Green Burial
At Sinn Family Celebration of Life Center, we believe every family deserves options that reflect their values, including a more natural, eco-conscious return to the earth. Green burial isn't one single option, it's a range of choices, and we'll help you find the level that fits your family and your cemetery's requirements.
There Are Different Levels of Green Burial
Green burial exists on a spectrum, and not every cemetery allows every level. Some options include:
- Softer wood caskets — A simpler, more natural alternative to traditional caskets, still biodegradable but without going fully unembalmed or liner-free.
- Green embalming chemicals — For families who want a viewing or traditional service but prefer to avoid standard embalming fluid, we offer greener, plant-based alternatives.
- A grave liner with no bottom — Many cemeteries require an outer burial container by policy. A bottomless liner satisfies that requirement while still allowing the body or casket to return to the earth naturally.
- Fully natural burial — No embalming, no metal casket, no vault, a biodegradable casket or shroud allowed to return to the earth as directly as possible, typically only available at dedicated natural burial grounds or rural cemetery.
Why This Spectrum Matters
Not every cemetery allows every level of green burial. Some require a vault or liner no matter what, others allow a bottomless liner, and only a small number of cemeteries permit fully natural burial with nothing at all. Before you decide, we'll help you check what your chosen cemetery actually allows, so there are no surprises later.
What we help with:
- Bringing your loved one into our care, safely and respectfully, from wherever they passed
- Explaining the different levels of green burial and what each one actually involves
- Checking with your cemetery of choice to confirm what they will and won't allow
- Selecting a biodegradable casket, softer wood casket, or shroud
- Offering greener embalming alternatives, right here at our on-site care center, if a viewing or traditional service is still part of your plan
- Coordinating a bottomless grave liner where a cemetery requires an outer container
- Deciding on a one-day or two-day visitation and service schedule
- Coordinating with the cemetery, clergy, and any officiants
- Arranging transportation, including our hearse, service vehicle, and limousine
- Ordering and filing death certificates, so your family isn't stuck navigating paperwork alone
- Guidance on notifying Social Security, pensions, and other agencies that require notice of death
- Coordinating obituary writing and publication, in print or online
- Arranging flowers, memorial folders, and printed materials for the service
- Helping organize a luncheon or gathering afterward, including coordinating catering and use of our space in any of our reception halls
- Personal touches like music, readings, and artwork that reflect who they were
Ean Sinn, owner and funeral director, will walk you through this personally, so you understand exactly what's possible and what your specific cemetery requires before any decisions are made. In 2025, Ean completed the Green Burial Council's Course on Green Burial, and plans to expand our offerings.
We're proud to help families throughout Trimont, Sherburn, and Welcome, and across Martin, Jackson, Cottonwood, Watonwan, Faribault, and Brown Counties explore green burial options that fit their values and their cemetery's rules.
If you're interested in green burial, or want to know what's allowed at a specific cemetery, call us anytime at
507-639-5711.
Is green burial legal in Minnesota?
Yes. Minnesota law doesn't always require embalming, and does not have regulations on requirements for a casket, or a burial vault. However, individual cemeteries can and often do set their own rules, so what's legally allowed and what your specific cemetery permits aren't always the same thing. Always check with your chosen cemetery before making a final decision.
Does Minnesota law require embalming?
No, not in most cases. Embalming isn't required by state law unless the body be publicly viewed, will be transported by common carrier (such as commercial air travel) or won't be buried, cremated, or refrigerated within 72 hours of death. Without embalming, Minnesota law generally requires burial within 72 hours, or the body must be refrigerated or packed in dry ice.
Does Minnesota require a burial vault or grave liner?
No. Burial vaults and grave liners aren't required by Minnesota state law. That said, many cemeteries require one as a matter of their own policy, often to prevent the ground from settling over time. This is one of the most common reasons families choose a bottomless grave liner, since it can satisfy a cemetery's policy while still allowing for a more natural burial.
Is Minnesota law around green burial changing?
Minnesota lawmakers have been actively working on legislation that would formally define green burial and set standards for it statewide.
Since these rules are still developing, we stay current on any changes and will always give you the most accurate, up-to-date information when you're ready to plan.
