Human burial has been practiced for millennia as a way of dealing with our dead, but it’s not a perfect solution. America is estimated to contain around 404,685 hectares (1 million acres) of land currently dedicated to human burial, and the production of caskets sees around 1.6 million hectares (4 million acres) of forest lost each year. So, what if we just did away with all the accessories? Why is it necessary to bury the dead in coffins rather than just in the ground?