Or, how about caskets made of biodegradable materials.

“Biodegradable caskets lack contaminants that would otherwise seep into the groundwater and surrounding ecosystems,” said Ben Goldschmidt, a senior in biological engineering from Columbia, who is working the the project.

He said the goal of green burial is to return the deceased and casket materials to the earth, where they can enrich the soil. Green cemeteries spurn vaults, tombstones and manicured lawns in favor of trees and native plants, according to Goldschmidt.