Only Slate Plus members can gift Slate stories. Become a member to share 10 free articles a month. Basil Eldadah assumed his father’s funeral would be simple. Years before, Basil’s father had taken ...

The concept of green funerals (eco-friendly funerals) has seen a surge in interest in recent years, especially among younger generations, many of whom have shown a preference for traditional burials ...

The push for environmental consciousness has sparked the rise of not only green energy initiatives, but now also the move to "green burials" or "human composting" practices over more traditional ...

The family of Janet McAliley, a four-term Miami-Dade County Public School Board member, lifts her biodegradable casket into a grave during a funeral service at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery.

Green burials are becoming a more popular alternative to a traditional burial. In a green burial, the body is not preserved with chemicals, and is buried in a shroud or in natural caskets made of ...

To get a sense of how progressive ideals don’t always reflect actual practice, try burying a dead relative in Southern California. You’ll find that even in this land where people talk about ...

When people lose a loved one — especially unexpectedly — environmental consciousness may be the last thing on their minds. But modern funeral practices are wreaking havoc on the environment. Bodies ...

Seven years ago Jack Davenport, co-owner of Davenport Family Funeral Homes and Crematory in the Chicago suburbs, was approached with what seemed an unusual request. A family trying to grant the last ...

Authorities in Colorado have so far uncovered more than 100 bodies, all of them improperly stored, at a funeral home known for its environmentally friendly burials and cremations. The remains were ...

BROOKSHIRE, TEXAS - Denise Manos stood under the hot Texas sun, staring at the 68-acre prairie springing to life ahead of her. She'd come here, to the newly opened Blazing Star Sanctuary in Brookshire ...