Funeral Planning
Planning for your death may necessitate some extremely difficult and uncomfortable decisions—and one of the most challenging aspects of funeral planning is the choice between being buried or cremated upon demise.
While you cannot rely on others to make this determination for you, you can certainly take some factors into consideration to make the selection easier.
Religion
The first thing you have to consider is your religious beliefs. In most cases, the choice between cremation and burial will be determined by the religion you adhere to, as many religions have an already accepted practice of disposition. Some religions require cremation while others forbid it.
Cost
Like all the other important decisions of life, one of the most important factors to consider when choosing between burial and cremation is how much money one is willing to spend. Cremations can be quite economical, while a traditional burial, with a casket, headstone, embalming, and grave purchase, can be very expensive.
Eco-friendliness
People who have cared about the environment all their life, would want their disposition to happen in an environmentally friendly way as well. Cremations are far less damaging to the environment than burial as burial entails the use of a number of highly toxic chemicals in the embalming process. Furthermore, when buried, people also take a spot on the earth forever. You must also consider that the machines used to dig graves and non-biodegradable coffins may contribute to a larger carbon footprint.
That’s not to say that all cremation methods are completely safe for the environment. A recent method of cremation such as alkaline hydrolysis is a water-based chemical resolving process that can harm the environment.
After
Perhaps the most important factor to consider when choosing between burial and cremation is where people want their remains to be kept. In burial, people have the ability to choose a graveyard that is near to their family and loved ones, so that they can be buried adjacent to their family. On the other hand, with cremation, people can opt for a number of options to have their ashes spread in a place that has important sentimental value to them. They can also have their ashes contained in an urn. This way their ashes can move with their family, or even be incorporated into objects such as jewelry, enabling their loved ones to have them close to their hearts at all times.
Burial or cremation? However you want your body to be finally disposed of, you must first let your loved ones know in writing to ensure your wishes are met. Remember that it is a very personal decision and should only be resolved with careful consideration.
If you or a loved one has chosen cremation, Rest Ashured is available to talk with you about the final steps.
