Burial grounds going green in Oakland County

Going green from the grave. No, that’s not the title of a new scary movie being filmed in Michigan, though it is almost Halloween. It’s a push toward environmentally friendly, green burial grounds. Oakland County’s Addison Township received a grant to turn a huge plot of land into a sustainable cemetery. Excerpt: The new cemetery likely will feature native prairie grasses instead of mowed lawns, engraved rocks instead of headstones and biodegradable wood or wicker coffins that cost $1,000 or less instead of more expensive wood or metal ones that can cost as much as $35,000, experts said. Environmentally conscious Michiganders also are beginning to explore green funeral options including not using formaldehyde to embalm bodies, using a biodegradable coffin and skipping the traditional concrete burial vaults.Michigan has 24 funeral homes offering green funeral services — more than any other state, according to Joe Sehee, director of the New Mexico-based Green Burial Council. Read the entire article here.