Funeral Alternatives

What is Funeral?

Funeral is a ceremony of performing the last rites for the deceased. People either cremate or bury the dead in a ceremony. The last ceremonies are conducted on the basis of the beliefs of the dead and his or her family. Every religion has a priest who is called to perform the last rites. Funeral can be done at home or nearby a place of worship.

Cost of Funeral

The cost of

funeral depends on the country and type of rituals. The average cost lies between $7,000 and $12,000. Cemetery, monument, marker, etc. are not included in the cost.

Top 10 Funeral Alternatives

There are many alternatives to funeral and some of them have been discussed here.

Alternative 1 – Traditional Ground Burial

Traditional ground burial is not an eco-friendly idea It is one of the most common funerals. The body of the deceased is put into a casket and is buried in a grave six feet under a cemetery. There is a headstone placed above the grave and the name of the person is written along with the dates of birth and death. This is done so that relatives and friends can come to pay homage to the deceased.

Alternative 2 – Direct Cremation

Direct cremation is considered as one of the cheapest method of funeral. In this type of funeral, the body of the deceased is brought to crematorium and the process is done very quickly. The staff of the crematorium will give you the ashes which you can bury, scatter in the air, or throw in the water. This is the best option if cremation has to be done at a short notice.

Alternative 3 – Resomation

Resomation is also known as bio-cremation. This funeral can be done only at one place in the United States and that is Anderson-McQueen funeral home in St. Petersburg. The relatives of the deceased have the option of dissolving the tissues. The process is done by using hot water and potassium hydroxide. In this process, bones are pulverized and the family receives its fragments

Alternative 4 – Body Donation

You can donate the body of your loved ones to perform research. They will cremate the body for free after the research is over. The remains will be returned to the relatives. This arrangement has to be done before the death of a person and not after death. As you only have the right to donate your body to science so you need to be in touch with a medical school that will make the arrangement.

Alternative 5 – Bio Urn

Bio urns are considered as one of the best alternatives to funeral. This is an eco-friendly method for funeral. Bio urns are made before planting a tree or a plant by using nutrients that are mixed with the ashes of the deceased. A seed and a fertilizer are included in the bio urns which can be well-merged with the remains of the deceased.

Alternative 6 – Mummification

Mummification was the process that was used in ancient Egypt. Now a day it is not much popular but it is still used in some cultures. In this type of burial, the body is immersed in a liquid for its preservation. This process is known as plastination. In this way, the body is changed into a mummy.

Alternative 7 – Tree Burial

Tree burial is not a popular process of funeral. This process is popular in the Philippines. This is a process in which the body of the deceased has to be protected from wild animals. The body of the deceased is either put inside a tree or embedded in a tree trunk. Another process is that the body is covered in a coffin or with a blanket and is tied to the branches of a tree.

Alternative 8 – Cryonics

Cryonics is a process of funeral that is done to the deceased who are considered as brain dead. This is a process in which the dead body is frozen to save it from deterioration, It is a belief that with advancement in technology, the body can be revived in the future. In this way, tissues will not be damaged.

Alternative 9 – Aquamation

This is a process in which the body of the deceased is n bathed in water. Due to this, deterioration of the body starts at a fast speed. This process does not seem to be a good one but people consider it better than burning the body in a furnace.

Alternative 10 – Space Burial

Space Burial is considered as one of the best alternatives to funeral. This is a process in which the ashes of the deceased are launched in a rocket. To the space. This is not an eco-friendly way of burying the dead but still many people perform it.

Conclusion

Funeral is a process in which the body of a deceased is either buried or created. Both processes are not considered good. Now people have started using many alternatives to funeral which include resomation, water burial, tree burial, etc.