Earth to earth: German church tests climate-neutral burials

A burial cocoon where the body is placed inside in hay, straw and flowers and decomposes over 40 days with the help of microorganisms. The remains are then buried in a shallow grave. Photo: Sven Krieger/Meine Erde/dpa

A German church has started offering environmentally friendly burials, returning the dead to the earth where their bodies can decompose naturally, instead of being placed in a coffin or cremated.

The process is also healing for the bereaved, they say.