Green Burial
is a growing national movement that supports environmentally sound ways of returning the body to the Earth in a natural, simple and dignified way.
Recent Event
“Green Burial Basics”
Expert presentations
Dr. Basil Eldadah is Executive Director of Reflection Park Natural Burial Ground, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Basil sees the natural burial movement as a way to bring healing to our planet and greater consciousness into our lives. https://www.reflectionpark.org/
The Rev. Joanne Tetrault is an Episcopal priest currently serving at a blended Episcopal-Lutheran congregation in Baltimore Co. She has a special interest in grief and end-of-life care in addition to her completed seminary, spiritual and pastoral studies. She also enjoys volunteering for GBAM at the Waverly Market in Baltimore!
Dan Morhaim, M.D. brings a unique perspective: Physician, state legislator, academic, author, consultant. As an ER physician, he’s been on the front lines for over 40 years. While faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (16 years) he taught public policy, and his research on advance care planning led to numerous articles and two books, including “Preparing for a Better End” (Johns Hopkins Press.)
Past Events
Past Zoom Meetings
GBAM ZOOM meeting with Ed Bixby in November 2024
We appreciated the great information provided by Ed Bixby, during GBAM’s online meeting. Ed is founder of Global Green Burial Alliance and owner operator of Destination Destiny and Steelmantown Cemeteries, which offer many eco-friendly burial options.
GBAM Sponsored Event
Lucinda Herring
Saturday, January 27
What it means to choose a Green Burial, and to be more creatively involved in caring for a loved one after death.
How to work proactively with funeral homes. Honoring and caring for a deceased loved one’s body at home or hospital.
Creating Advance and After-Death-Care Directives.
Lucinda says that to bring beauty, nature, art, and ritual – even celebration and joy – in the midst of mourning – is to “green” the gateway of death with life and renewal.
2023 SPEAKER SERIES
Green Burial Basics:
Planning for Death While Living Your Values
Jennifer Downs, RN,L.Ac / GBAM President, and Carrie Shipton, BFA/ GBAM Board Member
Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 7-8:30 PM
This presentation covered:
- The Benefits of Green Burial
- The Environmental Impact of Conventional Burials, Cremation, and other forms of Bodily Disposition
- Options for Natural Burial- and what makes a burial truly “green”
- The Green Burial Movement in Maryland and broader trends in the US
GREEN BURIAL Video
Green Burial
What we need to know
Sunday, February 5, 2023, 2-4 PM
Speaker: Lee Webster, national expert on green burial and home funerals
What is Green Burial?
Green Burial is a natural process. It was the traditional method of burial until about 150 years ago. It is a way of caring for the dead with dignity and minimal impact on the environment.
Green Burials use non-toxic and biodegradable caskets or shrouds, and the body is not embalmed. Concrete vaults and grave liners are not used.
The land remains in a natural state that does not require the use of lawn fertilizers, pesticides, or extensive landscaping. Natural grave markers, such as flat river stones or native plantings, are used to mark the grave site. Green Burial conserves resources, reduces carbon emissions, protects workers’ health, and preserves or restores natural habitats.
Our Mission
The Green Burial Association of Maryland (GBAM) promotes environmentally sustainable Green Burial options throughout Maryland.
We support this Mission through public education, promotion of and legislative advocacy for green and hybrid burial grounds, and promoting green practices throughout the funeral industry.
We envision a future in which everyone has access to funeral and burial options that are environmentally sustainable and grounded in evidence-based information.
Our Values
We value the interconnected web of life and death.
We respect and support families in finding their traditions and rituals consistent with green burial.
We honor the Earth and support environmentally sound options for returning the body to the Earth naturally and with dignity.
We support green burial because it promotes conservation, carbon and other toxic gas emissions reduction, worker health protection, land conservation, and family-centered burial experiences.