by Jessica Kane, Special correspondent
If you are a resident of Las Vegas, you may be considering a ‘green’ burial following your death. With that in mind, you may have an array of questions about the possibility for a green funeral and burial in Las Vegas. There are a number of legal and practical considerations that you need to understand when it comes to a desire for green funeral and burial in Las Vegas.
Overview of the Green Burial Process
A true green burial centers on the way in which a deceased person’s remains are prepared following death and the manner in which they are interned. When it comes to the preparation of a deceased individual’s remains, a green burial necessitates that a body not be embalmed. Rather, the remains are either buried directly after death or are maintained with ice until interment.
Green internment involves the burial of a deceased person’s remains without the use of items that do not fairly readily decompose themselves. For example, a green burial will not involve the use of the a metal or a treated hardwood casket most commonly used in this day and age. A metal or cement vault is also not used in a green burial. Instead, in a green burial a shroud or very simple wooden coffin that will break down fairly quickly are internment options.
The Legality of Green Burials in Las Vegas
The state of Nevada, as is the case with all other states in the country, has specific regulations regarding how the remains of a person can be buried. All burials in Nevada must occur in a specifically dedicated cemetery, with one exception. A burial in a family cemetery is permissible in certain limited situations. A family cemetery can exist in a Nevada county with under 55,000 residents. As a result, a family cemetery is not an option in Las Vegas or Clark County.
A cemetery in the state of Nevada has the ability to develop its own set of rules and guidelines regarding a green burial. According to Nevada law, a cemetery in the state is not required to permit green burials on their premises. In fact, at this juncture, a majority of cemeteries in the state do not allow truly green burials to occur on their premises.
In addition to legal limitations associated with green interment, the Nevada laws pertaining to embalming are stricter than those found in most states. Part of the green-burial process is the elimination of embalming. In many U.S. states, embalming is not required. In Nevada, embalming must occur if the remains will not be buried within 72 hours. In addition, embalming will be done nearly immediately after arrival at a funeral home if the facility “has no reason to believe” that a family would object to the process. Thus, if a person desires a green burial, that decision must be conveyed to family members or other loved ones to ensure that a funeral home is advised of this intention.
Green Cemeteries in Las Vegas
As was pointed out previously, green burial in a family cemetery is not permissible in Las Vegas, according to Nevada law. Thus, the only possible option for an actual green disposition in the city would be at one or another of the duly certified cemeteries in Las Vegas. As of this time, none of the cemeteries in Las Vegas permit a green internment. They all require the use of caskets, coffins, and vaults. The reality is that at this juncture in time there are no cemeteries in the state of Nevada that permit green internment.
There are, however, cemeteries in nearby California that permit green burials. Thus, your immediate response might be to arrange for a green burial in California. In fact, under Nevada and California law–and a host of federal regulations–this is impossible. You remains cannot be transported from Nevada to California without first being embalmed.
Eco-Friendly Alternative to Green Burial in Las Vegas
Because of the general unavailability of green burial in Las Vegas, you may think you’ve no real options for an eco-friendly internment. In fact, there is an eco-friendly internment option available to you. This is called direct cremation.
Through direct cremation, a deceased person’s remains are not embalmed, within the parameters permitted by Nevada law. Typically, the remains would be collected by a funeral home and transported directly to a crematorium. The cremation occurs within a short period of time after a person’s death, perhaps even on the same day. The cremains can then be disposed in any number of different ways. This can be done with a focus on having the least impact on the environment as possible, if that is your desire.
Future of Green Burial in Las Vegas
Green burial is becoming more commonplace in the United States as time goes on. The reality is that green burial is likely to be permitted at a Las Vegas cemetery at some juncture in the not too distant future. Thus, if you are strong in your desire in wanting a green burial, you should check on the availability of green burial spaces in Las Vegas, perhaps on a yearly basis. You might want to sign up for informational services provided regularly by one organization or another that advocates for green burial in the United States.
Memorial Remembrance
When having a green burial, an eco-friendly burial, or a more commonplace standard burial, you might also want to obtain some type of memorial remembrance for your loved one. This can come in the form of a piece of memorabilia, like an item made of silver, that you can maintain and cherish forever. There are even enterprises in business today that turn cremains into pieces of remembrance jewelry. As an aside, there is an environmental impact that arises from the making of this type of jewelry. Compared to a standard burial, however, that negative environmental impact is minimal.
