By Candace Currie
Mount Auburn ’ s actions as a cemetery are significant across the nation because it was the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States and it has set the standard by which all other garden cemeteries are compared . The more sustainable Mount Auburn becomes , so too , others will follow .
In 2014 , it was the first and still the only cemetery in Massachusetts certified by the Green Burial Council ( GBC ) as a hybrid cemetery . Hybrid means that both conventional burial with grave
Figure 1 - A natural burial grave , according to Mount Auburn ' s guidelines , requires the use of the lowering device however , family and friends are encouraged to fill in the grave .
liners and natural burial with unlined graves are performed . At least 20 other local cemeteries in Massachusetts allow green burial options , but no other cemetery has decided to seek GBC certification .
There are two ways to integrate green or natural burial into an existing cemetery : adding a ‘ green section ’, if land is available ; or integrating green burial into the fabric of the landscape . Mount Auburn has done the latter . In fact , integrating natural burial into the landscape has allowed Mount Auburn to use areas that were unavailable for conventional burial .
These GBC standards listed below were revised for clarity in 2020 . For hybrid cemeteries , the substance of each standard did not change .
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Accurately represent earned level of GBC certification in marketing materials , websites , and conversations with the public , clients , and the media . Provide clients and families with the opportunity to participate in the burial and ritual process , in keeping with state law and with these standards . ( Consider providing multiple sizes of shovels , including ones for children ). Accept for burial only decedents that have not been embalmed or those embalmed only with GBC-approved , nontoxic chemicals . Prohibit the use of a vault ( partial , inverted , or otherwise ), a vault lid , concrete box , slab or partitioned liner in the burial plot . All burial containers , shrouds , and other associated products made only of natural , biodegradable materials . Develop a Maintenance and Operations Manual to be utilized by all staff members , contractors , and volunteers to implement site goals , policies , and best practices . Establish an endowment fund to ensure the long-term maintenance of the site by setting aside at least 10 % of all burial plot sales .
Mount Auburn Cemetery | Climate Action & Sustainability Plan 58