Delaware is one of the few states without a dedicated green burial ground. But families here still have options, by arranging natural burial in neighboring Maryland , New Jersey , or Pennsylvania , where green burial is fully legal. 🌿 Nearby Choices Maryland allows natural burial using biodegradable caskets or shrouds, with the required permits and proper burial depths. New Jersey permits green burial with minimal regulation, so long as families meet permit requirements. Pennsylvania also allows natural burial, requiring only the proper death certificate and burial permit. For Delawareans, this means it’s possible to have a green burial just across state lines while still honoring eco-friendly values. 🌿 Creating a Green Burial Ground in Delaware Starting one here, or converting part of an existing cemetery into a hybrid section, is possible but requires planning and regulatory approval. Key steps include: Reviewing Delaware’s cemetery laws and local zoning codes. Deciding whether to establish a full natural burial ground or a hybrid section within an existing cemetery. Partnering with local officials, funeral homes, and possibly land trusts to secure approval and land use permits. Following best practices: shallow hand-dug graves, no embalming, no vaults, and maintaining safe distances from water sources. Offering only biodegradable shrouds or caskets, natural stone markers, or GPS coordinates to preserve the land’s integrity. 🌿 A Path Forward With growing awareness, Delaware could establish its first natural or hybrid green burial site. Until then, residents can look to nearby states, or begin the work of petitioning for a site closer to home.  If you want information on how to start your own natural burial cemetery, or you want to make me aware of another green, natural, or hybrid cemetery in this state, please reach out!

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Artist Spotlight: Ashes 2 Earth Every so often, I meet creators whose work embodies exactly what I fight for in deathcare: bringing heart, heritage, and humanity back into the way we remember our loved ones. Meet Wendi Spiers and Carlos Oropeza , the husband-and-wife team behind Ashes 2 Earth , born from their studio Mean Pony Pottery in Fiddletown, California. After Wendi lost her beloved aunt, she wanted to create something more personal - remembrance vessels that could hold not just ashes, but love. Together, she and Carlos began handcrafting urns inspired by his Mexico City roots and the spirit of Día de los Muertos , celebrating the bond between the living and the dead through art and clay. Despite their heartfelt work, many funeral homes, crematories, and even veterinarians refused to let them share their flyers or products, a reminder of how corporate deathcare often silences small, soulful makers who are trying to offer families something real and meaningful. So, I’m sharing them here, because independent artists like Wendi and Carlos deserve to be seen. Their pieces transform loss into light, reminding us that remembrance can be as unique and beautiful as the life it honors. Explore their work at Ashes2Earth.com

The Last Thing Petra and Michael Wanted