Green burial options and costs: natural burial, mushroom coffins, and human composting

A conventional burial involves embalming, a sealed casket, and a concrete vault — thousands of dollars of materials, much of it chosen for appearance rather than necessity. Green burial strips that back to something simpler and more natural, and it's often less expensive, not more. Here are the real options, what they cost, and how widely available each one actually is.

Natural (green) burial

The most established option: no embalming (or only non-toxic, plant-based embalming), a biodegradable casket or a simple shroud, and no concrete vault. The body is buried at a depth that supports natural decomposition, often in a dedicated green section of a cemetery or a conservation burial ground that doubles as protected land.

Costs vary, but the burial itself commonly runs $1,000–$4,000 plus the cost of the plot — frequently less than a conventional burial precisely because you skip the vault, the embalming, and the expensive casket. Our costs by state pages show how burial and cremation prices compare where you live.

Biodegradable and mushroom coffins

Instead of hardwood or metal, these caskets are made from materials that break down quickly: wicker, bamboo, cardboard, or — the option that gets the most attention — mushroom (mycelium) coffins and burial suits. Grown from mushroom root structures, they decompose within weeks and are designed to help the body return to the soil cleanly. Prices range widely, from a few hundred dollars for a simple cardboard casket to a few thousand for a mycelium pod or suit.

Human composting (natural organic reduction)

One of the fastest-growing options: the body is gently transformed into nutrient-rich soil over several weeks, which the family can keep or donate to conservation land. It's legal in a growing number of states — Washington was first, followed by Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York, and others — and typically costs $5,000–$7,000. Ask providers in a legal state, as availability is still limited.

Water cremation and tree pods

Water cremation (aquamation) is often grouped with green options for its low energy use and lack of emissions. You may also see tree-pod burial— the appealing idea of a body in a biodegradable pod with a tree planted above. Be aware that full-body tree pods are still largely a concept; what's actually for sale today is mostly biodegradable urns for ashes, which are real and widely available.

How to find a provider

• Ask cemeteries near you whether they have a green or natural burial section.
• Look for “conservation burial grounds,” which protect the land in perpetuity.
• Confirm what's included and itemized before you pay — the FTC Funeral Rule applies here too.