End-of-Life Resources

End-of-Life Options to 

Green burial

Body Disposition Options

Cremation
  • Fire: incineration of body in a cremator
    • Ashes returned in urn or vessel
  • Water: hydro-cremation known as aquamation
    • Alternative to flame cremation using water instead of fire to return the body back to mother nature
    • Alkaline hydrolysis is the gentle process used to dissolve the body into liquid 
      • Resulting sterile liquid can be returned in vessel
    • Eco-friendly option with lower carbon footprint than fire cremation or traditional burial
    • Not yet legal in every state
Burial
  • Traditional burial
    • Involves embalming and dressing, can include a viewing and/or funeral service, and casket with body is placed into the earth at a cemetery, private property, family plot, or burial at sea (EPA regulated)
    • Most expensive option
  • Green burial (direct burial)​
    • Occurs soon after death; does not use chemicals and body is not embalmed
    • Usually no viewing
    • Body placed in wooden casket, shroud, or mushroom suit (shroud embedded with mushroom spores to accelerate decomposition and integration into the earth)
    • Eco-friendly option
    • Some restrictions for burial site locations
Whole-Body Donation 
  • Gifting the body to science for research purposes and/or training for future physicians
    • Body can be cremated with ashes returned to family afterwards
    • Many programs offer this service at no cost to family

Directories for Local Doula Support

Becoming a Doula

Certification Organizations

​There are several certifying organizations that provide training.  These are some of the most well-known and respected organizations: