. In other cultures and religions, contributing to the well-being of the community is a core belief, and making body donations is a way to honor that legacy.

From a sustainability perspective, body donation can be seen as a way to minimize environmental impact while maximizing human benefit.

Learn more about your eco-friendly options with whole body donation and no-cost cremation services in Phoenix, AZ. Call UTN’s Donor Coordinators at
(877) 738-6111.