A number of my sixty-something friends and relatives have died in the past three years. Death is no longer an abstract concept. I know I too will die and want my death to reflect my life. In thinking about this, I realized that it is very important to me that I not be filled with chemicals and "preserved" for hundreds of years inside a metal box lined with synthetic materials. I really want to be one with the earth.
Especially if a death is sudden, the people making "arrangements" are in shock and are easily influenced by funeral directors. The more "services" a body get, the more the mortuary makes. Those of us who care about the environment generally want our final disposition to be good for the earth.
Many mortuaries don't tell you embalming is not required, and that, at least in Oregon, you can bury family members on your own land in rural areas. For many people cremation is the disposition that suits them best, but those who want their bodies to nourish the earth can often find a way to do that. It just takes a little more planning.
Check out the regulations for your state now, even if you are young and healthy. Then tell those closest to you what you want done with your body. If you care about the earth, make your last act "green".