Green Burial

Memorial Reefs: A Truly Green Burial

Memorial reefs are a means of developing and stewarding natural areas. They reduce the use of viable land mass while providing a habitat for life in our seas. With Memorial Reefs, death can make a difference.

A new form of green funerals has emerged that encompasses these growing trends. The OAR Memorial Reef program will place your ashes into an artificial reef that is then lowered into the Gulf, to become a vital part of the rebirth of the ocean floor. The Memorial Reefs are scientifically designed to mimic the endangered habitat housing many different forms of sea life. Memorial Reefs are a fraction of traditional burial costs, and they have significant ecological benefits. These reefs reduce species extinction rates, enhance biodiversity, and help to restore our over-fished waters. Since OAR is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation, part of the Memorial Reef cost is considered a sponsorship due to the long-term ecological benefits of the reef and its contribution to our ocean’s inhabitants. Therefore, a portion of the cost of the reef may be tax deductible. This form of green burial or green funeral is the next ecological step for the funeral industry and a positive step in the elimination of the ecologically harmful methods that have been used traditionally.