Understanding Cremations

Understanding cremations and how they may affect the choice of a burial is an important responsibility for the person in charge of the funeral arrangements. Often, people don't think about the choices of funeral or cremation before they die and friends and loved ones may not be sure what to do in order to follow the wishes of the deceased. Sometimes, however, the cremation decision has more to do with other factors such as cost and the effect on the environment. Understanding cremations and the issues surrounding a cremation include these considerations:

• Cost. According to the National Funeral Director's Association, families choosing cremations can save significantly on funeral costs. The average cost of a funeral in 2010 was nearly $7,000, and that figure did not include the cost of a casket. So it's easy to see that moving forward with an option that would make a coffin a discretionary item could save a tremendous amount of money. Of course, it's still possible to rent a casket and decorate the casket with pictures of the loved one and other memorabilia to use for the funeral.
• Impact on the environment. In order to have a green funeral, it's important not to put steel coffins or wooden coffins with metal liners into the ground. Green funeral supporters say that a body that's been embalmed is also harmful to the environment. The embalming solutions are toxic and can harm the ground and nearby sources of water. Of course, green funeral activists are not in favor of cremations because of the fossil fuel used to operate the cremation chamber. However, there are biodegradable urns that can be used to bury the remains in an ecologically appropriate manner.
• Save land. Green cemeteries are opening throughout the country. They also are being used as recreational space because there is no infrastructure such as roads and sidewalks.. Instead of installing streets and concrete paths through a cemetery, there is nothing but open land. The spot where a loved one is buried may be marked by decorative stones that include a computer chip so that family members can always locate the spot where their loved one was buried. Only biodegradable items can be buried in green cemeteries, such as cremated remains in simple wooden caskets. While traditional cemeteries use up valuable land in the country, the land used for green cemeteries can be used for other purposes as well.
• Body is not in the ground. For some people, the thought of a loved one's body decomposing over time under the ground is unpleasant and even barbaric. Cremations may be a better choice in those situations. Many people believe the soul or essence of a person can be trapped inside the body. By cremating the body, the soul is released.